Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
'Excited and honored' to livestream BTS show: Netflix VP
Brandon Riegg, second from left, vice president of nonfiction series and sports at Netflix, speaks during a press conference in Seoul, Friday, joined by Kim Hyun-jung, center, vice president of BigHit Music, Yu Dong-ju, second from right, head of HYBE APAC, and Garrett English, right, executive producer for Saturday's "BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE | ARIRANG." Courtesy of Netflix
By Baek Byung-yeul
BTS will transform the heart of Seoul into a massive stage on Saturday as the K-pop band marks its historic return with a live performance at Gwanghwamun Square to celebrate the release of its new album "ARIRANG."
The event will be broadcast live to more than 190 countries via Netflix starting at 8 p.m. Saturday, marking the first time the global streaming giant will host a live music event of this scale in Korea.
Brandon Riegg, vice president of nonfiction series and sports at Netflix, said the partnership with HYBE was a natural fit for the platform's live strategy.
"We're incredibly excited and honored to be able to partner with HYBE and BTS on this landmark event," Riegg said during a press conference in Seoul Friday.
"As we look at entertaining the world and the big events in the live space that we tried to do, it was very clear from the start that this opportunity was one we could not pass up."
Riegg added that the collaboration is a continuation of Netflix's belief in the power of Korean culture.
"I think it really doesn't get any bigger than BTS, and what this tour and performance represent," he said. "I'm excited for the world to have even more opportunity to engage with Korean culture here on Netflix."
The performance follows the Friday release of "ARIRANG," the first full-length studio album by BTS as a complete group in nearly four years. It also serves as the first major collective activity for the group following the completion of the members' mandatory military service.
To ensure a global experience, Netflix will host synchronized viewing parties around the world.
"With these live events, it is an opportunity for the world to sit down together and enjoy the experience collectively," Riegg said.
A poster for BTS’ comeback live event, scheduled to take place at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, Saturday / Courtesy of Netflix
Garrett English, the executive producer of the show, said the scale of the production is massive and covers a wide area of central Seoul.
"Our creative scope here is really to both embrace the scale of it, which is from Gyeongbok Palace all the way down to City Hall and beyond to Seoul Plaza," English explained. "It is a combination of celebrating that scale and also being able to celebrate the intimacy of what will be a very meaningful moment."
Yu Dong-ju, head of HYBE APAC, explained that the choice of Gwanghwamun Square was deeply rooted in the identity of the group and the vision of HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk.
"Gwanghwamun is in line with the identity of BTS," Yu said. "Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, who oversaw the comeback, said that if BTS, who became superstars starting in Korea, is making a comeback, the start must be in Korea and it must be in the most symbolic space."
Yu added that the rare experience of having fans and the public celebrate together at Korea's most iconic location is something HYBE wanted to share with the world through Netflix.
Kim Hyun-jung, vice president of BigHit Music, BTS' label under HYBE, provided further insight into the new album and its title.
"Arirang is the identity and the root of BTS," Kim said. "In order to deliver this message, we used both Korean and English together so that as many people as possible could understand it."