According to FlixPatrol, BTS’ comeback live show ARIRANG it ranked first in over 80 countries immediately upon release, even dominating the US market. As Netflix’s first live streaming music concert and the first global live event broadcast from Korea, the production had immense symbolic weight.
The direction of the concert was led by world-famous director Hamish Hamilton, who described Gwanghwamun, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, as the “eighth member” by BTS. A massive 14-meter LED structure enveloping the palace, combined with multimedia facades inspired by ink brushstrokes and traditional Korean music performances, promised to show the world the essence of Korean aesthetics. But in reality that promise was only briefly kept.
The symbolic use of Gwanghwamun was only visible during the opening phase with the National Gugak Center, appearing as a fleeting flash. Once the main performance began, the structures and graphics obscured the setting, diminishing its intended meaning. The production team’s ambition to immerse viewers in the square was lost in the confusing camera work. While the opening aerial shots from the gate to the square were great, Gwanghwamun quickly faded into the background once the LED stage took over. Ironically, the wide shots of the location even made the crowd appear smaller than it actually was.
Poor lighting design further weakened the visual impact. Instead of highlighting the grandeur of the historic site, Gwanghwamun was left in darkness, making it difficult to distinguish whether the stage was set on a culturally significant landmark or simply another urban street. Oddly, one of the most visible items during the broadcast was the electronic billboard of a nearby building, which appeared several times in aerial shots.
The most critical flaw, however, was the failure to capture the essence of the artists themselves. BTS’s signature strengths – precise choreography and powerful group performances – were fragmented by experimental camera angles, diminishing their impact. Fans also expressed dissatisfaction with the editing and direction.
Considering the extensive citywide restrictions imposed for the event, which caused inconvenience to residents and nearby businesses, the end result seemed overly superficial. Reaching first place on Netflix cannot justify these strategic shortcomings. In terms of substance, the concert failed to fully convey either the group’s artistic depth or the cultural significance of the setting, instead focusing on the format of a “live broadcast”.
Despite the size, resources and global platform involved, the production ultimately struggled to define what it truly wanted to show. As such, this event represents a surprising and costly lesson, which future large-scale productions would do well to remember.
Sources: Daum
