A day after the release of their comeback album Arirang on March 20, K-pop boy band BTS is set to perform at a special concert at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square, which will be livestreamed globally on Netflix, the streamer announced on Tuesday.
Indian fans can watch the livestream on Netflix at 4.30pm IST on March 21.
The seven BTS members — RM, Jin, SUGA, J-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook — have reunited following their mandatory military service. Arirang, their first album in over three years, will release on March 20.
The special concert will be followed by a documentary film titled BTS: The Return, slated to premiere on Netflix on March 27. It will take fans behind the scenes of the making of the album.
BTS will perform songs from Arirang, their fifth studio album, on stage. The upcoming album marks their comeback as a group since the 2022 anthology album Proof. The new album, named after Korea’s most popular folk song, will include 14 tracks.
The album title is a reference to Arirang, a centuries-old Korean folk song with thousands of variations that is often regarded as Korea’s unofficial national anthem. Recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage by both South and North Korea, Arirang draws on the Korean concept of han, a layered emotion of sorrow, longing, collective grief, resilience, and hope.
Through its themes of separation, loss, perseverance, and love for the nation, the folk song represents a cultural touchstone for Koreans across generations.
BTS had previously performed a live cover of the folk song at KCON 2016 France on June 14, 2016. Old clips of the performance are currently doing the rounds on social media.
As per a report by Korea Times, BigHit said that the album captures BTS’ identity as a group that began in Korea, along with “the longing and deep love that lie within their hearts.”
The label described the word Arirang as a symbolic expression of the emotions the group seeks to portray, the report further mentioned.
Following the album’s release, BTS is set to embark on a world tour on April 9, kicking off at Goyang Sports Complex near Seoul. The tour will span 34 cities with 79 shows — breaking records for the largest in K-pop history. It will also feature a 360-degree stage design.
