On November 28, 2025, BTS’ V, also known as Kim Taehyung, shared the song Definition of Ugly Is by indie-rock band The Rose on his social media. He added the caption “Ugly Duck” to the story.
Later the same day, Kim Woosung, the lead vocalist and guitarist of The Rose, reposted V’s story on his Instagram story. The Rose member also added the song Slow Dancing from Taehyung’s 2023 released solo album Layover, as background music along with the caption “Pretty dog 🐺”.
The interaction quickly sparked excitement among fans of both BTS and The Rose. Many took to X to express their enthusiasm and hope for a potential collaboration between BTS’ V and Woosung. One fan using Woosung’s English name wrote,
“Sammy and Tae? The world needs this collab.”
Fans quickly took to X to share their excitement following the exchange between BTS’ V and Kim Woosung. Many highlighted their admiration for Woosung and The Rose while expressing hope for a future collaboration.
Fans since continued to discuss the moment online. Several fans also reflected on the personal nature of the interaction, noting the mutual appreciation in their posts and stories.
Many expressed admiration for The Rose as a band, calling them talented and kind. Others also noted the similarity in vocal tones between V and Woosung.
More about The Rose’s song shared by BTS’ V and Woosung’s previous work with the band
Definition of Ugly Is, the song shared by BTS’ V, is from The Rose’s 2022 album Heal. The album explores the struggles of growing up, coming to terms with personal flaws, and recognizing individual strengths.
Inspired by the classic tale of The Ugly Duckling, the song Definition of Ugly Is guides listeners through self-reflection and the acceptance of insecurities, transforming them into unique, beautiful traits. It conveys both vulnerability and the liberating sense of self-love, while the final unresolved chord reminds listeners that self-discovery is an ongoing journey.
This was not the first connection between Woosung and BTS. On April 21, 2023, he featured on the track Snooze from Agust D’s aka Suga of BTS’ album D-Day.
The song also included legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto in what would become his final work before his passing. The track received critical acclaim and commercial success, with fans praising the contributions of all three artists.
For those unfamiliar , Kim Woosung, also known as Sammy, debuted as the lead vocalist and electric guitarist of The Rose on August 3, 2017. The band also includes members Park Dojoon (Leo), Lee Hajoon (Dylan), and Lee Jaehyeong aka Lee Taegyeom (Jeff).
The Rose first gained attention with their debut single Sorry, which Billboard listed among the best Korean pop songs of 2017. Woosung also launched a solo career in 2019 with the extended play Wolf, including the pre-release single Lonely.
Meanwhile, BTS’ V with rest of the group’s members are currently focused on completing their upcoming comeback album, scheduled to release in the Spring of 2026.
Edited by Adrija Chakraborty
