BTS V's Unmatched Brand Power—ELLE Korea Becomes #1 Bestseller With Just A Hashtag "#VIsComing"

On March 11, ELLE Korea made a cryptic tweet hinting that BTS’s V might be the cover model for its April issue.

V is coming.

<엘르> 4월호 커버 주인공은 누구일까요? 🐻🐯🤔💜

Who will be the cover model for the April issue of <ELLE KOREA>? 🐻🐯🤔💜

▼4월호 사전예약 링크(Pre-order Link)▼https://t.co/MHaSuP8cHR #Viscoming #V #Celineboy #ELLEKOREA #💜 pic.twitter.com/vM39lBWy0X

— ELLE Korea 엘르 (@ELLE_KOREA) March 11, 2023

Usually, such cover features are announced with official photos or at least some sneak peeks into the pictorials. But this time, ELLE Korea just released three blind covers with the tagline “V is coming” and dropped the pre-order link.

베일에 가려져있던 엘르 4월호 커버 주인공은 누구일까요💜
현재 사전 예약판매를 진행 중에 있습니다.

Who will be the cover model for the April issue of ELLE KOREA💜
Pre-orders are available for the blind covers.

🐻사전 예약 판매 링크(Pre-Order Link)🐯https://t.co/MHaSuP8cHR pic.twitter.com/HtjZmP0NXn

— ELLE Korea 엘르 (@ELLE_KOREA) March 11, 2023

Apart from the tagline, V’s representative emojis in ELLE Korea’s tweets were enough to make it evident that the model in question is him. The magazine also used the tag “#Celineboy,” which led to speculations that this project might be a grand announcement of V becoming a representative of the luxury brand CELINE.

Elle korea added a hashtag celine boy does that mean taehyung is gonna be a ambassador?? i know taehyung will pull off celine so well like no one pulls it off better than him pic.twitter.com/ES9hKUOiXE

— free tae (@amoursnv) March 11, 2023

Last year, the BTS member was personally invited by Celine’s creative director Hedi Slimane to attend the brand’s fashion show and brought ample media attention to the event. Since then, ARMYs have been speculating that he might become an ambassador for the brand.

The anticipation mixed with the mystery element of this ELLE Korea feature quickly grabbed the spotlight, and “V Is Coming” and “V FOR ELLE KOREA” started trending worldwide at #1 and #2.

#BTS's #V trends at #1 Worldwide as fans get excited about his comeback and starring on the April cover of #ElleMagazine!🐻🐯🌟📸👑❤️‍🔥💜#Viscoming #Celineboy #ELLEKOREA 💜 https://t.co/HFytJmVMQt pic.twitter.com/ytXBMdKZDi

— World Music Awards (@WORLDMUSICAWARD) March 11, 2023

But the most significant evidence of V’s influence came in the form of bestseller lists, which ELLE Korea topped in multiple countries within hours of dropping the pre-order link. This is the first time any magazine has ever taken pre-orders before revealing its cover, and thanks to V, they could pull it off and how!

All versions for ELLE KOREA X V have occupied the Top 3 Best Seller Now on Aladin after the announcement! pic.twitter.com/vxFQNGGBS7

— V STREAM 🐯💜 (FAN ACC) (@tetestream_) March 11, 2023

V x Elle Korea Cover is Best seller in Japan Markets

#1. Amazon Japan
#1. Rakuten Japan
#1. Qoo10 Japan
#1. Music Japan

All-Kill (Prior to Release)

V FOR ELLE KOREA
V IS COMING #VisComing #Celineboy #VxElleKorea pic.twitter.com/NItanZnTV8

— BTS V HOTRENDS (@v_hotrends) March 11, 2023

This will be V’s second individual feature on a magazine cover following his Vogue Korea cover last October. It created a similar commotion and broke multiple records.

V’s cover for Vogue Korea has recorded The Highest Sales Index in History surpassing 1 Million on its First Pre-Order Day. pic.twitter.com/LqOT94FxBY

— GLOBALMYEON (@globalmyeon) September 9, 2022

Taehyung’s Vogue Korea issue has now become the #1 Highest Selling Magazine of all time on Ktown4u with 41K pre-orders in just a week. Congratulations Taehyung!

RECORD MAKER TAEHYUNG
VOGUE BESTSELLER V pic.twitter.com/4TLaiz9FgM

— ♛ (@sceneryfortae) September 15, 2022

Though V’s brand power is already established as a skyscraper, the fact that he drove so many people to buy a magazine based on his name alone has shocked even ARMYs.

VOGUE korea gave taehyung a release schedule, 6 covers, changed the v to a different colour and ELLE korea are doing blind pre-orders and an animation. THEY’VE NEVER DONE THIS FOR ANYONE. JUST FOR KIM TAEHYUNG.

— KTHP (@taeperforms) March 11, 2023

No, because Elle could do blind covers for any artist but they only did it with who? Yes, with who?? Say it with me. With who? Taehyung! Yes, it's THEE KIM TAEHYUNG. I'm just gonna leave it here and say no further. 💅🤌👀 pic.twitter.com/KeaJaR0ukU

— myce | Jinny's Kitchen on Prime Video (@almondmilkTae) March 11, 2023

Do you understand how powerful the "V" is for a magazine to announce pre-order just using his Nam 🤯 they know what he's capable of and how powerful his selling and brand power.
Taehyung you'll forever be famous successful booked and busy baby

— ₗₒVₑᵣ ⁷⁹ (@Vmalntoplc) March 11, 2023

Taehyung's brand power is crazy cuz what do you mean a blind cover pre-orders are topping all sites just cuz it has the V letter on it!

— “ (@BELLAKTH___) March 11, 2023

Imagine holding so much power that all you need to shake up industries is just a single letter from the alphabet to be associated with your name!