Big Take Asia BTS Leads Netflix’s Push for Growth in Asia
Mar 24, 2026
Lucas Shaw, Bloomberg media editor who analyzes streaming strategy, and Sohee Kim, Bloomberg Asia entertainment correspondent who covers K-pop, discuss Netflix’s bold move to live-stream BTS from Seoul. They talk about how the concert aimed to convert fandom into subscribers, Netflix’s Korean investments and event strategy, and the challenges and opportunities global streamers face across Asia.
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BTS Concert As A Subscriber Acquisition Play
- Netflix used BTS's comeback to convert global superfans into subscribers by live-streaming the Seoul concert, topping charts in 77 countries.
- Lucas Shaw says this is a high-reach one-off strategy to create buzz and pull non-Netflix BTS fans onto the platform.
Sohee Kim's Early BTS Press Conference Memory
- Sohee Kim recalled meeting BTS at an early press conference after their 2017 Billboard win and watching them evolve from boys to thoughtful artists over a decade.
- She highlights their maturity post-military service and how that growth shaped their global appeal.
Korea Disproportionately Drives Global Hits
- South Korea punches above its weight as a content producer: Squid Game became Netflix's most-watched title and generated massive value.
- Lucas Shaw notes Korea is among Netflix's top non-US markets for cultural and financial return.