- calendar_today August 23, 2025
V’s New Ad Campaign Collides With BDS Boycott Movement
Fans have been highly critical of BTS’ Kim Taehyung, also known as V, following the announcement of the idol’s recent endorsement deal with Coca-Cola Zero in South Korea. The company confirmed on July 31 that the “Best Coke Ever” promotion campaign will be led by V, after the singer was previously featured in the first trailer as part of the HYBE labelmates, the girl group NewJeans.
The decision has since been met with backlash from netizens, who are claiming that the endorser is “tone deaf” and a “betrayal” in light of Coca-Cola’s position on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) list.
Scandal Over Silence on Gaza
Fans have also been particularly disturbed by the fact that BTS has seemingly had little to nothing to say on the matter, especially considering their previous humanitarian efforts. BTS has often spoken out on social justice issues, including discrimination against Asians, as well as the Black Lives Matter movement.
However, in the case of the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the treatment of Palestinians in the occupied territories, V’s labelmates have been vocal in their support. This has led fans to wonder about V’s “silence” on the issue and whether the endorsement constitutes an act of “betrayal.”
The company’s Instagram post promotion of its endorser, being #BestCokeEver, has since been removed, perhaps because of the great number of comments directed to the idol, which have begun to boycott the company.
Smaller Controversies
Fans have pointed out that V has been similarly called out before, notably for posting a photo of McDonald’s fries around the same time last year. In this particular incident, ARMYs were unable to determine whether the fries came from the globally recognized McDonald’s store or the local franchise McDonald’s Israel.
Fans are now highly critical of V’s choice to work with Coca-Cola and have turned to social media to express their “horror” at the idol’s decision. A common message from disgruntled fans on social media reads:
“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.”
Past Activities in Illicit Settlements
Coca-Cola has previously come under fire from activists in 2024, after the company issued an ad in Bangladesh, where it denied any relation with Israel or its products. Groups were quick to denounce the declaration, however, citing reports of Coca-Cola Israel having previously been active in illegal settlements.
The existence of a Coca-Cola Israel has long been documented in the West Bank, and the company’s reported illegal settlements have often been cited in reports. A 2024 report from WhoProfits, a research center that analyzes and provides data on companies that are involved in the Israeli occupation, reads:
“Coca-Cola Israel has a factory in the Atarot Settlement Industrial Zone (the Israeli term for the Dheisheh Industrial Zone), which is built on land seized from the Atarot and ‘Ayn el Soda refugee camps in East Jerusalem and is therefore illegal under international law.”
The factory in question is called the Tabor Winery, and the same report shows that the winery had, in the past, been illegally using grapes from “both the occupied West Bank and the Syrian Golan Heights for its products.”
Because of these findings, Coca-Cola has often been targeted by pro-Palestine boycott movements in a wide range of protests.
Fans are divided in their support for V, with many frustrated at the idol and the entire K-Pop group for their reluctance to speak out on the Gaza genocide. For others, the idol’s appearance in the campaigns is simply an instance of corporate politics and irrelevant to the ongoing issues.
