BTS’s V posts travel photo dump featuring Coca-Cola and Starbucks; angry netizens call him “zionist”

Many netizens directly accused V of ignoring global calls for ethical consumption, especially as public scrutiny around Gaza intensifies.

BTS’s V is facing one of his most intense waves of backlash yet, after his latest Instagram post drew furious criticism from global netizens, many of whom accused the idol of promoting brands currently being boycotted due to links to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

On November 28, V uploaded a series of travel photos to Instagram. What appeared to be a harmless update quickly turned controversial when fans noticed two major brands prominently visible in the images: Coca-Cola and Starbucks. Both companies are currently on the BDS boycott list, and several K-pop idols have previously faced backlash for being seen with or endorsing them.

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A post shared by V (@thv)

The reaction on social media was swift and harsh. Many netizens directly accused V of ignoring global calls for ethical consumption, especially as public scrutiny around Gaza intensifies.

On Twitter, users expressed anger and disbelief in blunt terms. “Taehyung posted Coke and now Starbucks. He isn’t beating the Zionist allegations,” commented a user. “This zionist is not sparing 1 chance to promote all genocide funding brands mcd, brand ambassador of cola and now starbucks,” wrote another.

Taehyung posted Coke and now Starbucks. He isn’t beating the Zionist allegations pic.twitter.com/vWWAG93g6o — 🖤 (@lolipopp000000) November 28, 2025

This zionist is not sparing 1 chance to promote all genocide funding brands mcd, brand ambassador of cola and now starbucks https://t.co/Cqjyf3pymhpic.twitter.com/CWhYLzFp62

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— 🖤 (@jkoology) November 28, 2025

coke and starbucks under a single instagram post oh taehyung i admire your daftness — g (@7pcys) November 28, 2025

“coke and starbucks under a single instagram post oh taehyung i admire your daftness,” one user wrote. “user thv stop consuming coke and starbucks,” remarked another.

"no one likes Starbucks more than me," one reacted with sarcasm.

"no one likes Starbucks more than me" https://t.co/ba6iY2KrKapic.twitter.com/MllPpfT2cJ

— lezo (@lezo670319js) November 28, 2025

user thv stop consuming coke and starbucks pic.twitter.com/TBqNaCod8t — smol cake 🍰 (@fruitycatyoongi) November 28, 2025

The criticism quickly spread across platforms, with some netizens labeling him a “zionist” for posting images that featured the brands. Others argued that someone with V’s global influence should be more cautious, especially given that the brands in question have been widely associated with political controversy.

Also read: BLACKPINK’s Jennie and BTS’s V's dance move clip goes viral; reignites dating rumours

Some fans attempted to defend V, suggesting that the photos were not intentional endorsements or that the items simply happened to appear in the background. Yet, others insisted that global celebrities, particularly those with tens of millions of followers, hold a responsibility to be aware of the symbolic weight certain brands now carry.

As of now, V has not responded to the backlash, and the original photos remain on his Instagram feed.