BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG to Stream Globally on Netflix from Seoul

On March 21, 'BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG' will be broadcast live worldwide via Netflix from Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. This event marks Netflix's first live event in Korea and the first time a music performance is being streamed globally by the platform.

The BTS Comeback Live is a massive project combining global live streaming, world-class production teams, and large-scale on-site operations. The performance at Gwanghwamun Square will be simultaneously broadcast worldwide through Netflix. As Netflix's inaugural live event in Korea, attention is focused on the platform's content delivery technology.

Over the past decade, Netflix has built a robust technical foundation for streaming across Korea and globally. Prior to the BTS Comeback Live, Netflix successfully hosted live events such as 'Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson,' 'NFL Christmas Game Day,' 'WWE,' and 'Skyscraper Live: Climbing the Tallest Building.' Netflix has expanded its content delivery capabilities honed in the SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand) sector to live streaming. Notably, Netflix is gradually enhancing its technology and operational know-how to suit the characteristics of live streaming environments.

One of Netflix's standout technologies is its advanced video encoding. This technology significantly reduces the size of all content uploaded to Netflix while efficiently utilizing bandwidth to enable streaming in various resolutions and qualities. The processed video automatically adjusts quality and resolution based on the user's network environment, device characteristics, and scene complexity during playback. In 2020, Netflix's innovation in video encoding optimization was recognized with a Technology & Engineering Emmy Award.

Improvements have been made to efficiently apply this video encoding technology to live broadcasts. Netflix's 'load balancing' technology disperses traffic to respond to sudden spikes in server traffic. Load balancing provides a triple safety mechanism for stable streaming on a dedicated encoding technology and pipeline optimized for live environments. For instance, if an issue arises with the main encoder, it automatically switches to a backup or tertiary encoder.

A 'multi-fault recovery' system is also in place to quickly reallocate encoding paths and minimize streaming delays. Additionally, a 'live dedicated operation mode' has been introduced to prioritize core requests directly linked to continuous video transmission during live events by reallocating infrastructure resources.

At the core of all the technology Netflix invests in for live streaming is its proprietary Content Delivery Network (CDN), Open Connect. Since introducing Open Connect in 2012, Netflix has established a cooperative network with over 1,000 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) worldwide. Based on this technology, Netflix has reduced bit rates by approximately 60% while maintaining the same quality over the past decade. The company is also developing technology to stream its entire content catalog with about four times less data in the future.

A Netflix representative explained, “We have continuously invested in our proprietary content delivery network and video technology to provide a stable viewing experience even in large-scale streaming environments.”

Netflix has tested and verified the stability of its advanced technology in real-world environments. A notable example is the 'Baby Gorilla Cam,' which live-streamed the daily life of a gorilla family at the Cleveland Zoo in the U.S. This content was a test project created to verify various failure scenarios in a relatively small-scale live environment. In the actual environment of live-streaming baby gorillas playing, Netflix engineers verified the structure that automatically switches to a backup encoder in case of encoding system errors and the streaming failure recovery system. The experience accumulated through these tests has been applied to various live content operations, strengthening streaming resilience.

A Netflix representative stated, “The best experts are fully mobilizing the live know-how accumulated since 2023 to focus on the BTS Comeback Live broadcast,” adding, “Unlike traditional offline performances limited to specific regional audiences or ticket buyers, we will do our best to create a historic moment in K-culture where global fans can enjoy the performance simultaneously in the same subscription environment through Netflix.”

'BTS Comeback Live: ARIRANG,' which will be broadcast live at 8 PM on March 21, can be viewed by Netflix members on various devices such as TVs, mobiles, and tablets without any additional cost.

Seah Kim, TenAsia Reporter haesmik@tenasia.co.kr