BTS singer V, whose legal name is Kim Taehyung, took the mound at Dodger Stadium on Monday night to deliver the ceremonial first pitch ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ game against the Cincinnati Reds. Wearing a No. 7 Dodgers jersey, the 29-year-old K-pop star bowed to starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, then threw a strike that the pitcher caught before V led the crowd in the traditional call, “It’s time for Dodger baseball.” Before the game, V greeted two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani in the dugout, briefly hugging the 2023 American League MVP as photographers gathered. He also chatted with Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow and spent time with children invited onto the field for autographs, drawing loud cheers from a stadium that included a sizable contingent of BTS fans. The appearance underscores the growing crossover between K-pop and North American sports entertainment. It comes as BTS prepares to release a new album next spring following the members’ hiatus for mandatory military service in South Korea.