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BTS member V, aka Kim Taehyung, currently serving in the military, has secured a spot among the most-liked Instagram posts of 2025. According to a report by Dispatch style (@dispatch_style) on March 21, Taehyung's post featuring his military service photos ranked second worldwide, recording 15.84 million likes.
On February 23, 2025, BTS’ V shared a special update on Instagram, offering fans a rare look at his military service. The post featured 12 photos capturing moments from his time in the army, including images of him in uniform holding a bouquet. One of the photos also showed him wearing a hat with teddy bear ears standing next to a snowman.
In the caption, he shared his thoughts on reaching a new milestone as a sergeant. He wrote,
Trending
“Sergeant Kim, I’m here to report my survival! This is D-107. The very scary winter has passed and the warm spring has arrived. Take care of yourself and prepare for it in good health. I’ll come see you soon.”
The post quickly gained attention from fans worldwide, drawing praise and support. Taehyung’s military update now follows closely behind Billie Eilish, who ranks first with 16.24 million likes. As reported, both artists are the only ones to surpass the 15 million mark on Instagram this year.
Following the report, fans took to social media platforms to express their excitement over Taehyung's achievement. One fan wrote,
"So hot of you sergeant kim!!"
More fans shared:
"This post shld be at 15.9 by this coming Sunday if his current rate keeps up. Or by Mon. Not sure if we'll see 16m for a long time tho, bc his rates've dropped a lot recently. Oddly, Tae's pic w Yeontan had a huge spike earlier this week but is now back to a rly slow steady rate," commented this netizen.
"No one is doing it like him, even in the military. The world misses you, Taehyung. Only he can turn a simple military update into one of the most liked posts of the year. Sergeant Kim reported alive and broke records," said an X user.
"Who else can serve the country and Instagram at the same time? Only Taehyung. Sergeant Kim is breaking the internet in uniform. We’re so proud," posted this individual on X.
"Dispatch i feel you! our k-pop superstar KIM TAEHYUNG" mentioned one fan.
Fans also filled the comment section of dispatch_style’s post with messages celebrating Taehyung’s achievement. Support poured in worldwide, with fans expressing their pride and admiration.
BTS' Kim Taehyung remains popular on Instagram and music charts amid military service
On December 6, 2021, V, a renowned member of musical group BTS, inaugurated his personal Instagram account concurrently with his fellow bandmates: RM, Jin, Suga, j-hope, Jimin, and Jungkook.
He promptly established two Guinness World Records, becoming the fastest individual to attain one million followers in a mere 43 minutes and exceeding 10 million followers within four hours and 52 minutes. These achievements placed him ahead of previous record-holders, including Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston, and Rupert Grint.
As of March 2025, V’s Instagram account has amassed over 66.9 million followers. According to data sourced from the social media tracker @btskthv1230, he occupies the foremost position in the global influencer engagement ranking, averaging 10.9 million likes per post. In comparison, football star Cristiano Ronaldo ranks second, averaging 6.2 million likes per post with a follower count exceeding 650 million.
The influence of V on Instagram has consistently remained robust throughout his enlistment period. Following the publication of his military update on February 23, 2025, his account experienced an increase of 117,000 new followers. This post achieved an impressive 14 million likes within two days, facilitating a February engagement rate of 16.36%, categorically considered “excellent' according to industry standards.
On February 26, V secured the fifth position on HypeAuditor’s list of the world’s top influencers, the highest rank achieved by an Asian artist. He also leads the music category on Instagram, ranking first in the UK and second in the US, trailing only Selena Gomez.
HypeAuditor ranks musicians based on follower count, engagement, audience quality, and interaction rates. V is the only Korean artist in the UK’s Top 50 most influential musicians.
Alongside his military duties, V remained active in his solo music career throughout 2024. He released three tracks—Fri(end)s, Winter Ahead, a collaboration with Park Hyo-shin, and a remix of White Christmas with Bing Crosby.
Fri(end)s peaked at No. 65 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 5 on the Global 200 chart. Winter Ahead became the first jazz track by a K-pop artist to enter the Billboard Hot 100. His remix of White Christmas, released on December 7, 2024, topped the Worldwide and European iTunes Song Charts, coinciding with the song’s 81st anniversary.
Kim Taehyung enlisted for his mandatory military service on December 11, 2023, alongside BTS members RM, Jimin, and Jungkook. After completing basic training, he was assigned to the Military Police Corps' Special Task Force under the 2nd Corps’ Ssangyong Unit on February 8, 2024. He is expected to complete his service by June 2025 along with the other members of BTS in the military.
