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| Photo=BigHit Music |
[Sports Today reporter Yoon Hye-young] K-pop supergroup BTS is poised to make history with a comeback performance at Gwanghwamun in partnership with Netflix.
On the morning of the 20th, a pre-media briefing for \”BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG\” was held at CineCube Gwanghwamun in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Attending were Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vice president of nonfiction series and sports; Kim Hyun-jung, vice president of BigHit Music; Yoo Dong-ju, head of HYBE Music Group APAC; and Garrett English, executive producer.
BTS will release their first full-group studio album in three years and nine months—the fifth studio album, ARIRANG—at 1 p.m. on the 20th. The group will then perform \”BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE｜ARIRANG\” across Gwanghwamun Square and the surrounding area on the evening of the 21st at 8 p.m. KST. Netflix will stream the show live to viewers across 190 countries and territories.
At the briefing, Riegg said Netflix was delighted to collaborate with BTS. \”We’re thrilled Netflix can partner with HYBE and BTS,\” he said. \”Netflix focuses on bringing joy to global audiences, and this comeback live is clearly a can’t-miss moment. I believe HYBE and BTS recognized the appeal of a global platform like Netflix. We’re proud to deliver this event to ARMY and to viewers worldwide through a powerful shared experience.\”
\”We’ve long been enthusiastic supporters of Korean content and entertainment,\” he added. \”We’re very excited to share this event globally. We’re grateful for the chance to showcase so many projects—‘Squid Game,’ ‘K-Pop: Demon Hunters,’ and more—and this sits squarely within that trajectory. It demonstrates the deep confidence we have in K-culture. I can’t think of a bigger moment than this band and this performance, and I’m personally honored to be part of it.\”
Riegg also called performing at the historic site of Gwanghwamun \”a major privilege.\” He said Netflix will host viewing parties around the world so fans can experience the event together in real time, and emphasized the value of bringing people together to celebrate K-culture and BTS.
He stressed Netflix’s technical commitments to the live stream. \”Our priority is to ensure this world-class moment is shared by everyone. That requires technical stability. We’ve invested significantly in local infrastructure and coordinated closely with partners. In today’s entertainment landscape—where options abound—single events that connect global audiences simultaneously are increasingly rare. When opportunities like this arise, there’s urgency to be part of them. Many of our past live events were tremendous, and I’d say this could be the biggest live event Netflix stages this year.\”
Riegg noted the logistical challenge of staging a show of this scale in the heart of Seoul. \”We must meet fans’ high expectations and satisfy viewers worldwide. Our experience with Netflix live events gives us confidence this will run smoothly,\” he said.
Executive producer Garrett English outlined the creative approach. \”From the earliest conversations, we asked how to balance tradition and modernity,\” he said. \”We devoted significant time to collaborate and design with that goal in mind. We wanted to realize BTS’s vision while honoring the historical significance of Gwanghwamun. Our challenge was to highlight the cultural value of Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung while integrating BTS’s contemporary identity.\”
\”We set out not only to showcase Seoul to the world but to present it as a dynamic city,\” English continued. \”Above all, we prioritized a harmonious integration of this historic space into the production. It was an honor to be part of that process.\”
English described the production as massive both creatively and operationally. \”This is an enormous undertaking on every level,\” he said. \”We were honored to work with HYBE, BigHit, the BTS members, and the Seoul city government. Despite complex challenges across agencies, everyone cooperated to make this possible. There’s no need to overstate the scale. Our broadcast team’s task is to capture the event’s physical enormity while also conveying the intimate moments between the band and their fans. We aim to embrace the grand scale—from Gyeongbokgung to Seoul Plaza—while preserving the closeness among the seven members and their audience. Capturing both scale and intimacy is our goal; if we achieve that, it will be a meaningful moment for fans and BTS alike.\”
He emphasized collaboration as the project’s core. \”From the outset we had extensive discussions with the BTS members and HYBE representatives to understand the creative intentions and then translate them to the stage. We focused on ensuring the live audience feels the energy and that global viewers receive that energy effectively. Creative collaboration was paramount. Our role was to deliver BTS to the many who love them and to convey the relationships between BTS and Korea, BTS and Seoul, and BTS and their fans.\”
HYBE executives also explained why Gwanghwamun was chosen and why Netflix was the partner. Yoo Dong-ju said the choice of Gwanghwamun is tied to BTS’s identity. \”We asked what feels ‘BTS-like’ and what kind of show only BTS could do,\” he said. \”This comeback marks BTS’s return after about four years and sketches who BTS are now and who they will be. Producer Bang Si-hyuk, who oversaw this project, said that if BTS—who began in Korea and grew into global superstars—were to make a comeback, the starting point should be Korea, and it should be Korea’s most symbolic place.\”
Yoo added that the comeback aligns with HYBE’s vision of expanding fan experiences. \”Creating a moment at one of Korea’s most iconic sites where fans, the public, Koreans, and foreigners can celebrate together is culturally rare. Spreading that experience globally is deeply meaningful. For a project staging iconic scenes with many global fans at this symbolic Seoul location, Netflix was the most suitable partner. I’m confident this performance will be a historic cultural event.\”
Kim Hyun-jung, VP of BigHit Music, described the new album. \”BTS has always made albums that reflect the stories and emotions they want to share through music,\” he said. \”The new studio album, ARIRANG, conveys the feelings BTS currently experience and what they want to say. During production, the members, producer Bang Si-hyuk, and many BigHit staff discussed the album extensively. The result is ARIRANG, released today. As the title suggests, the album begins at BTS’s identity and roots. To share this message globally, the album includes both Korean and English so as many listeners as possible can understand. I hope it resonates with longtime fans and introduces BTS to new listeners across generations.\”
He added that the album, the stage, and the project involved continuous meetings and rehearsals with the members, Bang Si-hyuk, BigHit, HYBE, Netflix, and the creative team. \”You’ll see details of this process in the documentary,\” he said.
Finally, Riegg teased surprises for the concert on the 21st. \”We’ve hidden surprises,\” he said. \”This is a first-of-its-kind, massive global music performance for both BTS and Netflix, and we prepared it to the fullest. Because an artist like BTS and a platform like Netflix partnered, this will be a unique experience. I believe we’ve raised the industry standard with this event.\”
Garrett English added, \”The scale will be unprecedented. It debuts tomorrow, and I hope everyone experiences it together. I expect it to be an unforgettable moment for performers, the audience, the people of Seoul, and ARMY around the world.\”
[Sports Today reporter Yoon Hye-young ent@stoo.com]
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