BTS member V, also known as Kim Taehyung, has achieved significant popularity in Japan, ranking at the top of multiple charts and selling out magazines featuring him on the cover. According to a report by South Korean media outlet STARNEWS, Taehyung ranked first as Male Idol of the Year for 250 consecutive weeks on the Japanese idol ranking platform Nehan. He also secured the top position for 216 consecutive weeks on the K-culture platform K-Board in the K-pop Idol Popularity Ranking category.
In addition to his ranking, Taehyung maintained first place throughout the entire voting period in K-Board’s Korean Drama Male Actor General Election and Flower Boy Election. His popularity was further highlighted by his ranking on the K-pop-focused site K-pop Juice, where he was ranked first for the entire period, including first place in the favorites registration category.
Magazines featuring Taehyung have also recorded strong sales performance in Japan. The February issue of GQ Korea, which features Taehyung on the cover, ranked first on Japan’s largest online shopping mall Rakuten for four consecutive days following the start of pre-orders. On Amazon Japan, the issue ranked first in the Idol and Celebrity Merchandise category as well as the Latest Releases category. The issue also topped Qoo10’s K-pop magazine and photobook rankings, with 15,000 pre-orders within two days.
Similarly, Vogue Japan’s February issue featuring Taehyung sold out during the pre-order stage, with Rakuten listing the issue as “unavailable for order” shortly after pre-orders opened. The issue ranked first on several online retailers, including Amazon Japan and 7net, and was also sold out on CDJapan, which handled global distribution of entertainer merchandise.
Taehyung’s consistent popularity in Japan has been notable, with the BTS member recording the highest search volumes on Japanese Google Trends and X. His influence extends beyond music, with the jewelry worn by Taehyung in his GQ Korea feature also seeing a sharp rise in demand. The Panthère de Cartier ring featured on the cover sold out across all sizes on Cartier’s official website, while his Cartier Juste un Clou necklace and LOVE bracelet became unavailable shortly after.
BTS is also gearing up for a new group release later this year, with pre-orders for the new album set to open on January 16, 2026, and the official release scheduled for March 20, 2026. The upcoming project will be the group’s first full studio album in almost three years and nine months, following their anthology album Proof, which was released in June 2022.
