After the infamous FESTA Dinner of 2022, during which BTS announced an upcoming break from group activities, their “Chapter Two” (although we weren’t calling it that back then) began almost immediately. Taehyung had been teasing ARMY with little snippets of songs here and there throughout the year. Was he working on an album too? He seemed to have been busy—we saw he was traveling to a lot of different locations, but not all of it appeared to be BTS-related. (France, Mexico, etc.) So what was he up to? In reality, we had no clue the massive amount of content Taehyung and the other members prepared ahead of their enlistment to give to us while they were gone. Aside from exploring what V was up to in the year before he left this week, we’ll also discuss everything he’s released even while away. Those of us who thought he might be quiet until he returned were sorely mistaken. Not only did he give us several new songs, but he also released two photography collections and had a touring exhibition for one of them. Every moment Taehyung could fill with reminders of his love for ARMY, he did. And over the last almost year and a half we’ve seen him accomplish all of the goals he set for himself—from joining the elite Special Forces Military Police and earning several promotions, to bulking up and changing into a completely different-looking Tae. We’ve been both endeared and destroyed by him on several occasions over the past several months—which is pretty par for the course for Taehyung. So, in some ways, it’s like he never even left…

As BTS’ got a few years past their debut, members of the Rap Line (RM, SUGA, and j-hope) began writing more music for themselves, and they started releasing solo mixtapes. Fans loved them, and naturally, began wondering if the other four members, the Vocal Line, planned to do the same. Taehyung has said he’s always working on songs here and there, and he loves to share, but he’s also quick to scrap them and move on. BTS began their “Chapter 2” in mid 2022 with the release of j-hope’s first studio solo album, JACK IN THE BOX. One by one, the members began releasing their solo music. V knew his turn was coming. But instead of agonizing over writing and/or completing songs for it, he decided to thoroughly develop a concept for an album and select songs from other songwriters that fit the vibe he was going for. What was that vibe? Him. He wanted something that represented and expressed Kim Taehyung completely. And that’s how we got LAYO(V)ER. When asked about the reasoning behind the name, V said that the album is meant to be a stop-over between our starting point and our final destination. Just a moment in time when we can rest, reflect, and exist with our emotions. Which is how I think Taehyung wakes up and takes on every day. This moment in time—this LAYO(V)ER—is a look into a person’s emotions surrounding a complicated relationship. There is hope, pleading, despair, lovesickness, acceptance, etc. The album (really it’s an EP) isn’t long—only 17 minutes and 37 seconds—but it’s a complete journey. Taehyung considered the full spectrum of emotions one could go through during a stop-over in heartbreak, and delivered performances that would draw them out of us. And, to top it all off, he made his dog the star of his solo debut. I can’t think of anything else that could say “V” better, can you?

Kim Taehyung has… a lot of quirks. In the early days of BTS he was loud, full of energy, and never missed a chance to put on a show for the camera. As he began to grow up, some of his energy mellowed—he became a bit quieter, and often thought more before saying whatever was on his mind. Now, I often hear V described as “mysterious” and “hard to get to know”. Taehyung was 17 when he debuted. As he’s aged, V has become more than just his stage name. V has become a different persona. V is the mask he puts on when performing. But if you dig a little deeper and look behind the mask… if you pay attention carefully to the lesser-known aspects of his personality, the quieter and quirkier parts, you’ll find the mystery will fall away to reveal sweet warmth, a depth of character and intelligence, and a clever sense of humor. While over the years the distinction between Kim Taehyung and V has become more stark, both pieces are still part of the whole. He is both Taehyung AND V. This week we’ll explore the years during which BTS hit new heights of creativity and fame, and reached new lows of exhaustion and pain. We’ll see Taehyung explore the mask of V, and how he learned to use it to both his advantage and detriment.

”It’s all a scam. They’re trying to trick you.” These were the words Kim Taehyung heard from his grandmother, after Big Hit Entertainment called to invite him to a second audition to become an Idol trainee at their company. Taehyung was confused. It was true he hadn’t intended to audition for the company, he’d only gone along because his friend was trying out. But he’d seen how professional they were, and when they’d asked him if he also wanted to try, he’d been so happy. He didn’t know what to think now. Was it really all a trick? Did they not actually want him? Luckily staff members at Big Hit also reached out to Taehyung’s father to assure him that they were legit, and that they wanted his son to audition again, this time privately, not at an open casting call. This time, the family believed what they were hearing, and they got Taehyung to that second audition. Which he passed easily. Big Hit knew that Taehyung had talent, but they weren’t sure what to do with him at first.