Yi Chen, a Chinese trainee on JTBC's audition show Project 7, recently caught fans’ attention by sharing that BTS member V is his role model.
What surprised viewers even more was Yi Chen’s connection to Korean history—he's a descendant of the famous independence activist Ahn Jung Geun.
During his introduction, he explained, “My great-great-grandfather is Ahn Myeong-geun, who fought for independence alongside Ahn Jung Geun.”
Born in 1998, Yi Chen has also impressed viewers with his fluent Korean, despite being a Chinese national. V, known as the "idol of idols," has inspired countless trainees and idols in the K-pop industry.
Members of popular groups like ENHYPEN and NEXZ, as well as new rookies from the fifth generation, often cite him as a major influence.
Among ENHYPEN members, Sunghoon, Jay, Sunoo, and Jake have named V as their inspiration, with Jungwon recently going blonde after being inspired by V's style, saying, “He looked so handsome; I wanted to try it too.”
Even rising rookie idols dream of following in V’s footsteps. Sogeon from NEXZ and Rihito Ikezaki from the Japanese group INI both shared V is the artist they hope to emulate.
Sophia, the leader of HYBE’s new girl group KATSEYE, also declared herself a huge fan of V after her group’s formation through Dream Academy, a global girl group audition program.
Olympic silver medalist Huh Mimi, known for her success in judo at the 2024 Paris Olympics, also admires V. As a descendant of independence activist Huh Seok, she dreams of meeting him one day, humorously wondering, “Will a silver medal be enough, or do I need a gold to meet him?”
Yi Chen’s admiration for V adds him to the long list of idols inspired by V’s charm and artistry, showing just how much V continues to influence the next generation.
Source: [1]
