BTS members were spotted enjoying a low-key meal in New York, but it wasn’t just any restaurant — it was a hotspot tied to a hit Netflix show.
According to a video posted Tuesday on Maeil Business Newspaper’s official YouTube channel, BTS visited a pork gomtang (clear soup) restaurant in Manhattan’s Koreatown during their recent trip to New York.
The group traveled to the city to attend “Spotify x BTS: SWIMSIDE,” held on Monday (local time), a promotional event tied to their latest comeback.
What caught fans’ attention, however, was their dining choice. The restaurant is run by chef Ok Dong-sik, who was featured on Netflix’s “Culinary Class Wars 2,” a popular Korean cooking competition series known for spotlighting underdog chefs — often referred to as “black spoon” contestants in Korea, meaning those from less privileged backgrounds.
In the video, Jin, V, RM and J-Hope are seen enjoying their meal in casual outfits, exuding a relaxed, off-duty charm. The members also appeared to acknowledge fans with warm eye contact, adding to the excitement.
The sighting quickly spread among U.S.-based ARMY fans, with many speculating that the restaurant could become the next “BTS hotspot” — a label often given to places visited by the group that later see a surge in fan traffic.
BTS recently made a high-profile comeback with their fifth full-length album “ARIRANG,” released on March 20. The group followed it up with a large-scale comeback performance at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21, drawing massive crowds and global attention.
As BTS continues its global schedule, even a simple meal stop is proving enough to ignite viral interest — especially when it intersects with trending K-content.
This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.