SEOUL, March 25 — The comeback concert by K-pop megastars BTS drew an estimated 18.4 million viewers worldwide, streaming giant Netflix said yesterday. 

Netflix said its livestream of the show on Saturday “drew 18.4 million global viewers…, proving the group’s influence has only intensified during their time apart”.

The live broadcast from Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square reached Netflix’s weekly Top 10 in 80 countries and secured the number one spot in 24 countries, it said.

It added that its estimates were derived from so-called first-party data.

The seven-member group took to the stage together for the first time following a years-long hiatus prompted by mandatory military service.

It drew more than 100,000 fans to central Seoul, according to the group’s label.

Fans waved a sea of glowsticks and sang along to the group’s hits, holding their phones aloft to film the performance as giant screens set up across the venue allowed the crowd to watch.

Around 15,000 police officers and security personnel were mobilised for the concert, with barricades lining the roads and nearby venues shut.

The latest album, ARIRANG, released Friday, is billed as reflecting the maturing boy band’s Korean identity. It sold nearly four million copies on its first day, according to the label.

Following Saturday’s concert, the superstars will embark on their ARIRANG world tour, beginning April 9 in Goyang, South Korea.

The 2026-27 tour spans 82 concerts across 34 cities in Asia, North America, Europe and Latin America.

Tickets for shows in South Korea, North America and Europe sold out within hours. — AFP