BTS Comeback Live ARIRANG: Netflix VP Excited for Great Moment with BTS at Gwanghwamun

Global streaming giant Netflix will globally broadcast the comeback live performance of the sensational K-pop group, BTS (RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook).

On March 20th, a media briefing for ‘BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG’ was held at Cinecube Gwanghwamun in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Brandon Riegg, VP of Nonfiction Series and Sports at Netflix, Garrett English, the executive producer of the event, Kim Hyun-jung, VP of Big Hit Music, and Yoo Dong-ju, Head of HYBE Music Group APAC, were in attendance.

When asked about the collaboration between Netflix and HYBE, Brandon Riegg, VP, stated, “Netflix is honored to have such an amazing partnership with HYBE. We at Netflix strive to entertain the world, and we believe that this event will provide obvious enjoyment. We are pleased to be able to deliver this event to countless ARMYs and viewers around the world by joining forces.”

What is Netflix’s vision for Korean content? Brandon Riegg replied, “We have always been ardent fans of Korean content. We are delighted to have been able to deliver so much content, including ‘Squid Game’ and ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters.'” He added, “The significance of BTS as a band and this performance is immense. It’s great to be able to share this great moment.”

He continued, “It is meaningful for us to be together in the historical space of Gwanghwamun. We believe it is valuable to create an experience for BTS, ARMY, and those who love BTS to come and enjoy. We believe this is a great opportunity for many people to experience K-culture and BTS.”

BTS will release their new album ‘ARIRANG’ at 1 PM KST and will hold a large-scale free comeback performance in Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul at 8 PM KST on March 21st. Police estimate that up to 260,000 people will gather for this comeback performance, marking the largest crowd since the 2002 World Cup street cheering.

After their hiatus for mandatory military service, the BTS members are finally returning to fans with their 5th full-length album ‘ARIRANG’, the first full-group album in 3 years and 9 months. The album includes the title track ‘SWIM’ and a total of 14 songs. ‘SWIM’ is an upbeat alternative pop genre song that sings about continuing to move forward in the waves of life. It expresses the will to calmly swim through the incoming currents at one’s own pace, portraying it as ‘love for life’. RM participated in writing the lyrics, adding depth to the song, and Chairman Bang Si-hyuk took charge of the overall production of the album, increasing its perfection.

Since their debut in June 2013, BTS has swept the US Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 charts with their 2018 album ‘LOVE YOURSELF 轉 ‘Tear”, repackaged album ‘LOVE YOURSELF 結 ‘Answer”, 2019 mini album ‘MAP OF THE SOUL : PERSONA’, 2020 mini album ‘MAP OF THE SOUL : 7’, mini album ‘BE’, ‘Dynamite’, ‘Life Goes On’, 2021 ‘Butter’, ‘Permission To Dance’, 2022 ‘My Universe’, anthology album ‘Proof’, and 2023 ‘Like Crazy’ (Jimin), ‘Seven’ (Jungkook), solidifying their position as global top idols. Having broken records in charts, topicality, and popularity, BTS has been called the ’21st century Beatles,’ a testament to their legendary status. With their recent hiatus, anticipation for their new album from global fans has reached unprecedented levels.

This ‘BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG’ is significant as Netflix’s first live music concert broadcast and the first live event to be broadcast from Korea to the world. BTS’s comeback stage, starting in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, will reach viewers worldwide through Netflix.

Meanwhile, ‘BTS: The Return’, a documentary capturing BTS’s comeback journey, will be released on Netflix on March 27th at 4 PM KST, continuing the excitement of ‘BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG’. ‘BTS: The Return’ is a documentary that captures BTS, who have reunited after a long wait, completing their own music. It sheds light on the process of BTS, who have written history with unprecedented global popularity since their debut in 2013, looking back on the past and preparing for the next chapter as artists.

‘BTS: The Return’ is directed by Bao Nguyen, who previously directed the Netflix documentaries ‘Stinger: Who Took That Picture?’ and ‘The Greatest Night in Pop History’. In addition, This Machine, a global production company that produced ‘Masa’ and ‘Karol G: Tomorrow Was Beautiful’, and HYBE have joined forces to closely capture BTS’s comeback journey.

From March 20th to April 19th, BTS will be conducting the urban project ‘BTS THE CITY ARIRANG SEOUL’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘The City Seoul’) throughout the city of Seoul. Visitors will enjoy various programs held offline and experience the ‘scarcity of experience’ that can only be felt at specific locations and times. This ‘The City Seoul’ actively utilizes the key color of the new album ‘Arirang’, red, to provide various attractions. The media facade of Sungnyemun Gate and N Seoul Tower, and the drone show that will adorn Ttukseom Hangang Park are major programs not to be missed on the album’s release date, March 20th.

BTS will be appearing on the popular US NBC program ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’ on March 25th and 26th (local time). The seven members will be on the show as a full group for the first time in approximately 4 years and 8 months since July 2021.