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On March 6, 2024, Big Hit Music dropped a short film for BTS’ V's upcoming digital single, FRI(END)S, on the HYBE LABELS YouTube Channel. It was directed by Leeroy Kim, edited by Song Tae-jong, DOP by Kang Hyungrok, and props arranged by Seo Hana.
The agency recently announced the release of Kim Taehyung's latest single through a press release on Weverse, which reads:
"We are excited to announce the release of BTS member V’s digital single, FRI(END)S. FRI(END)S is a love song in the Pop Soul R&B genre. Please stay tuned for its release! Thank you for your continued love and support for BTS."
As soon as the short film was released, it went viral, and fans speculated about a possible trilogy. Naturally, one user shared their opinion and tweeted:
"It's just the tip of the iceberg": Fans speculate a trilogy from BTS’ V following the release of FRI(END)S
In the short film, eagle-eyed fans observed a newspaper article about BTS’ V's debut album, Layover. It was released on September 8, 2023, through Big Hit Music and featured six songs. At that time, the agency also shared a press release about the R&B album on the South Korean social media platform, Weverse.
The newspaper article featured the same press release in the short film, which read:
"'Layover' consists of six tracks in total - five tracks and a bonus track. To fully appreciate the album’s flow, we recommend listening to it in sequence from start to finish."
Soon, the dots connected by fans went viral on the internet, and they concluded that they were getting a trilogy. They stated that Layover and FRI(END)S had some connection and that he would be releasing one more album or a song. They commented that the upcoming single could serve as a continuation of the story narrated in the debut album, while some fans referred to BTS’ V as a 'genius storyteller' for details.
According to @Taeguide, when the R&B album was released, there was a gap left between Slow Dancing and Blue. It was concluded by fans that the single can be a bonus track. Some over-enthusiastic fans also considered getting more albums and songs following the release of FRI(END)S, hinting at a trilogy in the making and the beginning of something grand.
The promotional schedule for FRI(END)S was released on March 4, 2024. The upcoming contents include the release of Concept Photo 1 and Concept Photo 2 on March 8 and March 11 at midnight KST, respectively. It will be followed by a flash video unveiling on March 11 at 10 p.m. KST.
Additionally, Teaser Version 1 and Teaser Version 2 are scheduled for March 10 and March 12 at midnight KST, respectively. The music video is slated for release on March 15, 2024, at 1 p.m. KST.
BTS’ V was reportedly promoted to Private First Class and is currently deployed at the 2nd Military Police Corps.
