Fans Say V’s New Ad Betrays BTS’ Past Stance on Discrimination

Kim Taehyung, better known to most of the world as BTS’ V, is going through hell online thanks to his most recent endorsement. On July 31, the South Korean singer was announced as the face of Coca-Cola Zero in his native country.

The new campaign has been published under the hashtag #BestCokeEver on social media, with one particularly high-profile video (below) and, of course, the big reveal that V was replacing the HYBE label’s sister girl group, NewJeans, as Coke’s new brand ambassador.

These days, celebrity endorsements for major international brands are a dime a dozen. But this one, which V has already begun promoting to high acclaim in South Korea, has become particularly divisive on a political and ethical level. Here’s why.

Activism or Silence?

Topping the list of accusations against BTS’ newest deal is the perceived hypocrisy of the band’s social justice stance with this particular brand. BTS members have in the past spoken about discrimination against Asians. Moreover, they even made a public BLM gesture in 2020, and anti-racism is said to be the main ideology BTS follows.

At the same time, the K-pop group has been very quiet about the situation in Gaza and the ongoing genocide taking place there. No public statements of support or calls to action. This omission becomes especially glaring now that V, the group’s vocal member, has become a co-branded star for a company that, by activist and watchdog accounts, profits directly from and functions in Israeli-occupied Palestinian land.

Worth noting, V has been on the receiving end of criticism before over his brand choices. Smaller in scope, to be sure, but still, in 2023, his choice to casually post a pic of McDonald’s fries on Instagram while filming a drama made waves. McDonald’s, after all, is another global brand with ongoing problems and accusations concerning its connections to Israel.

To many people and ARMYs, V endorsing Coca-Cola Zero is him taking it one step further from BTS’ allegedly socially conscious public image.

Oppression Under the Corporate Badge

Of course, the widespread outrage toward V’s Coke Zero campaign has more to do with that very brand. Coca-Cola’s history in Israel and, now, the Palestinian territories occupied by the country is not exactly one that would win points in the court of public opinion.

In fact, in 2024, the company came under fire when it released an ad in Bangladesh in which a man in a kiosk not only denied that Coca-Cola had anything to do with Israel but also declared that his business was not “pro-Palestine or pro-Israel.” Activists quickly called out that statement, reiterating the fact that Coca-Cola Israel operates as an active business in the illegal settlements.

As reported by WhoProfits, a center “dedicated to researching, documenting and monitoring the role of international companies in the Israeli occupation,” Coca-Cola Israel operates in the Atarot Settlement Industrial Zone in the occupied West Bank. The company has “set up a Tabor Winery that sources grapes from the occupied West Bank and the Syrian Golan Heights.”

Boycotts and Calls to Action

All this is why Coca-Cola and its brand of processed fizzy drinks have been a popular target of regular boycott calls from pro-Palestine activists and, especially, the BDS movement. After V’s big Coke Zero campaign reveal, fan reactions, especially on the part of international ARMYs, have been swift and fierce. Social media has seen an outpouring of public criticism, boycott hashtags, and demands to drop the sponsorship.

“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.”

Image and Expectations

It should be noted, of course, that this isn’t the first time a brand controversy has exposed tensions between the popular expectations from BTS (read: “speaking out”) and their public actions. Today, when fandom has the tools to keep tabs on their idols, 24/7, these sorts of business relationships are not always considered strictly commercial matters.

For BTS in particular, whose rise to international fame was inextricably linked to their authenticity and outspokenness, such inconsistencies between the public persona and professional moves are not only more noticeable but can also have potentially damaging effects on their career.