While their interactions are few and far between, it’s not to say that fans can’t make moments of their own. This is where edits called manipulations, or manips for short, come into play. Fans have painstakingly collected high-quality pictures of both Irene and V, individually, then blended the pictures into one scene where the two are seemingly interacting. This couple is not the only ones to have these types pictures forged, but compared to some other couples, their pictures are eerily realistic.
Fanmade Photos
There have been so many manipulations made from pictures of these two that even diehard fans find it hard to differentiate the truth from the made-up. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights of V and Irene’s photos that have seemed to fool even the most dedicated of their fans, over the years. The picture above is made using pictures from BTS’s Danger promotions and Red Velvet’s Dumb Dumb promotions, demonstrating that the fans have been wishing the two to be together since way before the two were close to the level of fame they have today. It is a composition made from pictures taken during the early morning in the KBS parking lot, on their way to Music Bank’s recording. Due to the fact that the background is identical, it could be easily merged like the picture above. Meanwhile, the picture above is taken from roughly the same promotions period, but features a different technique to merge the pictures. Instead of relying on a similar background, they took a shot of V’s head from a different photo and transplanted it into Irene’s existing photo, creating a smooth transition that doesn’t require much editing around the body area. The picture above is another composition done before they hit big with songs such as Fire and Red Flavor, proving that their fandom is just as dedicated as they are strong. Another thing that makes this composition different is the use of selfies instead of photos taken by 3rd parties, as are usually done by fansites or news outlets. It gives the fans a more intimate and private feel from the couple. Fansigns are one of the venues used most often in manip compositions, as most groups use the same few fansign venues available around Seoul and near the Seoul district area. As seen above, the black background makes for a perfect background to do a composition of the two, as the edges blur and make the picture a lot more realistic. The pictures above were made more recently, as can be seen through the costumes and hairstyles they sport in the four pictures. They’re a mix of both more formal and casual settings too, proving the fans having a very keen eye when it comes to these two. It ranges from photoshoots, stage performances, airport pictures and also behind-the-scenes pictures. As it is recent, the improvement of the quality can also be seen across the four pictures with a very smooth and seamless transition from pictures featuring Irene to ones featuring V.
