The K-pop group BTS has revealed plans for a live concert streaming exclusively on Netflix, marking their first performance in three years. The event follows the release of their new album Arirang and coincides with a documentary about their reunion. Global anticipation is high, with the album surpassing three million Spotify pre-saves.
BTS, the South Korean septet, is set to make a highly anticipated return after a hiatus for mandatory military service that began in 2021. The group announced "BTS The Comeback Live | Arirang," a special concert to be broadcast exclusively on Netflix from Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on March 21. The livestream starts at 7 a.m. Eastern Standard Time and will be directed by Hamish Hamilton, with executive producers including Hybe, BigHit Music, Guy Carrington, Garrett English, and Kevin Hermanson. This marks the first global live event broadcast from Korea, reaching over 190 countries and regions.
The concert follows the release of BTS's fifth full-length album, Arirang, on March 20 at 1 p.m. KST. The 14-track album explores themes of the group's identity, longing, and love, representing "current BTS." It is their first full-length release in six years since 2020's Be. Pre-save numbers on Spotify have surged past three million as of February 4, up from one million in two days and two million by the fourth day. This positions Arirang to challenge Taylor Swift's record of approximately six million pre-saves for her album The Life of a Showgirl. The album has also topped Spotify's Countdown Chart Global for two consecutive weeks in January.
Complementing the musical comeback, Netflix will release the documentary BTS: The Return on March 27, directed by Bao Nguyen. It chronicles the group's reunion and the making of Arirang. During their hiatus, members pursued solo projects, including J-Hope's Jack in the Box, RM's Indigo, and Jimin's Face. Their 2022 anthology album Proof featured hits like "Yet To Come," which exceeded 100 million streams. Following the concert, BTS will launch a stadium tour in April, comprising 79 shows across five continents. The announcements have boosted Weverse membership by threefold, reflecting renewed fan enthusiasm after a three-year-and-nine-month break.
