Outrage Grows as V Promotes Coca-Cola Amid Palestinian Suffering

BTS member Kim Taehyung, who is best known to ARMYs as V, is once again making international headlines, but not for his musical talents or charitable endeavors. The star has been dragged hard online by fans and onlookers for his new job as the face of Coca-Cola Zero.

The South Korean star officially became the new face of the popular beverage in South Korea after the brand announced him to take up the role on July 31. In the stunning footage for the announcement, the company shared its plans for the campaign under the popular hashtag #BestCokeEver, which not only features V making the big reveal that he will replace his HYBE label mates, girl group NewJeans, but it was also the opportunity for Coca-Cola to announce V as its new big celebrity endorser.

An endorser for a huge brand might be par for the course for a BTS member; however, V’s name has been getting dragged by netizens for working with the beverage brand after it made the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) list. In the latest controversy, fans are calling for an immediate cancellation of the singer’s new gig and urging him to speak on his thoughts and efforts to support Gaza amidst the current genocide.

Kicking Off From A Good Reputation

The complaint, which spread and blew up within hours of the official announcement, has questioned the choice of the global celebrity since he, along with the other six members of BTS, had been outspoken on social issues and matters of race in the past. BTS’s advocacy for a better world is one of the many reasons for their vast global popularity.

The K-pop group is known for raising awareness on the discrimination against Asians, as well as going as far as to make a public show of support for the BLM movement. However, the group has been kept relatively quiet regarding the current situation in Gaza, which is perhaps why fans are outraged and confused by V’s decision to make the move to work with a controversial brand.

The idol has faced smaller but similar criticism in the past, such as last year, when he was also dragged by fans for posting an innocuous photo of McDonald’s fries. This is not the first time, either, as to international ARMYs, it seems like the rapper has taken a step further in throwing a slap to the opposition.

The Brand’s Shameful History

Coca-Cola’s unethical and questionable track record when it comes to its operations in the Middle East has placed a giant target on its back by the pro-Palestine community, which made the move even more appalling to fans who did not think their favorite idol would ever stoop so low for the sake of money and a brand.

In 2024, Coca-Cola was at the receiving end of severe backlash from the Bangladesh market as the company came out in denial of its Israeli operations. After the release of the company’s controversial advertisement in which it specifically made it clear that it is not, in any way, related to Israel, the Human Rights Watch and other similar human rights groups stood up and revealed that there is proof of the opposite of what the global brand had advertised.

A research center, which has also been cited by WhoProfits, a renowned information center for Israeli-occupied territories in Palestine, cited and unveiled the unapologetic operation of Coca-Cola Israel in various illegal Israeli settlements. The report, which named Coca-Cola a long-standing business partner of Israel, revealed that the company has a facility in the Atarot Settlement Industrial Zone, a highly illegal Israeli settlement.

In a similar report, the group also found out that the brand’s Tabor Winery is involved in grape production, both in the illegally occupied West Bank and the Syrian Golan Heights. These operations and the company’s lack of ethical course correction have made Coca-Cola a main target of boycott movements led by many BDS enthusiasts.

Fans Slam BTS’ V For Signing A Deal With A Controversial Brand

Fans have not let the star live the massive backlash in peace, with social media being overrun with how they feel about the idol signing up to promote the beverage. Akin to what other BDS target stars have experienced, V and his family have faced the most immense pressure from fans, most of whom are outside South Korea and, therefore, come from various corners of the world where the brand has a significant following.

The backlash was rolled out on Twitter and a selection of posts, including open letters, thoughts, and admonishments from various tweeters to the BTS member. Here is a taste of what international ARMYs had to say about the decision, which many feel does not gel with the reputation the group has built over the years.

“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.”

These are just a few of the thousands of messages the global superstars are getting after the news was reported. With BTS on fans’ list of companies to boycott because of its silence on Gaza, it is not a surprise that netizens expect the Korean idol to always be pro-ARBY, rather than to take risky jobs, at least from the side of the media, and how the other side (pro-Palestine) will receive the news.