Actor Song Kang recently opened up about his time in the military and his unexpected friendship with BTS member V, offering fans a rare glimpse into how the two stars became close while serving together.

On August 25, Song Kang appeared on the online entertainment program Salon Drip, where he talked candidly about his military experience and the friendships he formed during his service. Despite being around soldiers who were approximately 10 years younger than him, the actor said he had a surprisingly enjoyable time and quickly became comfortable with his younger comrades.

Song Kang explained that whenever his group had days off, they would make the most of their time outside the military base. Their outings were filled with ordinary activities that made their military lives feel almost like a regular friendship. “We would have lunch, go to a PC café, bet while playing bowling, eat, and then go to a sauna,” he recalled.

His comments about paying for those outings also produced a humorous moment on the program. When asked whether he usually paid for the meals, Song Kang jokingly responded, “Do I have to pay for everything?” He then admitted that he had treated his younger fellow soldiers to meals on several occasions.

The conversation took an even more interesting turn when host Jang Do Yeon brought up a four-frame photo featuring Song Kang and V during their military service. Asked how the two became acquainted, Song Kang explained that they had grown close while serving in the military.

“We became close in the military. We were in the same corps, but our duties were different,” he said, explaining that V served with the military police’s special mission unit, while he was “just a regular soldier.”

According to Song Kang, their friendship began through a mutual acquaintance. After meeting, the two discovered that their days outside the military sometimes overlapped, allowing them to spend time together. They would arrange to meet, eat together and frequently visit PC cafés.

Their friendship was not limited to one-on-one outings, either. Soldiers from V’s unit and Song Kang’s unit would occasionally gather for group gaming sessions, giving the two stars more opportunities to interact and strengthen their friendship.

Song Kang also revealed an amusing detail about their relationship inside the military. Because they belonged to different units, they continued to address each other respectfully rather than speaking as casually as they might outside the military.

When the discussion turned to who usually picked up the bill during their meals, Song Kang laughed before revealing that V was often the one who paid. However, the actor clarified that he also treated V to meals several times, particularly after losing games or bowling matches.

The revelations provide fans with a more personal look at the friendship between two of South Korea’s most recognizable stars. Their bond appears to have developed naturally through shared downtime, food, gaming and the unusual circumstances of military life.

The pair had previously been spotted exercising together in June of last year. In October, V and Song Kang were seen running with actors Kim Young Dae and Jung Gun Joo at Jamsu Bridge over the Han River before going out for Korean barbecue together. Toward the end of November, V and Song Kang were also spotted meeting privately at a barbecue restaurant.

Their friendship became particularly touching when V was discharged from the military in June last year. At the time, he shared a four-frame photo with Song Kang and left an encouraging message for his friend, who was still completing his military service.

Song Kang’s latest comments now give that photo additional context, revealing that what fans saw was more than a brief celebrity encounter. Behind the public images was a friendship built during military service, strengthened through shared days off, competitive games, casual meals and countless ordinary moments away from the spotlight.