South Korean singer Kim Tae-hyung, widely known as V of BTS, has revealed that he has been experiencing reduced hearing in his right ear and is currently undergoing treatment for the condition.
Speaking during a recent livestream, V said the problem had persisted for more than two years. He explained that the hearing in his right ear had fallen to around 30 per cent compared with his left ear. According to the singer, the condition became more pronounced while he was completing his mandatory military service, which ended in June 2025.
V also admitted that he initially did not regard the problem as something that required serious medical attention. At the time, he believed he could overcome it through mental strength and did not seek treatment immediately.
His approach has since changed. V said he is now taking medication regularly and maintaining contact with a hospital in accordance with medical advice. He has not publicly disclosed a specific diagnosis or detailed the underlying cause of the hearing problem, so no definite conclusion can be drawn about what is responsible for the reduced hearing in his right ear.
The disclosure comes as BTS enters another significant phase in its career. The group’s members have reunited this year after completing their respective mandatory military service or equivalent duties in South Korea. Their return has also paved the way for the group’s first major world tour in more than four years.
V is continuing to take part in BTS’s ongoing ‘Arirang World Tour’ while receiving medical care for his hearing condition. His comments suggest that he is attempting to balance the demands of the group’s international activities with the need to address a health issue that has remained unresolved for an extended period.
BTS members had been required to step away from full group activities as they completed their military obligations. The group’s return has therefore attracted considerable attention from fans around the world, particularly as the members resume collective musical projects and live performances.
For V, however, the current period also involves managing his personal health alongside those professional commitments. Although he has spoken openly about the reduction in hearing in his right ear, further medical details have not been made public.
The singer’s decision to seek treatment marks a change from his earlier approach of trying to cope with the problem without giving it much medical attention. For now, he says he is continuing his medication, keeping in touch with medical professionals and pursuing treatment while remaining involved in BTS’s touring activities.
