Netflix, BTS to turn Seoul into world's 'biggest watch party'

▲ Brandon Riegg, Netflix's vice president of unscripted and documentary series, speaks at a press conference in Seoul on March 20, 2026, in this photo provided by the streaming company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ Preparations are under way at Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square for "BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang," on March 20, 2026, a day before the event. (Yonhap)

▲ A question and answer session takes place in Seoul on March 20, 2026, for the upcoming Netflix show, "BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang," in this photo provided by the streaming company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ K-pop boy group BTS is seen in this photo provided by BigHit Music. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

BTS comeback-Netflix

Netflix, BTS to turn Seoul into world's 'biggest watch party'

By Woo Jae-yeon

SEOUL, March 20 (Yonhap) -- K-pop megagroup BTS is set to return with "BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang," a historic live performance at Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square that Netflix hopes will become "the biggest watch party in the world."

The seven-member act will take the stage at the iconic central Seoul landmark Saturday to celebrate their new studio album, "Arirang," first in nearly four years, performing in front of hundreds of thousands of fans and visitors while simultaneously streaming live to global audiences.

"The hope is that our platform turns this viewing into a communal experience -- the biggest watch party in the world," said Brandon Riegg, Netflix's vice president of unscripted and documentary series, at a press conference in Seoul on Friday.

"Social media will amplify that, with fans sharing their joy in real time, creating one united experience for everyone," he added.

The event marks Netflix's first live event aired from South Korea and its first music livestream.

Describing the partnership between Netflix and Hybe, the parent company of BTS' label BigHit Music, as "an opportunity we could not pass up, he said the two shared a common strategy to combine "both sides' strengths to create something special for BTS Army and viewers worldwide," referring to the band's massive global fandom.

The event's goal, he continued, is "to remind viewers that the biggest pop culture events happen on Netflix, and to be an excellent partner to BTS and Hybe by demonstrating the value Netflix brings."

To achieve the goal, Netflix focused on "delivering a reliable, consistent streaming experience," as well as "creating singular moments that pull people together," he said.

"With so many entertainment options today, events that create urgency are rare, and this may be the biggest live event Netflix has staged yet," he added.

Garrett English, executive producer at Done+Dusted, which oversaw the live performance, said his team focused on building a connection between a modern and historical context to make the stage feel contemporary and true to BTS' vision. At the same time, their goal was to remain "respectful of and in harmony with the location."

He also acknowledged the sheer scale of the production, describing it as "massive creatively and operationally as the stage extends all the way to Seoul City Hall and City Hall Plaza."

"Coordinating with the city and all its agencies was a major undertaking," he said. "The key broadcast challenge was embracing that enormous scale while also capturing intimate, meaningful moments for both the artists and the audience."

On the live event front, Riegg stressed his company's broader commitment to the country.

"Netflix is actively building infrastructure in Korea to grow that capability, and investment in the Korean entertainment space will continue to grow," he said.

He also stoked anticipation for Saturday's event, hinting that "There are a few surprises in store," without giving anything away.

"This is the biggest live musical performance Netflix has ever staged globally. Maximum resource, effort and time have gone into it," he said.

"We hope it feels like a truly unique moment that only BTS and Netflix could create together and that it sets the bar for future musical performances on the platform."

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