BTS V Named Jinro Global Ambassador as HiteJinro Expands Worldwide Soju Strategy

HiteJinro has named BTS member V as the new global ambassador for JINRO, the company’s soju export brand, in a move tied to its wider global expansion strategy. The BTS V Jinro partnership was announced by HiteJinro through PR Newswire on July 2, 2026, and followed by Korean business and entertainment coverage on July 3, 2026. ¹

The appointment places V, whose real name is Kim Tae-hyung, at the center of JINRO’s latest international brand campaign. The company said the selection is intended to strengthen JINRO’s global brand competitiveness and expand consumer contact points around the world. ¹

V Becomes Global Ambassador for JINRO

HiteJinro described the appointment as part of its strategy to advance the “popularization of JINRO” in overseas markets while also making the brand more familiar to domestic consumers. Korean reports said V will participate not only in activities aimed at raising JINRO’s brand awareness and preference in countries worldwide, but also in marketing for Jinro soju in South Korea. ²

The announcement identifies JINRO as HiteJinro’s integrated soju export brand. That positioning is central to the company’s explanation of the campaign: JINRO is being promoted as a global soju label, rather than only a domestic Korean alcohol brand. Reports from ZDNet Korea and Hankook Ilbo both framed the appointment as part of HiteJinro’s plan to reinforce marketing at home and abroad. ³ ⁴

HiteJinro’s overseas business leadership also linked V’s image to the brand’s stated direction. Jung-ho Hwang, Head of Overseas Business at HiteJinro, said V is “an exceptional artist who naturally represents the brand values and sensibility that JINRO pursues.” ¹

A Korean-language company statement carried in local media used similar wording, saying V was selected as someone who can best show the brand values and sensibility pursued by JINRO. The company also said it expects V to help express a young and trendy sensibility and build a sense of connection with consumers. ⁵

Global Marketing Strategy Behind the Appointment

HiteJinro’s stated goal is to broaden consumer touchpoints through brand marketing initiatives with V. The company said the partnership is part of a global brand expansion strategy designed to bring JINRO closer to consumers worldwide. ¹

The campaign comes as Korean soju brands continue to use cultural visibility as part of international positioning. In this case, the available source material does not provide a full campaign schedule, country-by-country rollout, advertisement release date, or product-specific launch plan. What has been confirmed is that V will represent JINRO as global ambassador and join marketing activities intended to support both overseas brand recognition and domestic Jinro soju promotion. ²

ZDNet Korea reported that HiteJinro plans to accelerate the popularization of JINRO in overseas markets and approach domestic consumers in a more familiar way through the ambassador appointment. Hankook Ilbo similarly reported that V will take part in activities to strengthen awareness and preference for JINRO across countries around the world. ³ ⁴

The Spirits Business, an international drinks trade publication, also reported the appointment, describing JINRO’s selection of V as part of a global expansion effort to reach more consumers worldwide. The outlet identified V by his real name, Kim Tae-hyung, while framing the announcement within JINRO’s broader global spirits presence. ⁶

JINRO’s Global Brand Position

The announcement also emphasized JINRO’s existing global scale. HiteJinro’s PR Newswire release described JINRO as the world’s No. 1 soju brand. ¹

Maeil Business Newspaper reported additional brand context, noting that JINRO has ranked No. 1 for 25 consecutive years in the “world’s best-selling spirits” category cited from the British drinks publication Drinks International. ⁵

The Spirits Business separately noted JINRO’s position as the world’s biggest-selling spirits brand according to its Brand Champions 2026 report. ⁶

Those rankings provide the business background for the ambassador appointment. Rather than introducing JINRO as a new export effort, the company is using V’s appointment to reinforce an established global brand position and widen its audience. HiteJinro’s statement focused on competitiveness, consumer contact points, and the wider popularization of JINRO, while media reports highlighted the connection between K-pop visibility and Korean soju’s international marketing push.

The available information confirms V’s role as JINRO’s global ambassador and outlines HiteJinro’s plan to use the partnership for domestic and international brand marketing. Further details, including campaign formats, regional schedules, or specific advertising releases, have not been provided in the source material, leaving the appointment itself as the central confirmed development.