Jimin's shirt bids 22 million KRW, Toronto's 'BTS Boulevard'

The influence of BTS is extending into the realms of economy and politics. The Toronto City Council has introduced a motion to temporarily rename a major thoroughfare as 'BTS Boulevard' to welcome the group's visit. Meanwhile, at the 'ONE GOAL' charity auction held in commemoration of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, a custom shirt worn by Jimin during the World Cup final halftime show is leading the bidding, outpacing Lionel Messi's signed jersey.

Jimin's Custom Shirt Surpasses Messi's Jersey

In this auction, co-hosted by Global Citizen and Christie's, the Jimin shirt produced by AGRO Studio reached $15,000 (approximately 22 million KRW) within just 24 hours of the auction's start. This figure significantly exceeds the auction's initial estimated high of $5,000. The outfit, worn by Jimin during his 'Dynamite' performance, is currently competing for the top spot alongside the official match ball from the World Cup final.

The auction features items such as the official match ball used in the tournament, signed jerseys from various national teams, and costumes worn by performers during the final halftime show. George Oxby, co-director of AGRO Studio, announced via Instagram Stories that the garment was a custom design specifically created for Jimin's performance. Oxby shared the news of the shirt breaking auction records, while referring to similar products sold on online shopping malls as "counterfeit."

Global Meme Craze and Toronto's 'BTS Boulevard' Motion

Cultural phenomena related to V are also gaining traction. The "V stepped into the crowd" meme, featuring a video of V walking toward a gathering of fans at a venue, is spreading across TikTok and Instagram Reels. The video, posted by a user on May 30, has garnered over 313,000 likes in just one month. Yahoo! explained that the meme has proliferated as users insert the phrase into videos to leverage the algorithm, given that V's name drives high search volumes and views. The phrase originated from a caption posted by Vogue World's official Instagram last October when they shared footage of V attending a fashion show.

The Toronto City Council is moving forward with a motion to designate a section of North York Yonge Street as 'BTS Boulevard.' Introduced by Councillor Lily Chen and seconded by Councillor James Pasternak, the motion is set against the backdrop of the area being 'North Korea Town,' a district with a high concentration of Korean businesses. If the motion passes, 'BTS Boulevard' signage will be installed for one month from late August to late September. In a summary of the motion, the city stated that it wishes to welcome BTS and ARMY, conveying the message of the group's song lyric, "You Never Walk Alone."

Controversy has also erupted following remarks made by Brazilian influencer Pietra Bertolacci (35). On the 19th, Bertolacci made derogatory comments toward BTS, who performed on the World Cup stage, calling them "effeminate and vain men." Online reactions to the remarks exceeded 1 million within 24 hours. On X (formerly Twitter), 23,000 users posted about the issue, generating 11.4 million impressions and approximately 432,000 engagements. Google search volume for Bertolacci's name also surged by 2,100% compared to the previous period, with over 20,000 searches within 20 hours. Bertolacci has since deleted her post and set her account to private. In a statement released on the 24th, she explained that her remarks were a critique of a specific aesthetic in the modern entertainment industry and that she had no xenophobic intent.