BTS’ V reveals years-long hearing difficulties, Jungkook discloses shin injury

SEOUL – BTS member V said after the K-pop group performed in the United States on Aug 11 that he has been receiving treatment for hearing difficulties for more than two years.

“I’ve never told ARMY this before, but my hearing hasn’t been good for the past 2½ years,” V said, referring to BTS’ fan base by its official name.

The 30-year-old South Korean singer, whose real name is Kim Tae-hyung, made the disclosure during a live stream on the fan platform Weverse with bandmate Jungkook as the two shared a meal after the concert in Baltimore.

“If the hearing in my left ear is at 100, it’s only about 30 in my right,” V said. “So I’ve been taking medication regularly and seeing doctors for treatment.”

Jungkook, 28, also disclosed a shin injury that has restricted his movement during the boy band’s North American tour.

“I’m on the verge of developing a stress fracture in my shin,” he said, explaining that the pain had kept him from performing at full intensity.

“I really wanted to run around onstage today, but there were moments when it hurt too much for me to do so,” he added. “I hope the fans understand.”

Jungkook said he did not have a stress fracture, but that his shin was badly inflamed and the bone may have sustained minor damage.

“I’ll manage the injury as carefully as I can so that I can keep performing,” he said. “I’ll run when I absolutely need to, but at other times I’ll have to force myself to hold back if I’m going to make it through this tour.”

BTS are on the North American leg of their new Arirang World Tour. They are scheduled to perform at AT&T Stadium in Arlington in the US on Aug 15 and 16, followed by concerts at Rogers Stadium in Toronto, Canada, on Aug 22 and 23.

The North American leg follows a series of European concerts in cities including London, Paris and Munich. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK