V from BTS: How his smile created new ARMY stans at the BBMAS

BTS has been taking the world by storm for years now – more than thirteen years if we want to be specific. The K-pop group has millions of incredibly dedicated fans spanning across the globe and their fandom (named ARMY, which stands for Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth) even includes some surprising celebrities. Despite seemingly being adored by everyone under the sun, there are still plenty of people who haven’t tried their music yet, or haven’t even heard of them – though not having heard of them is becoming more & more impossible. When the K-pop group performed at the Billboard Music Awards this week they used their new single “Dynamite”, which is their first English language song. Many viewers of the BBMAs who weren’t BTS stans became enraptured with the charismatic group’s singing and dancing. A lot of the credit is going to band member V & his endearing smile. Here’s why.

Notorious “stan attractor”

V, whose birth name is Kim Taehyung, has become known within the ARMY as the “stan attractor”. His impeccable singing, impressive dancing, and swoon worthy smile all combined into one performance is apparently quite the potent concoction for piquing the interest of new potential fans. He also trends frequently on Twitter, which has led to a number of people becoming fans as well. The nickname remains in active use by fans and media in 2025-2026 discussions. V's appeal contributed to new fan influx around 2026 album and tour announcements. Considering all of this, it’s not a surprise that many of his fans were pretty much expecting a new influx of people curious about the singer and his band BTS.

The one in the middle

People watching the BBMA performance of “Dynamite” quickly took to Twitter asking “who is one in the middle?”. By the way, this performance was recorded in the Incheon International Airport – if getting an airport terminal shut down for a music performance isn’t star power we don’t know what is. Performance details confirmed as 2020 Incheon pre-record for Dynamite; similar curiosity-driven queries appear with 2026 performances. Other people found fancams of V after the performance and started asking the Twitter stans for more information. One person even saying “never listened to BTS’s music but I’ll get into it for his fine a**”. Another girl asked on Twitter “are we about to become BTS stans?”

Welcoming the newbies

Fandoms have a tendency to get a bit up in arms about large influxes of new fans – either they gatekeep calling newer people “fake” fans because they don’t know every last detail about the band in question or they get a bit hipster and say “I like them before they were super famous”. The BTS ARMY on the other hand, welcomed the new potential fans with wide open arms. The more the merrier after all! One BTS stan tweeted a fancam of V set to the song WAP saying “Kim Taehyung's WAP edit going Viral again!!! Taehyung being the Stan Attractor he [i]s!!” They also ended up getting V to trend on Google under the BBMAs because they were also moved by his part of the performance. Recent fan posts around 2026 tour and AMAs show ongoing warm welcomes to new fans.

Stan reactions

Long time fans were just as excited as the new ones getting ready to jump down the BTS rabbit hole. Many saying things akin to “Taehyung never disappoints”. Another was swooning over a specific little shoulder shrug V did as part of his dance routine and yet another couldn’t get enough of his chest thrusts. Fans just couldn’t get over how fun they thought V’s part of the performance was – and while this is a V article and we agree he did a wonderful job we also feel the need to mention all the boys did phenomenal work on the BBMA performance. Fans continue praising V's specific performance elements like smiles and gestures in recent shows.

V's Enduring Appeal in the Post-Hiatus Era

V continues referenced as ultimate stan attractor in 2025-2026 fan and media commentary. BTS full group activities resumed with ARIRANG album and world tour in 2026. His smile and stage presence have kept drawing fresh eyes even after the military service hiatus that paused full-group promotions. The same expressive charm that first caught attention during the 2020 Incheon performance still lands with viewers who discover old and new clips alike. ARMY observers note that V’s natural warmth translates across eras, whether the group is rolling out a comeback single or simply walking through an airport terminal. The result is a steady pipeline of new listeners who arrive for the smile and stay for the music.

Airport Moments and Star Power Beyond 2020

2020 performance was pre-recorded at Incheon Terminal 2; V has had multiple notable Incheon arrivals post-2020 including fashion events. Those later sightings often feature the same relaxed grin that first went viral at the Billboard awards taping. Fans waiting near the terminal have captured quick clips that spread within hours, turning routine travel into another source of stan recruitment. The Incheon setting itself carries a certain weight for ARMY, linking the original “Dynamite” shoot with later arrivals that keep V in the public eye. Each appearance reinforces the idea that star power can turn an ordinary gate into a stage.

Social Media Virality Evolution

V fancams and edits (including smile-focused) have gone viral repeatedly on TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms into 2026. The shift from Twitter-only chatter to multi-platform loops has widened the reach of those signature expressions. Short clips of the shoulder shrug or the quick smile cut through algorithm noise and land on screens belonging to people who had never searched for BTS before. Metrics from recent tours show spikes in search interest immediately after each viral post, confirming that the visual hook remains as effective as it was in 2020. The platforms change, yet the pattern of discovery stays consistent.

V's Solo and Group Contributions to Fandom Growth

V has pursued acting interests, endorsements, and solo music while contributing to ARIRANG and 2026 tour. Those individual projects place his face in different contexts, from fashion campaigns to drama cameos, yet the smile that first pulled in new ARMY members still serves as the through-line. When he returns to group stages the contrast between his solo visibility and the full seven-member dynamic creates fresh talking points. Fans who arrive via a Celine campaign or a drama clip often follow the thread straight to the latest tour dates. The combination of personal and collective work keeps the stan-attractor reputation intact.

Across more than a decade of releases, the same visual cue keeps resurfacing in new contexts. Whether the setting is a 2020 airport terminal or a 2026 arena, V’s smile functions as the first point of contact for curious viewers. The ARMY response has stayed steady: open doors rather than gatekeeping, with veteran fans cheering the newcomers who arrive because of one particular grin. The result is a fandom that grows without losing its original warmth, anchored by a performer whose smallest gestures still register on screens worldwide.