The comeback concert by K-pop band BTS drew an estimated 18.4 million viewers tuning in worldwide on Netflix, the streamer said on Wednesday.
The concert, streamed live as BTS: The Comeback from Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square, reached the weekly Top 10 in 80 countries and secured the number one position in 24.
The seven-member group returned to the stage together for the first time after a years-long break prompted by mandatory military service. More than 100,000 fans gathered in central Seoul for the event, according to their label HYBE.
Fans waved glowsticks and sang along to the group’s hits, many holding up their phones to record the performance. Giant screens installed across the venue ensured visibility for the large crowd.
Authorities deployed around 15,000 police officers and security personnel, with barricades lining nearby roads and surrounding venues temporarily shut.
The concert coincided with the release of the group’s fifth studio album, Arirang, which is billed as reflecting the band’s evolving Korean identity. The album sold nearly four million copies on its first day, according to HYBE.
BTS — comprising Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook — formed in 2010 and have since risen to become one of the most influential musical acts globally, helping drive the international popularity of K-pop.
The group is set to begin their Arirang World Tour on April 9 in Goyang, South Korea. The 2026–27 tour will span 82 concerts across 34 cities in Asia, North America, Europe and Latin America. Tickets for shows in South Korea, North America and Europe sold out within hours.
