- Title: K-pop's BTS explores new revenue streams after pay-per-view online concert
- Date: 16th June 2020
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - OCTOBER 8-9, 2018) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF SOUTH KOREAN K-POP BAND BTS SPEAKING DURING INTERVIEW WHILE ON TOUR IN LONDON LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JUNE 1, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FANS WALKING INTO ARENA AT WEMBLEY STADIUM FOR BTS CONCERT FANS WALKING PAST WAVING TO CAMERA FANS STANDING AROUND AND TALKING FAN HOLDING BAG WITH K-POP STAR'S FACE ON IT FANS LAUGHING AND TEASING EACH OTHER 18-YEAR-OLD MALAYSIAN FAN, ERINNA FEISOL POSING FOR PICTURES WITH HER ARMY BOMB SOUTH KOREAN FAN, NECO CAMACHO, DRESSED LIKE K-POP STAR FANS ARRIVING BEFORE CONCERT FANS IN STADIUM AS BTS TALK ON STAGE FANS SCREAMING AT CONCERT FANS FILMING WITH PHONES BTS MEMBER ON STAGE SAYING (English): "ARE YOU READY TO HAVE MORE FUN?" / FANS SCREAMING BTS MEMBER TALKING ON STAGE DURING CONCERT
- Embargoed: 30th June 2020 17:42
- Keywords: BANG BANG CON Live BTS K-Pop Un-Contact show biggest global audience for a paid virtual concert fans multi-view live streaming
- Location: VARIOUS FILMING LOCATIONS
- City: VARIOUS FILMING LOCATIONS
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Music
- Reuters ID: LVA009CIMEXQL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: BTS fans were treated to a live online concert on Sunday (June 14), as the popular South Korean boy band explored new revenue streams in the coronavirus times.
Band members Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jungkook invited their global fan base, known as ARMY, an acronym for Adorable Representative MC for Youth, to watch them perform in five different rooms and on two stages, and from multiple different angles during the live pay-per-view show, "BANG BANG CON The Live".
Fans could even catch their favourite band member dancing up close during the 100-minute show.
BTS said it was a "short preview of our tour" in a press release from music label Big Hit Entertainment. The seven performed tracks "DOPE", "Boyz with Fun", "Like", "Just One Day", "Black Swan", "Boy With Luv (Feat. Halsey)", "Go Go", "Anpanman" and "Spring Day", as well as "Jamais Vu", "Respect" and "Friends" for the first time from their fourth studio album "MAP OF THE SOUL: 7". BTS then gathered on a studio inspired set to perform a combination of "UGH!" and "00:00 (Zero O'Clock)".
At one stage the virtual concert was watched by 756,600 concurrent viewers - or the equivalent of "15 shows at a 50,000-capacity stadium", according to the label, opening up "new possibilities for virtual concerts in the COVID-19 age".
V and Jin said: "I wish we can perform again soon, because I want to see ARMY with my very own eyes". Rapper RM hinted at a Spring 2021 reunion with fans on an actual stage, saying: "BTS and ARMY's Spring will definitely return".
(Production: Lisa Giles-Keddie) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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