On May 15, 2025, BTS member Taehyung, affectionately known as V, was seen alongside popular K-Pop artist IU, sparking speculation that he was present to celebrate her birthday. A trending photo captured V in close proximity to a figure dressed identically to IU during her birthday livestream, which further fueled speculation about their potential connection.
Details surrounding the location of their meeting remain undisclosed, yet fans quickly began to hypothesize about a possible creative collaboration between the two artists. For context, V and IU previously collaborated in the music video for “Love Wins All.”Additionally, V is scheduled to complete his military service in June, raising curiosity about upcoming musical projects.
“Are we getting another Taejun collab soon🧐I see the film guy&V both wearing a pink 🌸 flower in their hair? They even posted a 🌸in the caption. Today I see IU flower bookmark3. There go those pink flowers again. Was the invisible🌸on purpose. Are we getting some form of collab?”an X user commented.
Many fans have speculated about a collaboration or perhaps a connection to IU’s anticipated musical release. The rarity of IU’s public appearances has led some to believe this was related to professional collaborations rather than casual meeting.
“Okay but taehyung and IU? what are they cooking exactly??? why do I lowkey feel a collab or some secret project is about to DROP?,”a fan remarked.
“IU is a very private person that you can’t even see her with her boyfriend, family & close friends so if she’s out and about on a brunch publicly she’s cooking something on a project or catching up with a friend on a project,”a user mentioned.
“Ooohh could they also be discussing a collab over IU’ new upcoming release?,”a person shared.
The affection and camaraderie between the two artists have not gone unnoticed, with many fans expressing their admiration for the friendship that has blossomed over the years. The bond shared by V and IU has been described as “heartwarming”and is seen as a delightful aspect of their public personas.
“Two pretty best friends ✨💅🏼,”a netizen said.
“I love their friendship 🥹,”a viewer mentioned.
“I’m rooting for their friendship, it’s so heartwarming to see🥹💜,”another fan added.
A Journey Through the Friendship of IU and BTS’ Taehyung
Reflecting on the timeline of IU and V’s friendship, their paths first crossed in January 2024 when Taehyung appeared in IU’s captivating music video “Love Wins All.”The video, set against a dystopian backdrop, portrayed the two as partners in survival, captivating audiences across various platforms. Shortly after, Behind-the-scenes footage was released by BTS’ official YouTube channel, showcasing their playful interactions amid filming.
In the behind-the-scenes clips, both artists appeared relaxed, exchanging laughs during breaks. Taehyung humorously mentioned warming up his voice prior to filming, while IU playfully disputed his claim about a strained voice. They shared light moments discussing their MBTI personality types, showcasing their comfortable rapport that had been established earlier in IU’s talk show, Palette, where Taehyung affectionately referred to her as “noona,”a polite term for an older woman.
Their friendly dynamic was further highlighted when V attended IU’s farewell concert on September 22, 2024, wrapping up her concert series at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. Despite his military service commitment, he took a short leave to support IU, underscoring their strong friendship.
Further building on their connection, IU announced her upcoming release, Flower Bookmark 3, set to drop on May 27 at 6 PM KST. This album continues her series of remakes of classic Korean songs, following the acclaimed Flower Bookmark releases in 2014 and 2017—making this her first installment in nearly eight years. Additionally, EDAM Entertainment confirmed that ASTRO’s Cha Eun-woo will feature in the music video for this exciting new project.