V Replaces NewJeans as Coca-Cola Ambassador — Fans Not Impressed

V, the name the South Korean BTS member Kim Taehyung is known by among his fanbase, is being shamed online over his latest endorsement deal with a Coca-Cola Zero marketing campaign. On July 31, the Korean artist was officially announced as the latest face of the product. The news comes amid a global humanitarian crisis in Gaza and a call from many fans for V to denounce the genocide being committed by Israel against Palestinian children.

The company announced as part of its new marketing campaign, which can be seen under the hashtag #BestCokeEver. It shared a visual featuring several notable figures of Korean pop culture for each of the letters of the slogan. The most important part of the announcement, however, was the reveal of a mysterious celebrity, later revealed to be V, as the one who will be taking over the role of brand ambassador for Coca-Cola Zero in South Korea from his fellow HYBE labelmates and K-pop girl group NewJeans.

While celebrity endorsements are a common sight in the world of advertising and marketing for large companies, V’s involvement in this one, particularly, has quickly become a source of political controversy and discussion.

Disconnection with Previous Image and Statements

In this case, the main argument against V’s new association with the Korean office of Coca-Cola lies in the disconnection between the image and message that BTS and its members have sent out for years and his new activities. The BTS members have previously discussed issues of discrimination against Asians, as well as participating in campaigns in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

However, as far as the current situation in Gaza and the Israeli invasion of the territory is concerned, BTS has maintained an obstinate silence over the last several months. While the members have previously taken part in projects or interacted with notable pro-Palestine voices, there has yet to be a public statement or any official comments made by any of the members on the situation.

It is this kind of silence and reluctance to take a definitive side that many BDS supporters and other pro-Palestine activists and commentators hold against the group and individual members like V.

V Had Previously Had Similar Accusations Made Against Him

A similar, albeit much smaller-scale controversy regarding the singer and his perceived obliviousness to a particular issue involving Israel surrounded V earlier this year. In February 2023, the idol was widely accused by fans of failing to denounce McDonald’s over the same issue and was criticized for having posted a photo of a bag of McDonald’s fries with the message “Soon” written on it. To many, V repeating the action once again, only this time in the company of one of the most Israeli-associated companies in the world, made it seem like he was “crossing a line” away from the image BTS has portrayed for so long.

The Accusations Against Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola, or more precisely, Coca-Cola Korea’s latest advertisement controversy is based around the company’s position on the BDS list as well as its documented operations in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, including in illegal settlements.

For example, in 2024, the company was heavily criticized in Bangladesh for a commercial in which it claimed to have nothing to do with the State of Israel, actively encouraging people to boycott it. However, it was then pointed out that there is a Coca-Cola Israel which is indeed actively advertising its products in Israel itself.

Per a WhoProfits report, the Israeli office “has a plant in the Atarot Settlement Industrial Zone, and is also operating a winery called Tabor in this settlement.” As WhoProfits points out, this location is illegal under international law and a part of the Israeli occupation, meaning that Coca-Cola is directly benefiting from the situation.

WhoProfits has also found evidence of the company’s involvement with the illegal settlements, as Tabor Winery reportedly sources its grapes from these locations in the West Bank and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. This information has made Coca-Cola a frequent target for calls to boycott the company, particularly from pro-Palestine activists.

Fans Accuse V of Failing to Educate Himself

V’s decision to become a brand ambassador and face of the company is not without precedent either, as ARMYs have been calling on him to drop the deal for the past several days, making it one of the trending topics in the United States. One such post, which has been circulating online for days since the news of the deal first broke, read:

“Dear Taehyung BTS, Coca Cola has been operating on the stolen land of the Palestinians, some of whom are your ARMY. Please don’t work with and promote its products. Please educate yourself. Cancel the endorsement and stand with humanity.”

Fans Accuse BTS Members of Silence

Fans, however, are not just calling on V to denounce his work with Coca-Cola but the entire group as well, as the BTS members have not commented on the situation despite having built up an image of being socially conscious and politically aware. Comments from fans have been read on social media, such as “Damn, I feel like BTS as a group should be making some sort of statement,” “HOW ABOUT BEING CONSCIENTIOUS ON BOTH SIDES?” and others.

It remains to be seen whether V or BTS will comment on one ongoing situation and their position.