On April 29, 2026, BTS shared a reel on their official Instagram account featuring V aka Kim Taehyung and Jungkook backstage during their ongoing ARIRANG World Tour. In the video, the two members were seen smiling as they performed their long-standing signature handshake, while other members could be heard in the background laughing and questioning how they still remembered it.
The handshake was a recurring gesture between the duo since the early years of BTS’s career when both members were still very young. It appeared across various times in the past, during interviews, award shows, concert stages and behind-the-scenes content.
However, the recent reel was the first clear instance of the handshake being recreated on an official platform following the group’s 2022 hiatus due to military enlistments. A similar moment had also taken place recently during Day 1 of the Arirang World Tour concert in Tampa, where Taehyung and Jungkook performed another version of the handshake. Fancam footage of that interaction circulated widely across social media platforms.
The recent Instagram upload prompted emotional reactions from fans, particularly long-time followers of the group. Fans kept circulating the clip across platforms, creating edits that paired the recent moment with older footage of the same handshake from past appearances.
Several edits used the tack Into the Sun from BTS’s latest album ARIRANG, compiling clips of the duo performing the gesture across different periods, including the newly released reel. Moved by the interaction, many noted the continuity of the duo’s bond despite the passage of time and the four-year hiatus. Referencing the duo using their fan-given portmanteau nickname ‘Taekook’ one fan commented,
“My Taekook heart”
Fans continued to appreciate the connection between BTS’s two youngest members, noting that their bond remained unchanged over time.
Some fans focused on the moment itself, saying it was special to see the handshake again after such a long time. Others remarked that V and Jungkook might still be doing it even decades later.
BTS draw 190,000 fans as Tampa shows sell out, wrap first U.S. tour stop in four years
BTS concluded the Tampa stop of their North American tour with three concerts held on April 25, 26, and 28. The shows were the group’s first return to U.S. stages in nearly four years. All of the three nights were performed to full-capacity crowds, drawing a combined audience of approximately 190,000, with tickets sold out ahead of time.
The concerts began with Hooligan from their latest album ARIRANG. The setlist combined newer releases with some of their widely recognized tracks. Songs performed across the shows included Aliens, Run BTS, Like Animals, Body To Body, Not Today, Fire, Idol, Butter and Dynamite, among others. The lineup of songs remained largely unchanged throughout the three days.
Each concert also included a “random song” segment. During this portion, the group performed tracks that were not part of the main setlist. Across the Tampa shows, these included Permission to Dance, Magic Shop, Boy with Luv, Pied Piper, Life Goes On and Silver Spoon.
Following their Tampa performances, BTS are scheduled to continue the tour at Sun Bowl Stadium on May 2 and 3. The North American leg of the tour consists of 31 shows across 12 cities, all of which are reportedly sold out. The tour is expected to extend further, with more than 80 performances planned across regions such as Asia and Europe.
Edited by Adrija Chakraborty
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