Netflix taps Super Bowl, Oscars director for BTS's March 21 Gwanghwamun show and livestream
Published: 04 Feb. 2026, 21:06
Updated: 04 Feb. 2026, 21:16
![Hamish Hamilton [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/04/2b8ce426-6bcb-4b0a-aa94-fe4edf2dadb0.jpg)
Hamish Hamilton [SCREEN CAPTURE]
Hamish Hamilton, the British director known for leading major global broadcasts such as the Super Bowl halftime show, will direct BTS’s upcoming performance at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul on March 21, Netflix announced on Wednesday.
“Hamilton will direct BTS’s album-release performance titled 'BTS Comeback Live: Arirang,' scheduled for 8 p.m. on March 21,” Netflix said. “The concert will stream live to viewers in more than 190 countries and regions.”
Hamilton has overseen some of the most widely watched live events in the world, including the opening ceremony of the London Olympics in 2012 and the Academy Awards, or Oscars.
Hamilton first took charge of the Super Bowl halftime show, one of the world’s most-watched live broadcasts, in 2010. He went on to direct the event eight times through 2018, overseeing performances by global icons such as Madonna, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar and Justin Timberlake.
Hamilton's résumé also includes major live broadcasts across film, music and television, including the Academy Awards, the Grammy Awards and the Primetime Emmy Awards. He also directed the 68th Grammy Awards ceremony on Sunday, where the song “Golden” (2025) from the Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” (2025) won an award.
![Boy band BTS [BIGHIT MUSIC]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/04/2d353b25-2e49-4e71-88ec-b0c75ba3e19f.jpg)
Boy band BTS [BIGHIT MUSIC]
Hamilton received a lifetime achievement award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in recognition of his work on national events, including the London Olympics opening ceremony.
BTS’s Gwanghwamun performance, meanwhile, is expected to be one of the largest live music events ever held in the area.
Seoul city officials said BTS’s agency BigHit Music is discussing plans to install seating for more than 30,000 people, stretching from the northern edge of Gwanghwamun Square to the City Hall station intersection in Jongno District, central Seoul.
The agency is also preparing related events, including large-scale video projections on the Gwanghwamun wall and real-time broadcasts of the concert on electronic billboards throughout the Gwanghwamun area.
![Tourists pose for photos with promotional materials announcing the comeback of BTS on the steps of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno District, central Seoul on Jan. 22. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/04/538d0d1d-5701-474a-9dc2-7fc564a02ea7.jpg)
Tourists pose for photos with promotional materials announcing the comeback of BTS on the steps of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno District, central Seoul on Jan. 22. [YONHAP]
The performance will still require final approval from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Korea Heritage Service.
The heritage authority has granted conditional approval for the use of areas near the Gwanghwamun and said it will issue final permission once BTS submits additional measures to minimize the impact of large crowds on cultural heritage sites. Seoul City has also granted conditional approval for the use of Gwanghwamun Square, contingent on passing a safety review covering pedestrian movement and traffic control.
Separately, the city is preparing its own measures, including deploying fire and emergency personnel, allowing subway trains to pass certain stations without stopping, securing temporary restrooms, displaying multilingual safety messages on stage screens and inspecting nearby accommodations.
Following the concert, Netflix will release a documentary film titled “BTS: The Return” on March 27.
![Netflix will livestream BTS's upcoming performance at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, ″BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang,” on March 21. [BIGHIT MUSIC]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/02/04/e4b966e1-a20f-4d16-b227-b13b0b7237cb.jpg)
Netflix will livestream BTS's upcoming performance at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, ″BTS The Comeback Live: Arirang,” on March 21. [BIGHIT MUSIC]
The film chronicles the production of BTS’s new album “Arirang” and follows the group’s process of creating its first full album with all members participating in three years and nine months.
Bao Nguyen, a director known for documentaries such as “Be Water” (2020) about Bruce Lee, captured the process and struggles behind BTS’s efforts to create the new album.
Done + Dusted, a production company with experience producing broadcasts such as the Academy Awards and the Emmy Awards, produced the documentary film.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHOI MIN-JI [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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