ARMY fans go wild! Shohei Ohtani and BTS's V share a historic on-camera hug

The Los Angeles Dodgers faced the Cincinnati Reds at home today, with BTS member V (Kim Taehyung) invited to throw the ceremonial first pitch. Before the game, Shohei Ohtani and V shared a historic hug that touched fans around the globe.

On August 18, the Dodgers shared a photo of V on their official Instagram, stating: "ARMY, are you ready? V will serve as the first pitch guest at Dodger Stadium on August 25 (U.S. time)."

Before today’s game, V wore a jersey bearing the number "7" (symbolizing the number of BTS members). When V was seated in the resting area, Ohtani approached him. V was initially surprised, eyes wide and mouth open, then smiled as they shook hands, embraced, and took photos together.

V also participated in batting practice and shared laughs with Hernández, who had just returned to the Major Leagues that day. V has 69 million followers on Instagram, while Ohtani has 9.76 million. These two globally famous superstars appearing together at Dodger Stadium sparked huge excitement.

When the Dodgers announced that V would be the first pitch guest, the ticketing website was flooded with fans, causing the server to crash temporarily.

Known widely by the nickname "Tete," V enlisted in December 2023 alongside BTS leader RM and completed his military service discharge in June this year.

BTS is expected to launch a world tour in spring 2026. The members have recently traveled to the U.S. to actively prepare for music production and performances, gearing up for their upcoming comeback.