V Faces Criticism for Endorsing Company Operating in Illegal Settlements

BTS’ Kim Taehyung, better known to his ARMY as V, has been mired in controversy. The singer was named one of the new faces of Coca-Cola Zero in South Korea on July 31, but has since been called out for his new endorsement. The ARMY is furious over BTS member V’s latest business venture and his brand’s political stance on the genocide in Gaza, as well as the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) listing.

BTS V is in the spotlight as the new face of Coke Zero

It seems the ARMYs aren’t too keen on their idol working with a brand that’s been caught being “tone deaf” and “deeply disappointing” after announcing its summer series in South Korea.

The July 31 teaser reel from Coca-Cola Korea’s marketing team got more than a few things right—the actress featured in the advertisement was a familiar face to viewers (Hwang Yu-rim, perhaps from Crash Landing On You, or just the girl with the lovely freckles), the hashtag was popular, and the reveal of BTS member V replacing his HYBE label mates, girl group NewJeans, as the new ambassador for Coke Zero was a massive surprise.

In the era of global consumerism, it’s not unusual to see a mega celebrity taking up sponsorships from major international brands. However, in the recent campaign, it seems V’s latest work has raised a lot of eyebrows over how a serious humanitarian crisis was swept aside in such a short time.

Activism and Silence

However, one of the most frustrating things about the whole endorsement for BTS ARMY is how quickly a brand like Coca-Cola can exploit and ignore the group’s public image. In the past, BTS members have constantly spoken up against discrimination against Asians and have made public endorsements and statements in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Activism is a buzzword that gets tossed around in these types of campaigns so casually that it’s hard to believe V’s brand would even consider working with Coke Zero in the first place. The South Korean pop boy group, and specifically V in this case, has remained maddeningly silent about Gaza, the humanitarian crisis in the occupied territory, and all of the innocent lives lost as a result of Israel’s military operations there.

In 2023, V even had to apologize for what many considered to be his somewhat small and petty brand association with McDonald’s and a photo he shared of some fries. The fast-food chain is one of Coke’s parent companies and also recently made international headlines of its own for its actions in Israel as well. To many, V has now gone from bad to worse.

Coca-Cola’s Political Footprint

Activists have made accusations against Coke before for its ties to Israel, and because of its presence there, it’s been on BDS lists for years. When Coca-Cola ran advertising in Bangladesh last month, the brand found itself in the middle of yet another controversy when it allegedly denied working in Israel.

Activists on the ground responded to Coke’s statement almost immediately and went on to show that Coca-Cola Israel had, in fact, “maintained facilities in the Atarot Settlement Industrial Zone,” according to WhoProfits, a watchdog center. The company is believed to be operating two bottling plants in West Bank territory that’s internationally recognized as illegal, as well as the Tabor Winery, which sources its grapes from Israel’s illegal settlements in the West Bank as well as Syria’s Golan Heights.

All of these items have made Coca-Cola a favorite to boycott among pro-Palestine supporters, and with V’s move to go public with an endorsement that many say he should’ve never accepted to begin with. V’s decision and the lack of a public statement about it have become the call to action for some fans that who want to boycott Coca-Cola and have even started petitions.

Fan Backlash and ARMY Calls to Action

Fans have taken to social media platforms such as Twitter and Reddit to call out V’s decision and post their outrage at BTS member Taehyung working with a brand that is taking a “tone deaf” and “deeply disappointing” approach to an ongoing genocide in Gaza.

“Dear Taehyung BTS, Coca Cola has been operating on the stolen land of the Palestinians, some of whom are your ARMY. Please don’t work with and promote its products. Please educate yourself. Cancel the endorsement and stand with humanity.”, is just one of many ARMYs voicing their hatred at V in particular.

International ARMYs

As the screenshots show in some of the tweets above, international ARMYs were already very quick to share their disapproval with the endorsement and call on BTS member V to cancel it immediately. While there has been no official statement from either V or his agency in HYBE addressing the public’s concerns, many are coming together to ask other major platforms to boycott the brand in solidarity with the people of Palestine.

It’s Not Just BTS

In this time and age, when everyone is trying to be so woke about different types of brands, whether to support or boycott, it doesn’t matter which area of entertainment it is, from advertising campaigns to movies and television shows.

Fans are very quick to call out and hold their favorite celebrities to their standards when whether to support one’s personal growth or as a whole to the public and politics that impact each of us. BTS member V was an easy target for fans to bring these important issues to his attention and the general public and social media consumers, but not just him.