BTS’ V / Captured from YouTube channel “Fairy Jaehyung”
BTS may now be one of the world’s biggest music acts, but member V recently looked back on a time when just a few dozen fans showed up to see them — and it meant everything.
In a YouTube appearance on the channel “Fairy Jaehyung” uploaded on March 29, V reflected on the group’s early years before global fame, revealing that their first fan meeting drew only around 25 attendees.
BTS’ V / Captured from YouTube channel “Fairy Jaehyung”
“About 25 to 30 people came to our first fan meeting, but it was more than the number of members, so we were happy,” V said. “We were touched that people came all that way just to see us.”
BTS, which debuted in 2013 under BigHit Entertainment, is now widely considered a global K-pop powerhouse with a massive international fan base known as ARMY. But V’s comments highlighted the stark contrast between their humble beginnings and current status.
Host Jung Jae-hyung pointed out that it took several years for BTS to gain momentum, noting that the group’s breakthrough did not come immediately after debut. He referenced their 2016 hit “Fire,” which marked a turning point in their popularity.
“After ‘Fire,’ things really took off. They even reached No. 1 on Japan’s Oricon chart, and that’s when ARMY’s influence became huge,” Jung said.
V agreed, emphasizing that the group itself did not drastically change during that period.
“We didn’t really change what we were doing,” he said. “It was the fans’ passion and energy that helped spread the word about us.”
The story has resonated widely online, with fans sharing clips of the interview across social media and reflecting on BTS’ journey from small venues to sold-out stadiums worldwide.
The anecdote underscores a recurring narrative in K-pop — that fan communities play a central role in an artist’s rise, especially in the digital era where word-of-mouth and online engagement can accelerate global recognition.
For many fans, V’s story serves as both a nostalgic reminder of BTS’ early struggles and a testament to how far the group has come — from performing for a few dozen people to commanding millions of fans around the world.
This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.koreatimes.co.kr ’
