5 Genius Moments That Proved Just How Smart BTS’s V Really Is

BTS‘s V really doesn’t get enough credit for his intelligence. Take a look at 5 genius moments that proved just how smart he really is.

1. His use of wordplay

RM is often known as the wordplay master in BTS, but V has had his fair share of clever language moments too.

One of the most genius was the way he translated “I purple you” (in Korean, “borahae”) into Mandarin Chinese. In a 2018 Weibo post, instead of translating it to “wǒ zǐ nǐ” (“I purple you”), he used “zǐ ài nǐ” (“I purple love you”) instead. Fans quickly noticed that it was a play on words, since it sounds almost identical to the Mandarin phrase “zhǐ ài nǐ” (“only love you”).

Another time he showed off his wordplay skills was on an episode of Bangtan Bomb, where he came up with a very smart name for a liquor brand: Yaesul. Yaesul means “art” in Korean, but sul on its own also means “alcohol”.

2. His pitch skills

In an episode of Run BTS!, V did something that shocked even professional musicians. After listening to a crowd of chickens, V was able to point out the exact note they were clucking at. V called the note “sixth octave mi”, also known as a high E. And when a masters degree-level musician ARMY checked it out for herself, she found that V was spot-on!

This is a skill called perfect pitch—the ability to name a note just by hearing it. It’s so rare, only an estimated 1 in every 10,000 people can do it.

3. His driving test score

Back on an episode of Celeb Bros in 2018, V revealed that he’d passed his driving test and received his license.

Plenty of people have managed to pass the test, but the really impressive part was V’s score. First off, he received 93% in the theory test—the written part of the exam which quizzes drivers-to-be on road signs, hazard perception, and more.

And he did even better in the practical test (which involves an hour or so of actual driving), scoring a full 100%!

4. His Rubik’s Cube skills

At one fansign in 2015, V was given an unsolved Rubik’s Cube. Most people wouldn’t know how to solve one, and even if they did, it would usually take a long period of trial and error.

V, on the other hand, was able to solve it in just a few minutes according to fans in attendance. Solving a Rubik’s Cube quickly either requires memorizing a series of complex mathematical algorithms, or a very good innate spatial awareness.

5. His literary knowledge

V isn’t just an avid reader. He also really studies and internalizes the books he reads, to the point that he can even use them as metaphors. He once used the relationship between two characters from Chinese historical book The Romance of 3 Kingdoms as a metaphor for his relationship with ARMY.

He also learned a special Japanese phrase from a novelist called Natsume Soseki: “The moon is beautiful, right?”. Today, the phrase is commonly used to communicate love in a tasteful way. After learning it, he used it in conversation with RM and even in ments at BTS’s Japan concerts.