BTS member V's recent discharge from South Korea's military has reignited long-standing rumors of a relationship with BLACKPINK's Jennie, as fans dissect his latest social media posts and draw connections to Jennie's recent activity and lyrics.
Kim Taehyung, better known as V, completed his 18-month service on June 10. A day later, he posted a series of Instagram photos that included his military sendoff, time with fellow servicemen, and a celebratory cake. One particular detail - the cake's message reading "I'm happy to be with you" - drew swift reaction from fans online.
"I CAN'T IMAGINE ANY OF HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS SAYING 'I'm happy to be with you.' THIS CAKE IS DEFINITELY GIVEN TO HIM BY JENNIE," one fan posted.
In another photo, fans fixated on a small blue teddy bear keychain hanging from V's backpack, claiming it matched a black version Jennie had been seen carrying in the past. Additional attention focused on the caption and audio used in the post: V wrote "Love me tete" alongside the track "Love Me JeJe." Fans interpreted the names as referencing "Taehyung" and "Jennie," linking them to couple-style nicknames.
The rumors also gained momentum after Jennie posted behind-the-scenes images from her solo music video "Seoul City" - a release many fans claim contains veiled references to V. One lyric, "Only listen to my general, oh-oh / He says my attitude out of control...," sparked debate online due to V's military background, even though he held the rank of sergeant, not general.
This is not the first time the two global K-pop stars have been linked romantically. In 2022, an alleged photo of them driving together on Jeju Island circulated online. Later that year, V followed Jennie on Instagram, only to quickly unfollow her. In May 2023, a video surfaced of what appeared to be the pair walking hand-in-hand in Paris. Despite growing public speculation, neither HYBE nor YG Entertainment confirmed or denied the reports. "We cannot confirm anything about our artists' personal lives," YG said at the time.
By late 2023, as V enlisted and BLACKPINK renewed their contracts, Korean media outlets reported a breakup - though neither party issued statements. Now, fans believe recent hints point to a possible reconciliation.
Adding to the speculation, shippers noted that Jennie's Instagram post one day prior to V's discharge included scattered letters on a table, prominently showing the letter "T," which they viewed as a nod to "Taehyung."
