Gregarious, talented, and a true connoisseur of all things vintage – BTS’ V, or Kim Taehyung if you so prefer, leads a glamorous life. However, he enjoys kicking back with a good movie or show just as much as the next person. Here’s looking at a few of BTS V’s favourites on his birthday.
The lead dancer, vocalist, and visual of the seven-piece K-pop sensation BTS – V is a modern-day renaissance man. Reportedly the only member of the group to have acted in a K-drama – read Hwarang – he’s dipped his toes into photography, composition, and writing as well. And with the ongoing hiatus, he looks forward to experimenting a lot more. Interestingly, his foray into the entertainment world began as an accident – securing a position as a trainee when he went into auditions to support a friend. Three years later, he debuted with BTS.
Today, Taehyung is known for his vocal prowess and versatile sense of style. The latter is marked by a taste for yesteryear style – flared pants, ruffles, oversized blazers, bowties, suspenders, and more. That, along with his outgoing yet sensitive nature has also informed his choice in the content he consumes, which in turn influences his solo songs. Through interviews and live broadcasts he’s revealed an affinity for classic movies that explore serious themes and leave you with food for thought. Each, however, come with an adventurous streak – much like the singer himself. In honour of V’s 28th birthday, we’re bingeing our way through the BTS singer’s favourite movies and shows.
Add these shows and movies recommended by BTS V to your watchlist
Squid Game
This Korean drama took the world by storm when it first released in 2021. And Taehyung wasn’t immune to the hype surrounding it. In fact, he dressed up as a guard from Squid Game while performing Permission To Dance in LA that year. The storyline follows 456 players, each of whom has a financial debt to settle. Their only hope? A series of deadly children’s games that have a grand cash prize waiting for the winner. Along the way they spotlight societal issues and confront harsh realities. If dystopian tales appeal to you – as they do V – this one’s for you.
The Godfather
In 2021, V revealed in an interview that he admired the acting prowess of Marlon Brando in the cult classic Godfather. The story – based on the eponymous bestselling novel by Mario Puzo – chronicles the patriarch of the Corleone family – who decides to hand over his empire to his youngest son. However, this puts the lives of everyone he cares about in danger. The three-part feature touches upon all the gritty, ugly sides of a career in crime – politics, betrayal, and everything in between. The compelling storytelling won it multiple awards – including Best Picture at the coveted Academy Awards. However, it’s quite long – which the singer shared led him to fall asleep during his first time watching it. However, when he gave it another go, he was hooked.
Parasite
Another wildly popular movie – Parasite is a dark satire that touches upon themes like class discrimination and capitalism. It does this through the story of the poverty-stricken Kims who serve the wealthy Park household to make ends meet. Heavy use of imagery, shocking twists, and gritty dialogues depict the parasitic relationship between the two families. Hailed by critics for its intelligent storytelling, the movie won several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Picture. During this time V recommended the movie to his fans during a live broadcast. Notably, his close friend Choi Woo Shik starred in it.
About Time
A classic when it comes to romantic dramas – this movie tells the tale of one Tim Lake, who discovers at the age of 21 that the men in his family have the ability to time travel. Although he can’t change history, this gift allows him to alter his own life. Determined to make it better, he decides to get a girlfriend and meets Mary. They fall in love – all while struggling through the little setbacks that come with this extraordinary situation. Tim uses it to craft the perfect wedding, prevent little disasters, and even get his wife to the hospital in time for his daughter’s birth. However, he soon realises that even he can’t evade the sorrows of life. On numerous occasions, V has shared that he deeply appreciates the movie – noting that his solo song Winter Bear was inspired by its proposal scene. He also revealed in an interview that his celebrity crush was Rachel McAdams – the lead actress in this movie.
Reservoir Dogs
Taehyung – like many other film aficionados – enjoys a good Tarantino feature. In 2021, he revealed that Reservoir Dogs was an all-time favourite, later adding that it had inspired his looks for Butter as well. The story follows six criminals who are hired by a crime boss to carry out a rather simple diamond robbery. They’re given false names so they don’t get too familiar with each other. However, when the police show up right on time – panic ensues, with two being killed in a shootout. Soon enough, suspicions about one of them being an undercover cop take hold. This one’s as gripping as they come.
Red Notice
Just about a year ago, BTS members finally opened their individual Instagram accounts – nearly eight years after their debut.. V often takes to the platform to share bits of his life outside of the glitz and glamour with fans. Most recently, this involved a story of him watching Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson, and Gal Gadot do what they do best in Red Notice. The movie follows an FBI profiler who – after an Interpol-issued red notice (highest level warrant) – is on the pursuit of a most-wanted criminal – an art thief. This puts him in cahoots with her rival, who just so happens to be the world’s greatest art thief. What follows is a rollercoaster that traverses secluded prisons, dance floors, and even the jungle. This one’s an entertainer through and through.
Call Me By Your Name
Based on the eponymous novel by Andra Aciman – Call Me By Your Name is set in the summer of 1983, Northern Italy where an American-Italian teenager spends his time reading, listening to music, and flirting with this friend in his family’s 17th century villa. Although mature – with a good relationship with his eminent professor father and successful translator mother – he is still naive when it comes to matters of the heart. So when he comes face-to-face with a charming American scholar – a summer intern helping his father – he discovers desire, love, and everything in between. V has – on multiple fronts – shared that he enjoyed the movie, stating that he’d added its entire OST to his playlist during a live broadcast with fellow BTS member J-Hope. He also surprised fans with a piano performance of a song from the film.
Midnight in Paris
Another Racheal McAdams starrer – Midnight In Paris follows a couple in Paris, whose family is in town for business. Engaged to be married soon, the lead is enraptured by La Ville Lumiere – going down memory lane to a time away from his fiancee, right as he works on his debut novel. Exploring the illusion of the grass being greener – this movie is poignant and engaging. V certainly agrees. The singer took to social media to share snaps of him visiting different shooting locations of the Woody Allen film – posing in the exact spots as well.
Which of these are you adding to your watchlist for the holidays?
All images: Courtesy BTS V
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