An old Instagram post from 2022 has unexpectedly put BTS’s V in the center of a heated online debate.
What seemed like a simple artistic photo at the time has now become a source of scathing reactions after the idol’s behavior around female idols became a hot topic over the past few days.
In the post, V stands next to a piece by South Korean artist Woo Kukwon titled “Lunatic Beauty.”
The artwork shows two characters — a nude person and dog — lying among red flowers with the phrase “innocent is a kind of insanity.”
In another slide, V shared the movie poster for American Beauty (1999), where actress Mena Suvari (who portrays 17-year-old Angela Hayes) is pictured in a similar bed of petals — a clear visual connection between the two.
After the post resurfaced, reactions were mixed. Some called it “weird” or “uncomfortable,” especially given the renewed criticism surrounding his interactions at public events.
Male privilege is real because why no one talks about his weir posts on ig https://t.co/kyFSmZlZnQ pic.twitter.com/b9qWKNT4QD
— Rose (@bbpinkint) October 17, 2025
Men who love this movie are the type of p3dos who don’t think they’re freaks because they’re into teenagers
— Soma ☁️🔮🪩 (@vanillarigrande) October 18, 2025
Okay guess this is insane why is nobody talking about this https://t.co/OCaQeZwgYP pic.twitter.com/ucKFMnzNcH
— Rinn🫧 (@loveleeebinbin) October 17, 2025
Others said the post was harmless, seeing it as an appreciation of art and film rather than something inappropriate.
A lot of people love this movie like loving a movie for its filmography is not that big deal especially with the topics
— ·ࡇ· (@lolmochalatte) October 17, 2025
Fans also pointed out that American Beauty is known for its critique of moral decline, not for romanticizing its darker themes. They argued that Woo Kukwon’s artwork, too, questions how people define innocence — and that taking issue with V’s post says more about the viewer’s interpretation than his intent.
Not ya'll doing the exact opposite of what the movie promoted?it fvkin criticizes pedo. Here the Mc is pedo and portrayed as a pathetic disgusting person, gets kill**d in the end but he realized how pathetic he is for being attracted to the minor and lucky to have his daughter https://t.co/2IwJlZ0Rn7
— Marylau (@AnitaB78716) October 17, 2025
It's not his fault that you have such a broken mind to think he's bad.
— .Hopeworld. (@btsptwfaaaa) October 17, 2025
u r so stupid, wonder how r u even functioning.. that movie literally calls out p3dophilia nd main character is represented as disturbed person.. it sa critique of illusion, obsession, and image-based culture.. nd apparently ur fav copied the concept of it..
m ron pic.twitter.com/uxyTP0ZY54
— VinyLmusic (@VinyLmusic33) October 17, 2025
You can view V’s full Instagram post below.
