Taehyung holds an unprecedented K-pop record thanks to his beloved pet, Yeontan

 

Ever since adopting Yeontan and introducing him to fans in 2017, V's love for his beloved dog always stood out as something truly special. He featured Yeontan on the cover of his debut solo album, "Layover" and even brought him on stage to perform the title track "Slow Dancing" on Mnet MCountdown about 2 years ago.

V has also frequently used Yeontan as his profile picture and regularly shared photos and videos of his "son" on social media. Because Yeontan accompanied him through his daily life, even joining him during BTS's work schedules, and was showered him endless affection from V and other members, making many fans feel envious. That adorable jealousy became so widespread that the phrase "how to be Yeontan" once became a trending search term on social media.

In December 2024 V left fans heartbroken and sad when he announced that Yeontan had passed away. He shared a series of his beloved dog on Instagram along with the message:

"The reason I'm writing this message today is because recently, Yeontan began a long journey to the "dog star" (a place where dogs go after leaving this world). I spent a lot of time thinking about how I should shared this news, but I felt that it was right to tell ARMY, who have given him so much love until now.

I would be grateful if ARMY could think of Yeontan from time to time and wish that he is happy, even among the stars.

I hope this warm end of the year becomes a time when you can tell the people you love one more time that you love them. 

Until the day we meet again, I hope ARMY will always stay healthy and happy as well!

I love you. Thank you."

Just as V had wished, even though Yeontan is no longer here, the ove fans have for him has never faded. In fact, V and Yeontan still hold an unprecedented record in K-pop history.

On the 25th, several media outlets reported that V currently holds the records for the most-like Instagram post of all time by a K-pop artist—and, notably, the star of that post is Yeontan. Posted on December 7, 2021, the photo of his beloved dog has amassed more than 20.8 million likes, an achievement no other K-pop artis has reached on the platform. This demonstrates Yeontan's extraordinary influence among fans around the world.

Far beyond being ordinary pet, Yeontan has become an internationally recognized "pet celebrity." Billboard included him on its list of "The Most Beloved Pets of Global Pop Stars," alongside the pets of Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, and actor Tom Holland.

Even more impressively, Yeontan overwhelmingly claimed the No. 1 spot in the poll with 94.56% of the total votes. Billboard explained that within the K-pop community, Yeontan had long captured the hearts of ARMY. The beloved dog not only appeared in numerous pieces of V's content and music-related projects but was also affectionately nicknamed "the eight member of BTS" by fans, reflecting the deep affection the fandom has had for him over the years.

Yeontan's popularity as also been recognized by international media. Major outlets such as Entertainment Tonight (CBS) and the BBC have introduced him as one of the world's most famous dogs. Meanwhile, the UK's Metro newspaper and Denny Directo, host of Entertainment Tonight, even referred to Yeontan as "the world's most famous dog," highlighting the extraordinary love he received from fans across the globe.

Even after Yeontan's passing, that love has never diminished. On that would have been his birthday last year, the hashtag #ForeverWithYeontan climbed to No. 1 on the Worldwide Real-Time Trends chart, while the keyword "tannie" ranked No. 2. Rather than simply expressing their grief on social media, V's fandoms also chose a meaningful way to honor Yeontan by making donations to animal welfare organizations around the world.

In the United Kingdom, V's global fanbase V Union, together with KTH_UK, donated to the RSPCA. In Spain, BTS V Spain made a donation to Vegan Sanctuary Foundation. Meanwhile, Taehyung India contributed to the AWCS fund to support animals affected by flooding, while V CREW BR in Brazil donated to the animal welfare organization CEL.

From a little dog cherished beyond measure by V, Yeontan has become a special symbol in the hearts of BTS fans around the world. The Instagram record that V and Yeontan continue to hold stands as proof of the immense love millions of people have for the beloved dog—a star who will never be forgotten.