On March 21, BTS Comeback Live: Arirang streamed across nearly 190 regions. Still, reportedly, no sponsorship deals were finalized before it went live. In the weeks leading up to the Gwanghwamun show, Netflix held talks with several major companies. One discussion involved a Korean national airline. It reached an advanced stage. However, the process slowed during internal approvals, and the deal was not completed.
“I understand that Netflix discussed sponsorship with a South Korean national airline, but it fell through at the last minute. They were unable to finalize the deal at the final decision-making stage,” an insider told Hankyung Global Market.
At the same time, the platform approached a global credit card company and a well-known search firm. Those talks also did not move forward. Reports indicate the proposed amounts were extremely high. Even so, none of the discussions resulted in signed agreements. As a result, the event proceeded without external backing.
Netflix usually avoids brand tie-ins in its original content. There have been a few exceptions. Earlier, Squid Game 2 partnered with Kia for promotion. In this case, however, the company appears to have funded the project on its own. Production costs were reportedly substantial. At the same time, rights linked to the performance were secured from HYBE.
“It is true that we held discussions with domestic and international companies regarding the BTS concert. However, it is difficult to disclose the detailed contents of the contract externally,” a spokesperson for Netflix stated.
Further details, however, were not shared. Meanwhile, the livestream drew a large international audience. Millions tuned in across regions. This, in turn, highlighted the band’s global reach. Even so, early projections had set expectations higher.
BTS comeback livestream hits 18.4 million views
Netflix’s latest BTS global release opened with strong traction across provinces. The livestream recorded 18.4 million views. This figure includes both live audiences and those who tuned in within the next 24 hours. For the week ending March 22, the comeback live moved to the top of Netflix’s non-English rankings with 13.1 million views.
The timing aligned with the release of the septet’s fifth studio album, ARIRANG, which arrived a day earlier. At the same time, the broadcast secured the number one spot in 24 countries. Beyond that, it entered the Top 10 across 80 regions. Meanwhile, Netflix reported that BTS-related content across its official channels generated around 2.62 billion impressions. Alongside that, hashtags linked to them gained traction across several countries.
Looking ahead, Netflix is set to release a documentary titled BTS: The Return on March 27. The film will track the recording process behind the record.
Edited by Shreya Jha
