BTS announces New York Spotify fan event, Netflix drops trailer for BTS: The Return documentary
The announcements come days ahead of the release of Arirang on Mar 20, BTS’ first album in more than three years.
BTS dropped their first promotional group photo ahead of their album release on Mar 20. (Photo: BigHit Music)
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
Every day has been a surprise as the world awaits the moment K-pop superstars BTS take over playlists and the charts with their first album in over three years, Arirang, out on Mar 20.
On Monday (Mar 16), audio streaming platform Spotify announced that BTS will be headed to New York on Mar 23 for an exclusive fan event – Spotify x BTS: Swimside.
In a “special performance and Q&A” – according to the press release – 1,000 fans will join the members in “immersive album-themed experiences”. This marks the group’s first performance in the US in nearly four years.
Then, on Tuesday, Netflix dropped the trailer to the group’s upcoming feature-length documentary, BTS: The Return, which will be out on the platform on Mar 27, a week after the album’s release.
In the trailer, the seven members of the group – RM, Suga, J-Hope, Jin, Jungkook, V and Jimin – speak about their journey back to the stage following their hiatus.
It starts with the group’s leader, RM, saying, “Guess who? Welcome to the BTS documentary.” Then, a metronome begins along with clips of the supergroup performing on stage, with RM continuing: “Being part of a team like BTS is like wearing a big, incredible crown.”
As the metronome picks up speed, the rest of the members reflect on their time away from the group. They reflect on the pressures of making a return to an industry that keeps evolving and their drive to delivering “authenticity” in the album.
And then, the metronome stops.
In the rest of the trailer, the members are seen working on their music in Los Angeles, interspersed with clips of them performing and spending a day at the beach (which fans have noted was also where they did their Weverse live last year), as they reflect on the group’s direction in preparation of their album.
“And this might be something only we can pull off,” RM says as the trailer closes.
Netflix’s synopsis reads: “Watch as BTS contemplates how to begin again, wrestles with honouring the past without being bound by it, and redefine an ever-evolving identity as the bandmates grow as artistes and global icons.”
The trailer has stirred emotional reactions among fans online.
One fan on X said: “I think we need tissues for this one.” Another fan on Reddit said: “This is amazing and epic. Almost wish it was a series [because] I can only imagine how much footage they have. So many easter eggs and nods to their past, their Korean heritage & culture, and how they tackled this insane project of their next chapter.”
The behind-the-scenes documentary will be released on Netflix on Mar 27. BTS will also be holding their highly-anticipated BTS The Comeback Live Arirang on Mar 21, a day after the album drops. This is a free performance at the historical Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, South Korea, which will be streamed on Netflix.
