The live performance of BTS's "BTS Comeback Live: Arirang," broadcast live on Netflix, ranked No. 1 in viewership in 77 countries worldwide. Interest from global viewers is expected to continue, with the release of the documentary "BTS: The Return," which covers BTS's comeback process, still ahead.
According to FlixPatrol, a global OTT viewership ranking site, on the 23rd, as of the 22nd (local time), BTS Comeback Live: Arirang ranked No. 1 in the Netflix film category.
It entered the "Top 10" film content list in a total of 92 countries, and took the top spot in 77 countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Argentina, Egypt and India. In effect, it ranked No. 1 on every continent. It placed No. 2 in 14 countries including the Bahamas, and No. 3 in New Zealand, entering the highest ranks across all countries tracked.
The performance is drawing attention as it pushed aside English-language content that has traditionally been strong on Netflix. "Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man," which had held No. 1 until the previous day, fell to No. 2, and the action film "War Machine," which was No. 1 in the English-language film category for two consecutive weeks, dropped to No. 3.
On the 27th, Netflix will release the documentary "BTS: The Return," which captures the making of the new album "Arirang." The documentary spotlights, through archive footage, everything from their performance on the Billboard charts to the hiatus caused by military enlistment. It covers how, after discharge, all members gathered at a mansion in Los Angeles (LA) to begin work on the album.
The documentary reflects the concerns and changes the members felt during the four-year hiatus. They revisited debut-era footage and the Busan concert, their last full-group stage before enlistment, reaffirmed their longing for fans, and defined the direction of the album.
The album concept, "Arirang," was inspired by the narrative that Korean students from Joseon, invited to the United States, recorded the first Korean folk song. The documentary gives weight to the behind-the-scenes of production, including debates over the proportion of Arirang sampling and the language ratio of the lyrics.