Netflix said Friday that 18.4 million viewers worldwide watched BTS's comeback stage through the platform on the day of the live broadcast of "BTS Comeback Live: Arirang" on June 21.
The event, the first Netflix live event broadcast from South Korea, entered the weekly Top 10 in 80 countries and ranked No. 1 in 24 countries, reaffirming global interest in BTS and K-pop.
Fans shared their reactions in real time, joining together for the historic moment. On social media, viewers posted comments such as "It's impressive that the entire world is focused on one spot in Seoul simultaneously, even though it's not the Olympics" and "Even from overseas, I felt like I was right there at the venue, enjoying the same performance at the same time," highlighting the significance of the shared global experience.
The live event was broadcast worldwide in real time, connecting global viewers as one. Netflix utilized its proprietary content delivery network Open Connect, along with technologies optimized for live environments — including load balancing, automatic multi-encoder switching, and a live-dedicated encoding pipeline — to ensure global audiences could enjoy BTS's comeback performance under the best possible conditions.
BTS's live performance, which turned Gwanghwamun, a landmark plaza in central Seoul, into a wave of purple, drew praise for its unprecedented scale not only in technology but also in production and operations. Staff from 10 countries collaborated in eight different languages to achieve a harmony of tradition and modernity, and a balance of grandeur and intimacy. The production infrastructure included 23 cameras, 124 broadcast monitors, and 164.5 tons of broadcasting equipment. Approximately 9.5 kilometers of power cables were installed at the venue, with 9,660 kVA of power supplied. The operation also processed 40 terabytes of server capacity and 108 terabytes of footage data, reflecting the massive scale of live production and transmission capabilities.
"Netflix has been part of the global spread of Korean culture through K-dramas and K-films," a Netflix official said. "This performance is an example of expanding that role into K-pop together with BTS, and we will continue our efforts to introduce Korean content to the world through diverse formats and genres."
The event is now available on Netflix in Dolby Vision, offering rich color, and Dolby Atmos, providing immersive sound that makes viewers feel as if they are at the venue. Subtitles have been newly refined since the live broadcast and are available in more than 34 languages.
Netflix also provides Korean and English audio descriptions (AD) and subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH), ensuring that everyone can enjoy the content without barriers.