BTS member Kim Tae-hyung, known professionally as V, has revealed that he has been living with significant hearing loss in his right ear for more than two years.
V opened up about the condition for the first time to BTS fans during a Weverse livestream on Aug. 12, while the group was in the middle of its “Arirang” world tour.
The singer said his hearing in the affected ear is now only a fraction of what he can hear with his left ear.
“If the hearing in my left ear is at 100, it’s only about 30 in my right,” V said.
He said the problem began and became worse while he was completing South Korea’s mandatory military service.
V enlisted in December 2023 and was discharged in 2025, making him one of the last BTS members to complete the country’s required military duty for able-bodied men.
The singer said he initially did not pay much attention to the change in his hearing, believing that he could overcome it through mental strength.
He is now taking medication and regularly going to the hospital to have the condition monitored.
V was joined by fellow BTS member Jungkook during the livestream, where Jungkook also opened up about an injury he sustained while performing on tour.
Jungkook said he suffered a shin injury that was close to becoming a stress fracture. He said he needs to manage the injury so he can continue performing during the group’s extensive tour.
The health disclosures come as BTS continues its “Arirang” world tour, which is scheduled to conclude with three shows in the Philippines in March 2027.
The Philippine concerts would mark nearly a decade since all seven BTS members last performed together in the country.
