This will lead to five new titles with HYBE, BTS’s management company. The company was formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment. At least two of the new titles will be filmed with the entire band, including a taped concert special in Los Angeles and a series of behind-the-scenes documentaries. Disney expects the latter to debut next year. In a recorded video message shared with CNN Business, the band said they were looking forward to showing fans “a more up close and personal side of us.” BTS has experienced meteoric success in recent years, attracting legions of fans around the world known as the “Army”. Recently, however, the seven-piece band announced that they would be taking a break to explore various projects, including some on a solo basis. The new relationship with Disney reflects this. An upcoming title is a reality show that will see V, a BTS star, go on vacation with other Korean celebrities, the company said. The band’s documentary will also peek into their daily lives “as they prepare for the second chapter,” Disney and HYBE said in a joint statement. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The move shows how Disney ( DIS ) is focusing on top-tier talent as it continues to chase Netflix ( NFLX ) and cash in on the recent surge in popularity surrounding Korean content and culture. Last year, for example, fans around the world were enthralled by “Squid Game,” Netflix’s South Korean hit that became the company’s top show worldwide. Disney said it has also seen success with titles such as “Snowdrop,” a Korean series that has become one of the most-watched titles across Asia recently. “This partnership represents our creative ambition — to work with iconic content creators and top stars in Asia Pacific so their talent can be enjoyed by audiences in multiple ways,” said Jessica Kam-Engle, chief content officer, Disney for Asia Pacific. a statement. “We believe these new titles will excite consumers around the world, and we look forward to introducing more music content to our service.” The move is part of a major expansion into Asian content that the company announced last October. It plans to greenlight more than 50 original titles from the region by 2023. The Hollywood giant said at the time that it was ordering new shows from South Korea, Japan, Australia, Taiwan and Indonesia. Many of the programs will be presented in local languages, from Bahasa Indonesia to Mandarin. Netflix is also pouring money into original Asian-language content and touting the global success of its Korean and Japanese programming in particular. But the company’s stock has come under pressure in recent months after it revealed in April that it was losing subscribers for the first time in a decade. The news reignited debate about the long-term outlook for the streaming sector. Investors, however, seem calmer about Disney. The company said in its most recent earnings call in May that it had added more Disney+ subscribers than expected last quarter, bringing its total to 137.7 million.
