V [BTS] Style Inspires Japanese High Schooler on TBS Variety Show
Japanese high school students look to V [BTS] as a style icon for hair and fashion on TBS, showcasing his global influence beyond music.
On the June 5, 2026, broadcast of the Japanese TBS variety show 'Leave it to Snow Man', BTS V appeared as the transformation goal for a high school student. The core of this scene is that V's name was used as a reference for hair, clothing, and overall vibe that Japanese teenagers aspire to, moving beyond just his musical activities.
The show's segment for minors features students shouting their worries and wishes on a school rooftop. According to official TBS programming information, this episode aired on June 5 at 7 PM, featuring students' confessions and claims, alongside visits to schools by Snow Man members. Within this context, V was called out as the person the participant wanted to emulate.
V's name mentioned in June 5 TBS school segment
According to broadcast archives, the student from a school in Saitama stated that after seeing V, they began to rethink their own appearance. This led to a sequence where the student underwent a professional makeup transformation. This does not simply mean V is consumed merely as a handsome star in Japan. Within the variety show format, V's name was used like a stylistic shorthand that viewers could immediately understand.
The overseas popularity of K-pop stars is usually explained by charts, music releases, and concert scales. However, when a specific artist is called upon as a complete image to emulate in a teenage variety segment, a different level of influence is revealed. The fact that the fandom nickname 'Taetae' resonates even within the broadcast context is a sign that V's image has been accumulated within Japanese popular culture through search terms, short videos, fashion pictorials, and brand campaigns.
Solo image created by Layover and Winter Ahead
V's personal brand does not operate with music and fashion separated. BIGHIT MUSIC's official BTS profile introduces the team as RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. While the team's global recognition is the starting point, V's solo image has created a distinct texture through slow tempos, jazzy textures, low vocal tones, and film-like aesthetics following Layover.
This texture is also distinct in the official Winter Ahead music video from HYBE LABELS. The video focuses on a figure appearing to be a sculptor, winter-lit interiors, and static camera movements, prioritizing expression and texture over intense performance. The point the student wanted to emulate in the Japanese variety show aligns with this axis. Rather than stage energy, the hair, silhouette, and calm attitude that can be transitioned into daily wear are more easily imitated.
Gray knit and hair revealed in CELINE Printemps 2026 video
Fashion touchpoints have broadened this image. The Printemps 2026 with Taehyung video on CELINE's official channel places V in the context of a Paris show. What stands out in the video is not just logo exposure, but the combination of a gray knit jacket, seemingly wet-styled hair, and jewelry silhouettes. Brand campaigns do not end at borrowing a star's image; they provide clues for outfits and hair that fans and general consumers can follow.
There is no need to conclude that this scene represents a trend across all of Japan. The confirmed facts are limited to one broadcast episode, one school segment, and one student's remark. However, it remains notable that the remark was not consumed merely as a joke but was expanded into a makeup transformation format. V's style functioned not as something to be copied exactly, but as a reference to be adapted to one's own face and wardrobe.
This flow coincides with how K-pop personal brands are strengthening. Group activities create a massive fandom, while solo activities make an artist's taste vivid. When luxury brands and video platforms are added to this, the image is refined even faster. Short clips, captures, hair tutorials, and outfit information circulate across borders, creating people who recognize the 'vibe' even before they know the songs.
The fact that Japanese variety shows could call upon V without explanation means his name already carries a certain visual context. For a K-pop artist to survive long overseas, they need repeatable image assets regardless of music release performance. V is a case that has consistently built those assets through music, pictorials, and official brand videos.
What needs to be confirmed moving forward is not just the scale of this broadcast scene's online spread. One must also see if V's next official music activities, fashion campaigns, and exposure on Japanese broadcasting/platforms continue this same image. One-off variety show remarks pass by quickly. However, if official videos, brand activities, and second-stage fandom expansions point in the same direction, the personal brand becomes even more solid.
When synthesizing the verifiable broadcast date, official program information, broadcast archives, BIGHIT MUSIC profiles, and official HYBE and CELINE videos, the conclusion narrows down. The reason a single remark from a Japanese high schooler gained attention is because it was more than just a coincidental compliment. The name V was used in this broadcast to describe hair, outfit, and atmosphere all at once.
