BTS’ V Receiving Treatment For Significant Hearing Loss While on Tour

BTS‘ V revealed in a livestream on Wednesday (Aug. 12) that he is dealing with significant hearing loss in one ear in the midst of the K-pop supergroup’s ARIRANG world tour. According to BBC News, V (born Kim Tae-Hyung), 30, said during the stream that he is receiving treatment for hearing loss in his right ear, an issue he’s been dealing with for more than two years.

Speaking about the hearing loss for the first time, the singer said, “If the hearing in my left ear is at 100, it’s only about 30 in my right.” The news comes as BTS is on its first world tour in more than four years, following the group’s reunion this year after all its members completed their mandatory 18-month South Korean military service or an equivalent.

V described the hearing issue getting worse during his military hitch —  which began in 2023 and ended with his discharge in June 2025 — saying at first he did not take the problem seriously and believed that it was just a “matter of mental strength.” Now, however, he is taking medication and going to regular hospital appointments to manage the unspecified issue.

A spokesperson for the group could not be reached for additional information on V’s condition at press time.

As it turns out, he’s not the only one battling a nagging injury. Bandmate Jung Kook also popped into the chat and noted that he’s been bothered by a shin injury during the tour, saying he’s on the verge of “developing a stress fracture” and that he will need to manage the injury in order to keep performing.

BTS just wrapped a two-night stand at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium and are gearing up to move on to Arlington, Texas’ AT&T Stadium for gigs on Saturday (Aug. 15) and Sunday (Aug. 16). The group’s North American tour will draw to a close with a pair of shows in Toronto (Aug. 22-23) and Chicago (Aug. 27-28) before four final gigs at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. on Sept. 1, 2, 5 and 6. After that, they will move on to South America in October and t hen Asia and Australia in late 2026 and early 2027.