BTS' J-Hope and V's friendship goes strong: Birthday live reveals rapper still treasures THIS gift for 7 years

BTS' J-Hope still keeps V’s 2018 gift in his studio, touching fans with their strong bond. ARMY finds it adorable that ‘Manggae’ is still with him after seven years! Read to know more!

By Iqra Siddiqui

Updated on Feb 21, 2025 | 05:45 PM IST | 127.6K

J-Hope, V: Courtesy of Bighit Twitter

BTS’ J-Hope recently melted hearts when a small but meaningful detail in his Weverse live broadcast caught the attention of fans. On February 18, 2025, the rapper went live to celebrate his birthday with ARMY, continuing the annual tradition followed by all BTS members. As fans tuned in to share the moment with him, they couldn’t help but notice a familiar plushie hanging on the wall of his studio, Hope World: a pink flamingo that holds sentimental value dating back to 2018.

Longtime BTS fans instantly recognized the toy as the one gifted to J-Hope by fellow member V during Bon Voyage Season 3 in Malta. The sight of the plushie still present in his studio, seven years later, sent fans into a wave of nostalgia and admiration. It was a heartwarming reminder of the special bond between the two members and how even small, thoughtful gestures continue to hold importance over time.

The backstory behind the plushie dates back to 2018 when BTS went on their third season of Bon Voyage, a travel reality show that follows the group on overseas adventures. During their time in Malta, J-Hope casually mentioned that he had never seen a flamingo before. Wanting to surprise him with a gift, V took it upon himself to win a flamingo plushie at a carnival game.

However, the mission wasn’t as easy as he had hoped. His first few attempts at hitting the 30-point target were unsuccessful, and despite spending nearly all his money on repeated tries, he refused to give up. After numerous attempts, V finally won the prize and proudly presented it to J-Hope upon returning to their apartment.

J-Hope’s reaction was priceless: his face lit up with joy as he hugged the plushie, touched by V’s determination and thoughtfulness. He quickly became attached to the gift, carrying it around for the remainder of their trip and even giving it a name ‘Manggae’, inspired by his favorite rice cake, manggae-tteok.

Now, in 2025, the fact that Manggae still has a place in J-Hope’s studio warmed the hearts of ARMYs worldwide. Fans flooded social media with emotional reactions, expressing how meaningful it was that he had kept the plushie for so many years.