- calendar_today August 23, 2025
BTS’ V Faces Ethical Backlash Over Beverage Giant Partnership
South Korean idol Kim Taehyung, known worldwide as BTS’ V, has come under fire after his recent deal with a soda brand became public, with many fans calling his actions “tone deaf” and “deeply disappointing” amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and the brand’s status on the BDS list.
On July 31, the boy band’s V was announced to be the new face of Coke Zero in South Korea. The endorsement is part of a new promotional campaign by Coca-Cola Korea with the hashtag #BestCokeEver, and was revealed with a high-profile lookbook and visual alongside a major surprise: V replacing his labelmates, girl group NewJeans, as the brand’s new brand ambassador.
As is tradition for major labels, the deal was celebrated by both company and artist through social media, with both official accounts posting celebratory album covers and concept photos. However, it was not long before fans picked up on V’s decision to partner with the beverage company.
Criticisms from Fans to Advocacy Over Gaza
The controversy comes in direct contrast to BTS’s public image over the years, which has been built on the group’s self-identification as advocates for social justice and various high-profile public gestures in support of anti-racist movements and speaking out against discrimination towards Asian people.
BTS members have been very vocal in their support of the Black Lives Matter movement. They have also made statements in support of the movement and created content in support, most notably in 2020 with the release of their donation check to the LITA organization and with their hand-drawn murals displayed in London’s Covent Garden during a stop of their Permission To Dance On Stage Tour.
However, they have remained notably silent on the issue of Israel’s war on Gaza and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Strip. As such, many have found the endorsement deal between V and Coca-Cola to conflict with the activism they’ve previously supported. This is due to the company’s history in the region and alleged complicity in the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
V also previously received small-scale criticisms in 2023 for posting a photo of McDonald’s fries. V was criticized for not denouncing the global fast food brand’s ties to Israel in the post caption. To many, the endorsement decision now feels like a larger step in the wrong direction for BTS’ public image.
Fueling the Fire with Corporate Complicity Claims
The anger and disappointment felt by many, and especially international ARMYs, towards the endorsement deal between V and Coca-Cola is compounded by the company’s active presence in illegal Israeli settlements and its multiple denials that it had any business connections to the country.
In 2024, Coca-Cola once again faced an onslaught of criticism when it advertised Bangladesh that it had no Israeli ties, but as reports from BDS and activists in the region have pointed out, not only has Coca-Cola been caught sourcing materials from Israeli settlements, but the company has multiple operations in the Palestinian territory.
WhoProfits, a research and information center on Israeli violations and corporate involvement in the occupation of Palestine, has pointed out the presence of Coca-Cola Israel facilities at the Atarot Settlement Industrial Zone, as well as their Tabor Winery. The latter is known to source its grapes from the illegal West Bank and occupied Syrian Golan Heights, and has been at the center of boycott calls for the company.
This has placed Coca-Cola on BDS activists’ lists as a target for boycotts, which is why many are not happy to see V partnering with the soda brand amid the ongoing Gaza crisis.
Social Media Comments and Wider Frustration for BTS
Fans of the idol have not been shy about letting him and his team know their displeasure at his decision to endorse the controversial brand. As previously mentioned, social media platforms have been trending with hashtags about BTS and ARMYs boycotting the beverage company and calls for the idol to step back from his plans.
A viral message calling out the idol on his decision read:
“Dear Taehyung BTS, Coca Cola has been operating on the stolen land of the Palestinians, some of whom are your ARMY. Please don’t work with and promote its products. Please educate yourself. Cancel the endorsement and stand with humanity.”
The message is widely indicative of the growing outrage from international ARMYs about BTS’s silence on the crisis in Gaza, but also what they see as a hypocritical move from the company and its members, who, in V’s case, have not maintained a consistent activism track record.
The company and idol have yet to release a public statement in the face of the outrage, and as of yet, it remains unclear if they will in the future, or whether V will follow through with the promotional plans for Coca-Cola Zero.
