Top Tier Boy Group Member Was Scammed Pre-Debut

Bet the cab driver is regretting it now.

Before reaching global stardom, BTS’s V had his fair share of struggles — including being scammed during one of his earliest visits to Seoul.

In a past interview, V opened up about an incident that occurred before his debut, when he traveled from his hometown of Daegu to Seoul to audition and pursue his dream of becoming a singer. Accompanied by his father, V recalled how they were taken advantage of by a taxi driver not long after arriving in the city.

“I took a taxi with my dad, and we ended up getting scammed. We didn’t realize there were three tunnels on the route.”

The ride, which should have taken only about 20 minutes from the bus terminal to Big Hit Entertainment’s building, ended up costing them far more than expected. Unfamiliar with the geography of Seoul, both V and his father were unaware that the driver had taken a longer route — a classic scam often faced by newcomers to big cities.

While it was an annoying and confusing experience at the time, V now looks back on it fondly as part of his journey to becoming an artist, calling it “a fun memory.” From getting scammed in a taxi to standing at the top of the global music scene, V’s story is a reminder of how far he’s come — and how even frustrating moments can become treasured memories.

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