- BTS member V (Kim Tae-hyung) has been named the new global brand ambassador for JINRO, the world's top-selling soju brand.
- The deal is part of JINRO's global expansion strategy to build stronger consumer connections worldwide.
- V will front a range of upcoming marketing campaigns and brand initiatives for JINRO.
- This adds to V's growing roster of endorsements, which already includes Celine, Cartier, and Snow Peak Apparel.
JINRO, the world’s No. 1 soju brand, has named BTS member V as its new global brand ambassador. The announcement, made by parent company HiteJinro, positions the K-pop star as the face of the brand’s push to reach more consumers internationally.
Jung-ho Hwang, HiteJinro’s head of overseas business, said V naturally reflects the values and sensibility the brand wants to project, and that the partnership will help JINRO build closer ties with fans around the world.
V’s role will include a range of marketing initiatives designed to boost the brand’s visibility, tapping into what the company calls his “youthful, trend-forward” appeal.
The move fits into a busy stretch of brand activity for BTS members. Fellow member Jungkook recently became Graff’s first-ever global ambassador in the jeweler’s 66-year history, while bandmate Jin launched a global campaign for Laneige’s Neo Cushion line.
For V, JINRO marks a first-time partnership with the brand and adds to an already packed 2026 endorsement slate that includes Celine, where he’s served as ambassador since 2023, as well as Cartier and outdoor label Snow Peak Apparel. He’s currently touring with BTS on the “ARIRANG” World Tour, following the group’s chart-topping fifth studio album.
JINRO, first launched in 1924, sold 94.5 million nine-litre cases last year, retaining its title as the world’s best-selling spirits brand. The company has been investing heavily in overseas markets, including UK festival activations, as soju sales grow outside Korea.
Takeaways
This deal is another sign that soju brands are leaning hard into K-pop star power to fuel global growth, rather than relying on traditional beverage marketing alone.
Pairing V’s fashion-world credibility with a spirits brand also signals JINRO wants to be seen as lifestyle-forward, not just a Korean staple.
And with three BTS members landing major brand deals in the same stretch, the group’s individual commercial pull looks stronger than ever post-hiatus.
How much of JINRO’s international sales growth can be credited to star power versus product demand? Could this open the door for other soju or spirits brands to sign K-pop ambassadors? With Jungkook, Jin, and now V all landing major deals, is BTS collectively becoming one of the most bankable endorsement forces in the world?
