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Sure, you know J-Hope is your hope and you’re his hope. Kim Taehyung however, doesn’t often speak about the meaning behind his stage name. What does the “V” stand for? Here’s what we know about the K-pop idols in BTS and their stage names. 

Kim Taehyung and RM of BTS perform on 'Good Morning America'
Kim Taehyung and RM of BTS perform on ‘Good Morning America’ | Noam Galai/Getty Images

Some of the members of BTS chose stage names prior to their debut

BTS is one of the biggest boy bands in the world, with seven members in their K-pop group. Since their debut, some of the members of this group came forward, sharing with fans why they chose their stage names, and why some preferred their actual names. 

For J-Hope, he wanted a name that represented what he wanted to be for his fans. For Jungkook, whose stage name was almost “Seagull,” he decided to keep his real name as his stage name. The same goes for another singer in the group, Jimin, who kept his real name as his stage name.

RM actually changed his stage name while in BTS. He originally debuted as “Rap Monster,” but since changed it to RM, which could stand for a number of things, including “Real Me.” For Kim Taehyung, with his stage name being V, there were also some hidden meanings behind his choice.

V shared what his stage name stands for

One singer and dancer in this K-pop group only has one letter as his stage name. That is Kim Taehyung, who often goes by “V” when he’s performing alongside BTS. This wasn’t the only option he had for his stage name, though.

According to Stylecaster, “he once said in an interview that Big Hit Entertainment recommended three [different] stage names for him: Six, Lex and V. In the end, though, the singer chose V because of how it represents ‘victory.’”

“My stage name was chosen last. Six, Lex, V,” he said. “Those three names were suggested but the members and PD all said that V fit me the best and so I picked V to stand for victory.”

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V truly does stand for ‘Victory’

V’s certainly had a few victories since joining this K-pop group. Together, they’ve become one of the world’s biggest boy bands, performing at the Grammy Awards and collaborating with artists like Sia and Halsey. 

As a solo artist, Kim Taehyung had a few victories, too. He released his first song performed and written entirely in English, titled “Winter Bear.” The song became an instant favorite among fans, with the music video earning millions of plays on YouTube. Some expect the first “mixtape” from this singer to debut during 2020. 

Fans can see V, as well as the other BTS members, during their now-postponed Map of the Soul World Tour. Until then, fans can listen to songs off of Map of the Soul: 7 on streaming platforms Spotify and Apple Music.