For those of us who share our homes with our pets, we know the great joy they bring to our lives. Dogs, and even some cats, greet us when we come home. They play and sit with us. They keep us company when we’re lonely and they watch over us when we’re sick. During the pandemic, they even occasionally appeared in Zoom calls.

What does it mean when celebrities, especially the members of BTS, own pets?

During a live video on Dec. 28, 2025, BTS' Suga introduced his new cat, Tang or Tang-ie (from the word “seoltang,” meaning sugar), to his fans. Suga’s appearance was remarkable not only because of the appearance of his kitty, but also because Suga had not appeared in a live video on his own in two years. As is the case with many K-pop groups, each of the BTS bandmates is represented by an animal. Suga’s animal was a cat, so this seemed apropos. He shared with the audience that the black cat was a rescue animal, and fans noted how happy and calm Suga looked with the cat. It also made Suga seem more relatable to his fans.

On Dec. 29, BTS' J-Hope revealed that he had not just one, but two cats. The BTS fandom had suspected this for some time, as some had heard meowing and seen a cat tunnel in the background of his live videos. When asked, he revealed that one was a rescue cat and another had been found abandoned on the street. However, he wasn’t sure how to introduce them to fans. He did not show the pets to the audience. Previously, fans were familiar with his family dog, a Shih Tzu named Mickey, who is now quite old and has had a slew of health problems.

Jungkook’s dog, a Doberman named Bam, was so popular that he had his own Instagram with 7.8 million followers — more than many K-pop idols. He has been featured prominently in photos and videos.

V had a Pomeranian named Yeontan affectionately known as Tannie, who passed away in 2024.

Jin has owned three sugar gliders: Odeng and Eomuk, named after fishcakes, passed away, with a third named Gukmul (meaning soup or broth) still living. He previously owned a Maltese named Jjangu, who has also passed away. Apparently, he dedicated a song to them during the group's 2019 Festa concert.

RM also had a family dog, whom his family named Rapmon (after Rap Monster, RM’s debut name). He passed away more than two years ago.

Only Jimin does not have any animals. He often talks about how he would like to have pets, but has allergies to cats. It is almost as if he has to apologize for not having any furry companions.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, pets can improve their owners’ physical and psychological health. They have been shown to be associated with lower blood pressure and cholesterol in their owners. Pets offer humans company and emotional support. The National Institutes of Health states that interacting with animals can decrease cortisol levels and improve one’s mood.

What do animals say about their owners? Americans hold many stereotypes about dog versus cat owners. According to a survey, WebMD describes dog owners as being supposedly more extroverted, while cat parents are less so. Certainly cats are more independent while dogs seem to hang on to every movement of their parents.

These stereotypes of cat owners seem to match fans’ ideas of Suga’s personality — he is seen as somewhat aloof and more introverted, and also more sensitive. J-Hope used these stereotypes of dog and cat owners, saying that he always thought of himself as a dog person, but surprised himself by having cats. This shows his fans that perhaps his personality is less obvious to us.

Of course, pets can also be used effectively as public relations tools. Buzzfeed often has a segment where celebrities are interviewed while playing with puppies (BTS) or kittens (Stray Kids). It’s hard not to like watching kittens or puppies, and the celebrities benefit by being in their presence. Some online commenters suspect that BTS members are using their pets as a tactic for either rehabilitating their image (in the case of Suga) or competing against other members (as J-Hope talked about his two cats soon after Suga’s live).

While the timing of the live videos might be intentional, it’s hard for me to believe that anyone would bring pets into their home just for the sake of getting good PR. You can certainly do this by following Buzzfeed’s lead and just film yourself spending an hour with animals without signing up for ten to twenty years of parenting a dog or cat. Kang Daniel has three cats who feature prominently on his Instagram, and anyone can see his love for them.

At the end of the day, the members of BTS are like the rest of us in that they need companionship and comforting. After all, their furry family members are the only ones in their lives who have no idea they are famous K-pop idols.

Grace Kao

Grace Kao is an IBM professor of sociology and professor of ethnicity, race and migration at Yale University. The views expressed here are the writer’s own. — Ed.


khnews@heraldcorp.com