13 March,2026 03:50 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
BTS V
The journey of Kim Taehyung, better known as V of BTS, from an unknown teenager to a global K-pop star has once again captured fans' attention. The story of how he was discovered highlights how a single photograph in a modest academy eventually helped launch the career of one of the world's most recognized idols.
The discovery was recalled by Kim Mi-jung, a former casting director at BigHit Music who played a key role in scouting members for BTS and other artists. In an interview, she shared the unexpected moment when she first came across V. According to her, the encounter happened while she was traveling across different cities in South Korea in search of new talent.
During one particularly difficult scouting trip, Kim spent an entire week in Daegu without finding anyone who stood out. After days of searching, she came across a small and worn-down academy building and decided to step inside, hoping she might discover someone promising before ending her trip.
However, the academy staff initially told her that there were no suitable students there. Determined not to leave empty-handed, Kim asked if she could at least look through photographs from past academy events. While going through the pictures, one image suddenly caught her attention. It was a simple photograph of a young student smiling brightly, but something about the boy in the picture immediately stood out to her.
Kim later said that the moment she saw the photo, she had a strong instinct about the student. The boy in the photograph turned out to be Kim Tae-hyung, who would later debut as V in BTS. Curious about her instinct, she arranged for him to audition for the company.
When the audition took place, Kim recalled that her first impression was confirmed almost immediately. She said that the moment he entered the room, she felt certain he had star potential. His presence and natural charisma made a strong impression even before he began performing.
Even V's reaction to the news that he had passed the audition was memorable. According to Kim, when she informed him about the result, he jokingly asked if the call might be a scam. The lighthearted response remains one of her fondest memories from her years of talent scouting.
Over time, V would debut with BTS and grow into one of the most recognizable faces in global pop music. The story of his discovery shows how life-changing opportunities can sometimes begin in the most unexpected ways even with a single photograph in a quiet academy hallway.
