"His face was just heavenly": North Korean defector says BTS’ Kim Taehyung encouraged her to flee the country

North Korean defector Seo Hyun-kyung revealed BTS’ Kim Taehyung influenced her to leave her country and flee to South Korea. On July 14, Channel A aired an episode of the show Now On My Way to Meet You, which featured North Korean deserters who now live in South Korea.

The episode showcased the cast members and the guests discussing some of the key changes in North Korea. During the discussion, it was stated that Hallyu, also known as the Korean Wave, is the reason behind many young North Koreans getting interested in South Korea.

One of the North Korean defectors, Seo Hyun-kyung, shared how she got interested in K-pop. When she revealed it was BTS’ Kim Taehyung, one of the cast members asked her if he was the reason she had been smiling throughout the broadcast.

Seo Hyun-Kyung complimented Kim Taehyung's visuals and looks and said,

“His face was just heavenly. Can I say this? He was like an angel.” translated by @romantic_tae on X

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BTS' Kim Taehyung reportedly influenced the North Korean defector to flee the country

During the Now On My Way to Meet You episode released on July 14, 2024, it was revealed that the Hallyu Wave is one reason behind Millennials and Generation Z from North Korea are showing their interest in South Korea. Hallyu Wave is a term used for the rising global popularity of South Korean culture, including K-pop music, Korean dramas, and films.

One defector, Seo Hyun-kyung, revealed that BTS’ Kim Taehyung was the reason behind her love for Hallyu, as well as why she left North Korea. In 2016, BTS dropped their highly popular song named Burning Up (FIRE), where V caught her attention.

She stated,

“When I lived in North Korea, BTS' Fire came out. You know Kim Taehyung, V, right? Wow, it was a new world as soon as I saw him. It was a new world for me."

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BTS’ Kim Taehyung’s ARTSPACE TYPE 1 exhibition

On July 12, the Layover singer launched the ARTSPACE TYPE 1 exhibition in Seoul, Bangkok, Taipei, and Vancouver. Multiple videos and photographs of the exhibition surfaced on social media as fans shared their experience.

The ARTSPACE TYPE 1 exhibition showcased exclusive images featuring Kim Taehyung, which are included in the TYPE 1 photo book and magazine. BIGHIT MUSIC revealed that V has contributed immensely to the production of the photo book and the magazine.

On July 12, the singer shared Instagram stories, showcasing the poster of the exhibition, stating,

“If I had known about it sooner I would have come to meet you (all).”

The BTS vocalist also shared a fan-made reel that showed glimpses of the exhibition through his Instagram stories. He also plans to start the exhibition in Los Angeles on July 26 and in Tokyo on August 21.

V enlisted in the military on December 11, 2023, and currently serves as a member of the special military police unit in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. He is to be discharged from his national duties and reunite with BTS in 2025.