Disney+ inks BTS content partnership deal as streaming war heats up

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The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific is bringing BTS on to Disney’s streaming services following a partnership with global entertainment lifestyle platform HYBE (rebranded from Big Hit Entertainment in March 2021). In total, the agreement includes global distribution of five major content titles from HYBE. This strategic collaboration will allow Disney to introduce a series of new titles from HYBE over the next few years, as the entertainment platform continues to produce high-quality content based on its music and artists IPs.

Three of HYBE’s projects coming to Disney’s streaming services include:

“BTS: PERMISSION TO DANCE ON STAGE – LA”: This exclusive cinematic 4K concert film features BTS’ live performance in Los Angeles’ Sofi Stadium in November 2021. Performing Billboard hit songs “Butter” and “Permission to Dance,” this was the first time in two years since the pandemic that the band met fans in person.

“IN THE SOOP : Friendcation”: An original travel reality show with a star-studded cast including V of BTS, Itaewon Class’ Seo-jun Park, Parasite star Woo-shik Choi, Hyung-sik Park, and Peakboy. The program features the five friends venturing on a surprise trip and enjoying a variety of leisure and fun activities.

“BTS MONUMENTS: BEYOND THE STAR”: This original docu-series follows the incredible journey of 21st century pop icons BTS. With unprecedented access to a vast library of music and footage over the past nine years, the series will feature the daily lives, thoughts and plans of BTS members, as they prepare for their second chapter. The docu-series will be available exclusively on Disney’s streaming services next year.

Jessica Kam-Engle, APAC head of content, The Walt Disney Company said this collaboration represents Disney’s creative ambition – to work with iconic content creators and top stars in Asia Pacific so their talent can be enjoyed by mainstream audiences in multiple ways. “We believe these new titles will captivate consumers worldwide and look forward to introducing more music content on our service,” Kam-Engle said. “We are thrilled to be collaborating with HYBE to showcase their original content created with powerful artist IP on our global streaming services including Disney+.”

“This will be the start of a long-term collaboration, where we present worldwide audiences a wide range of HYBE content for fans who love our music and artists,” said Park Ji-won, CEO of HYBE. “The Walt Disney Company has a long history of franchise building and promoting musical artists, with its unparalleled brands and platforms.”

As the streaming war is heating up, media companies are upping their game. In 2021, Disney+ doubled down on local content with 20 new local APAC content titles which included 18 originals done in collaboration with content creators from Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Greater China, Australia and New Zealand. This was part of Disney's ambition to greenlight over 50 APAC originals by 2023.

Disney+ will also reportedly carry approximately four minutes of commercials per hour on its ad-support version later this year. The Wall Street Journal reported that the duration of ads is shorter than what most of Disney+'s competitors are offering and is also "significantly smaller" than what is found on traditional TV.

As the industry is well saturated, to promote its streaming platform, it also went all out in a marketing blitz all across Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. In 2021 a campaign was launched in Singapore comprising a 360 marketing strategy. Disney+ had utilised platforms ranging from TV to radio, OOH and online to maximise its exposure.

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