In recent years, the presence of K-pop artists in international film soundtracks has become increasingly common, gradually emerging as a prominent trend that reflects their growing global influence.

Stray Kids once created the original track “Slash” for the soundtrack of the action film Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), while aespa's “Hold on Tight” for the movie Tetris (2023) was met with widespread praise and popularity.

BTS also made waves on social media when “Friends”, performed by Jimin and V, was featured in the Marvel blockbuster Eternals (2021). Academy Award-winning director Chloé Zhao personally selected the song, believing that its melody and emotion perfectly matched the theme of friendship and deep connection between the film’s central characters.

As a solo artist, Jimin contributed his vocals to the track “Angel Pt. 1”, released as part of the soundtrack for the action film Fast X (2023). Meanwhile, most recently, V became the next BTS member to have a solo track featured in the popular Prime Video series The Summer I Turned Pretty.

Specifically, V’s solo song made a surprise appearance in the final season of this нιт series, which premiered on Prime Video on July 16. The inclusion of “FRI(END)S” in the show — as well as in its official Spotify playlist — quickly drew attention from both fans and the general public.

“FRI(END)S” is a soulful pop-R&B track that expresses the yearning to move beyond the boundaries of a close friendship into soмєтнing deeper — a sentiment cleverly hinted at through the wordplay in its title. With gentle yet profound lyrics, the song explores the complexities and blurred lines between friendship and romance, adding emotional depth to the scene it accompanies.

Meanwhile, "The Summer I Turned Pretty" is a coming-of-age romantic drama that has captivated au∂ιєnces, especially young viewers, thanks to its gentle, heartfelt storytelling centered on first love, family bonds, and the emotional journey of a young girl named Belly as she grows up.

In Season 3, Episode 1 — where V’s “FRI(END)S” is featured — the scene focuses on a touching moment between Steven (Belly’s older brother) and Taylor (Belly’s close friend). The two share a long-standing friendship, but new feelings begin to surface, leading to a confusing yet emotionally charged turning point in their relationship.

This thoughtful musical choice reflects the increasingly nuanced approach that international filmmakers are taking when selecting songs that align with a show’s emotional tone — once again proving that V’s music, rich in sentiment and emotional depth, is well-suited to accompany internationally acclaimed cinematic storytelling.

Notably, this isn’t the first time V’s music has appeared in a Prime Video production. Previously, his collaboration with R&B artist UMI titled “wherever u r” was also featured during a powerful emotional scene in the final episode of the series Harlem.

These appearances demonstrate that V is steadily establishing himself not only as a member of the “global pop icon” group BTS, but also as a successful solo artist with a distinct artistic identity.

Following this news, ARMYs are celebrating across social media, filled with pride over their idol’s continued excellence and global impact:

- FRI(END)S getting the recognition it deserves

- Wow. I know many people that watch this show. It's pretty popular

- FRI(END)S is finally given the spotlight it deserves

- This song and the music video are my favorite! So happy its getting recognition even though the release was challenging

- That's cool. Congrats Taehyung!

- i was soo ѕнσ¢кed when i heard about this, the summer i turned pretty easily one of the most famous series out there today. so happy for him!

- Wow FRI(END)S getting the recognition it deserves. Its One V's favourite song of mine 

- TSITP is my fav series everrr then they using FRIENDS by V Taehyung aaa my lovee

- I was so happy when the song popped up , I was like shyla what are you doing here

- finally FRI(END)S is getting the love, fame and hype it deserves

- This is wonderful. So proud of you, Taehyungie!