On April 8, 2026, Billboard published an interview with HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk, where he spoke about the making of BTS’ latest album ARIRANG and reflected on the members’ artistic growth. During the interview, Bang was asked about the biggest change he had observed in the group’s approach to music.
In response, he highlighted the members’ development over time. He specifically mentioned V aka Kim Taehyung. Praising his songwriting in the song Into the Sun, Bang noted that while the artist had not been as heavily involved in songwriting or contributing multiple tracks in the group’s earlier years, his recent work showed significant growth.
“I still remember the first time I heard “Into the Sun,” a track that V worked on. In the past, V had not been as heavily involved in songwriting or in contributing multiple tracks to BTS albums, but this track stood out as an exceptional piece of work. This kind of growth was evident across all the members.” Bang Si-hyuk added.
Following the interview’s release, a section of fans expressed disagreement with this characterization. Many argued that Taehyung, had been actively involved in songwriting and production across various stages of his career.
Fans pointed to several of his past works and contributions including creative involvement across multiple areas of music production, lyric writing, composition and production on a range of officially released tracks, OSTs and demo versions. They referenced the artist having over 20 registered songwriting credits to his name.
Fans mentioned Stigma from the 2016 album Wings, where the idol participated in co-creation, as well as self-composed tracks like Scenery and Winter Bear released in 2019. They also referenced Sweet Night, an OST for Itaewon Class, and Snow Flower featuring Peakboy, both released in 2020.
For further examples fans also included his contribution to Blue & Grey from BTS’ 2020 album Be, along with OST tracks like Christmas Tree for Our Beloved Summer in 2021. His later works, such as Fri(end)s and Winter Ahead with Park Hyo-shin in 2024, were also mentioned by fans as part of his creative portfolio.
In addition, fans highlighted his role in the production of his first solo album Layover in 2023, where the singer was involved in concept development and overall music direction. One fan commented,
“That man is Tae’s biggest enemy; he’ll do anything to make him look bad. That interview shouldn’t be given any attention. Tae has over 20 registered songs, but this man has the nerve to say he doesn’t write them.”
The discussion continued across social media platforms, with fans differing Bang’s remarks with mentions of V’s artistic contributions.
The interview sparked conversation among fans regarding recognition of Taehyung’s creative involvement.
BTS’ V’s ongoing work spans music and visual storytelling
Kim Taehyung, known as V of BTS, is currently engaged in multiple projects across music and visual media. He is set to appear in an upcoming short campaign film titled That Night, Our Decaf, produced in collaboration with Compose Coffee.
According to released details, the film centers on two students whose lives intersect during a late-night encounter over decaffeinated coffee. The narrative of the film is expected to explore emotional tension, secrecy and understated connections. The campaign film is scheduled for release on April 10, 2026.
In musical grounds, Taehyung remains actively involved in BTS group activities. The group is preparing to launch their ARIRANG world tour, which is set to begin on April 9, 2026, at Goyang Stadium. The tour is expected to extend through 2026 and 2027, with 82 shows planned across 34 cities in Asia, Europe, the United States, and Latin America. Additional dates may be announced later.
The tour supports BTS’ latest album ARIRANG, released after a group hiatus of nearly four years due to mandatory military service commitments. Following its release, the album recorded strong global performance across streaming platforms.
On chart performance, it achieved No. 1 positions across Spotify’s Global Weekly Artist, Songs, and Albums charts, as well as the Global Daily Artist and Songs charts, for two consecutive weeks after release. With the album also the group also became the first K-pop act to remain at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for two consecutive weeks.
Edited by Adrija Chakraborty
