BTS’s V, Jimin, and Jungkook Rank Among South Korea’s Top 100 Stockholders Under Age 30; Their 2026 Return Is the Biggest Topic in K-Pop

BTS’s V, Jimin, and Jungkook have made it onto South Korea’s list of the top 100 stockholders under age 30. According to an analysis released on December 24 by CEO Score, a company that tracks corporate data, each of the three members holds stocks worth approximately 2.14 billion won, placing them in the highest tier of stockholders in their age group based on asset value. The wealth of BTS’s members stems from Bang Si-hyuk, HYBE’s largest shareholder, who gifted each member 478,695 shares in 2020. While V, Jimin, and Jungkook retain all of those shares, other members such as J-Hope, RM, and Jin have adjusted some of their holdings but still maintain stock assets in the 10 billion won range. During the period analyzed, the total assets of South Korea’s top 100 stockholders under age 30 increased by about 70 trillion won (approximately 5.2 billion dollars) compared to the end of last year, reaching 177.2 trillion won as of December 19. In the overall ranking, Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, topped the list, while Bang Si-hyuk came in at 10th place. The K-Pop industry is expecting BTS’s return to be the biggest headline in 2026. John Carmanica, a pop music critic for the outlet, wrote in his year-end article titled “2025: K-Pop Fought Against the Demons” on the 25th that “the biggest story in K-Pop next year will be BTS’s return,” adding that it “will inject revenue and energy into the industry.” BTS completed their military service between June 2024 and June 2025 and are set to make a Comeback in the spring of 2026. Industry analysts predict that combined sales from albums, tours, and merchandise will generate over 1 billion dollars in revenue. Regarding BTS, Carmanica stated, “K-Pop has found an impeccable ambassador in BTS—a group that is musically agile, approachable, and dedicated to their work, as well as the true global breakthrough for the K-Pop genre in the 2010s.” However, he also noted that “BTS’s return is not a fundamental solution,” pointing out that the K-Pop industry faces issues with creativity and systemic fragmentation. On social media platforms such as X, fans reacted enthusiastically to the outlet’s evaluation of BTS, saying things like “THEY PAVED THE WAY” and “The kings are returning soon.”