BTS's V connects with Chilean fans using local memes and traditions

During BTS's three-day "ARIRANG" world tour at the Estadio Nacional de Chile, V used a famous national meme and traditional Cueca chants to engage the crowd. This marked the group's first meeting with Chilean fans in nine years since 2017.

BTS's V heated up Santiago by using a famous Chilean national meme. It was more than just greeting the crowd in Spanish; he used an expression that triggered immediate laughter and empathy from Chileans. By also showing interest in representative Chilean food and traditional culture, V demonstrated a special ability to connect with locals beyond music during the three-day performance.

BTS held their "ARIRANG" world tour performances at the Estadio Nacional de Chile in Santiago on the 14th and the 16th–17th. This was their first meeting with Chilean fans in nine years since 2017. While interest was high due to the long wait, the buzz surrounding the concert was not limited to the stage and performances, but also focused on how meticulously V observed and naturally utilized local culture on stage.

V's closing remarks on the first day shifted the atmosphere. He shouted in Spanish, "Chile, el mejor país de Chile." While a literal translation would be "Chile, the best country in Chile," which might sound odd, the context in Chile is different. It has become a widely known national meme after a fan's words during a TV interview celebrating the Chilean national football team's victory in 2015 spread across the internet.

To those unfamiliar with the local culture, the sentence might seem ordinary or awkward, but for Chileans who know the background, it was instant humor. When V used the expression on stage, the audience erupted in cheers. Fans found it special that a foreign star did not just mimic a local expression but appeared to understand the cultural context behind it.

V's customized communication did not stop there. He revealed that he had eaten empanadas, a representative Chilean food, after arriving in the country, and used local expressions. Empanadas are a beloved food in Chile and several other Latin American countries, consisting of dough filled with ingredients that is either baked or fried. Expressing interest in local food gave fans the impression that he respects their daily lives and culture.

On the second day, V again targeted the tastes of Chilean fans. Admiring the intense cheering, he shouted, "TIKI TIKI TII." This expression is a familiar rhythmic chant used in the traditional Chilean dance, Cueca, and in folk culture. As the phrase evokes the atmosphere of festivals and traditional culture for Chileans, the fans' reaction at the venue was extraordinary. Following the national meme on the first day, his use of an expression linked to traditional culture made his stage remarks a topic of conversation daily.

Local media also took notice of these moments. The state broadcaster 24 Horas covered the moment that drove fans into a frenzy, reporting that V mentioned the famous Chilean meme and even ate empanadas. ADN Radio also introduced the scene where V utilized the representative Chilean meme on the first day of the performance in a separate article. V's presence was further highlighted as even his short remarks utilizing local culture drew media attention alongside the main performance scenes.

While it is no longer unfamiliar for global stars to greet audiences in a local language on overseas stages, the way V approached it went a step further. Rather than using common tourist information or basic greetings, he shared laughter with the audience by utilizing internet humor and traditional cultural expressions shared by locals. This demonstrates how an attitude of trying to understand and communicate within the context of another's culture can leave a stronger impression on fans than simple language proficiency.

For the Chilean fans meeting BTS again after nine years, the performance was a reward for their wait, and V's witty remarks made the memory even more special. While capturing attention with overwhelming performance and vocals on stage, V accurately hit the points of local humor in his remarks. His communication style, which brought Chilean memes, food, and traditional culture into the performance, further heated up the three-day concert series.

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