Kim Jong Kook and bodybuilder Ma Sun Ho discuss BTS V's (Kim Taehyung) down-to-earth personality & dedication to fitness

Kim Taehyung, aka V of BTS, became a topic of conversation in a vlog.

On October 13, entertainer Kim Jong Kook uploaded a video featuring bodybuilder Ma Sun Ho on his YouTube channel "GYM JONG KOOK".

In the video, Taehyung was brought up because he recently did full-body weight training with Ma Sun Ho during his military leave. The latter shared their gym selfie on his Instagram account.

Kim Jong Kook, Ma Sunho, and a third person discussed Taehyung's passion for working out, his down-to-earth personality off camera, and the increase in followers Ma Sunho gained after his post.

They also debated whether to speak formally or informally to someone of Taehyung's superstar status.

From the video: 

👤: I’ve recently been following Sunho hyung. It's been World Class recently.

JK: You've been training with BTS V. How many followers did you gain?
SH: Well, I posted one photo and gained 40,000 followers.
JK: V has such a great personality.
SH: Thanks to Jongkook Hyung, I also got to know Taehyung.
👤: You call him 'Taehyung'?
SH: (What’s wrong with 'Taehyung'... ^^)
JK: You call him 'Taehyung'?
SH: Ah, my apologies.
JK: I also call him V, hehehe. But Taehyung is really down-to-earth.
SH: Right, right.
JK: He’s really into working out these days and has become even more affectionate.
SH: That’s right.
👤: Does V-ssi call 'Sunho Hyung'?
SH: Yes, that’s right.
👤: And do you speak casually with him?
SH: Yes, somehow I ended up doing so.
JK: I usually don’t speak casually unless the person asks me first.
(laughter)
KJK: With superstars when they say ‘ah, Hyung. Just speak comfortably’, you think 'Will it really be ok?'
SH: Then I will go back to using honorifics...
JK: I think that would be the better option.
SH: I will once again use honorifics.
JK: Ma Sunho isn’t the main character here, the main character is Taehyung.
👤: That Instagram photo, did you get permission to post it?
SH: If I hadn’t gotten permission...
JK: That would’ve been a problem... heheh. So, I originally wanted to ask you, after you posted it on Instagram, did you wonder, "Oh, is it okay to post this?" But Sunho doesn’t really think about these things. When he was with me before, he didn’t ask before posting.
SH: (Back when I didn’t know...)
JK: So, I was a bit worried, but when it comes to BTS, who wouldn’t know? Taehyung keeps doing weightlifting. (To V) You don’t have to come to Gym Jong Kook, but I hope you keep up with the weight training...

Kim Jung Kook and Ma Sunho join a long list of entertainers and industry professionals who have attested to Taehyung's humble and genuine personality off camera. 

In Korean culture, where hierarchy is highly valued, Taehyung instantly creates a sense of closeness by asking people to speak to him informally. His ability to connect with people he just met is one of the reasons he is so respected and well-loved within the industry.