BTS members' military boot camp stories draw fan attention
BTS members RM, left, and V salute after being discharged from the Army following their mandatory military service. Yonhap
V, RM offer rare glimpse into their military boot camp experiences
A BTS member surprised and intrigued fans after leaving a comment on social media videos that described what he was like during the early days of his mandatory military service.
The videos were uploaded by a creator who is understood to have trained with V at boot camp. Titled “The games I played the most with Tae-hyung at camp,” “When V and I went to church on Christmas” and “V as a recruit platoon leader at boot camp,” the clips offered a vivid glimpse into the singer’s time as a new recruit.
After seeing the videos, V left a comment that quickly caught fans’ attention.
“Long time no see. Whoa, you remember everything so clearly,” he wrote.
BTS member V is seen in this undated photo. Courtesy of BigHit Music
His reaction sparked excitement among fans in Korea and overseas. Some, however, expressed concern that a third party was sharing details from the star’s private military life too openly. The creator later explained that he had made the videos simply because he wanted to share how warm and friendly V had been in private.
The confusion deepened when V left another comment in a tone some fans found ambiguous.
“No, go ahead and tell everyone. It’s fun. I don’t remember any of these stories,” he wrote.
The comment prompted speculation among fans over whether V was being sarcastic or genuinely supportive of the content.
BTS member V leaves a lengthy comment on a creator’s post about their time together at boot camp. Captured from social media
The mood shifted when V returned with a longer message of encouragement and support.
“Are you doing well?” V began, before acknowledging that while many people appreciated the videos the creator had carefully made, some viewers also seemed concerned.
“First of all, I thought they were really fun,” he said.
The singer went on to share a thoughtful message about how even well-intentioned actions can sometimes be received differently depending on who is watching.
“In life, there are times when something done with good intentions can be taken differently because everyone sees things from their own point of view,” he said. “I hope you don’t take every reaction too much to heart.”
V also appeared to understand why posting several short videos may have led to misunderstandings among some fans. Still, he reassured them by speaking warmly of the creator and their shared time in the military.
“No matter what anyone says, you were the ace of our platoon, and I truly enjoyed the time I spent serving with you,” he said. “I also think it may be difficult for people who didn’t actually live through that time with us to fully understand what we experienced.”
Calling the creator an “ally,” V helped ease fans’ concerns while also cheering on his former military colleague’s future, turning the moment into a show of support and friendship.
BTS member RM greets fans with a music performance after completing his military service. Captured from his Instagram
Meanwhile, a few days earlier, RM himself shared a boot camp story during a livestream that left fans in disbelief.
The BTS leader recalled that during his time at a military training center, he gave his credit card to trainees from a neighboring platoon so they could buy snacks at the military store, called the PX.
But the gesture quickly became far more expensive than expected.
“I gave my card to guys from the platoon next to mine so they could buy snacks, but they charged 660,000 won, around $425, at the PX, buying everything from snail cream to daily necessities,” RM said.
He added that the spending spree even led to a first-of-its-kind incident at the training center.
“The POS machine broke, apparently for the first time at the training center,” he said. “The company commander called me and the guys in and asked, ‘What on earth are you doing?’ I said, ‘I just told them to buy some snacks.’ But it turned out they had bought all these wellness and beauty products to send to their moms.”
RM also said the receipt listed more than 100 items. The trainees eventually apologized, but the BTS leader recalled responding with disbelief.
“I said, ‘No, but snail cream is a bit much, isn’t it?’” he said.
The story quickly drew reactions from fans, with many expressing disbelief.
“That’s so rude,” one fan wrote, while others commented, “I can’t believe someone would even think to do that,” “RM is too kind” and “The list of items is shocking.”
This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.