'BTS The Comeback Live' on Netflix aims to match Super Bowl halftime scale with global event

BTS return with Netflix live event from Seoul aiming for global scale similar to Super Bowl performances

BTS are set to return with a large-scale live performance event titled “BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang”, streamed globally on Netflix from Seoul on March 21.

The event marks the group’s first full performance together since their 2022 farewell before completing mandatory military service.

The seven-member group, comprising RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook, will perform at Gwanghwamun Square in a production designed for a worldwide audience.

The event is scheduled for 8 p.m. local time, with international viewers expected to tune in across multiple time zones.

The production involves collaboration between Netflix, Hybe and Big Hit Music, with the creative team behind recent Super Bowl halftime shows also contributing.

Director Hamish Hamilton said, “I hope viewers experience pure joy. BTS is back after four years, and the world has been waiting.”

The performance supports the group’s latest album “Arirang”, released on March 20. The title references a traditional Korean folk song with centuries of history and cultural significance.

According to Nicole Kim, vice president of Big Hit Music, “As you can tell from the word ‘Arirang,’ this is a concept that really started off from the BTS members’ identity and also from their roots.”

The live event incorporates complex choreography, large-scale visuals and a multi-camera production setup, including 23 cameras positioned across the venue and surrounding areas.

The stage features a large LED structure framing Gyeongbokgung Palace, designed to be visible beyond the immediate audience.

Netflix’s Brandon Riegg said, “We view these live events as an opportunity to reach fans and members around the world in a way that is becoming increasingly tough to find.”

The one-hour broadcast precedes BTS’s upcoming world tour, scheduled to begin in April, and is positioned as a global cultural event rather than a traditional concert.