The Walt Disney Company announced a deal on Monday to bring a documentary series and concert featuring K-pop band BTS to its streaming services.
The series will make its debut next year and include music and footage of the South Korean group from the past nine years. Called BTS Monuments: Beyond the Star, it will showcase "the daily lives, thoughts and plans" of the group's members "as they prepare for their second chapter," Disney said.
Last month, BTS announced the band would be taking a break while members worked on solo projects.
Disney said the series would be released globally on its streaming services, including on Disney+. Its other streaming platforms include Hulu and Disney+ Hotstar.
The company did not say which services would carry the programme and in which markets.
The agreement with BTS's management company Hybe also allows for Disney to run a recording of a stadium concert in Los Angeles from November 2021, the group's first performance in front of fans after a two-year interruption forced by the Covid-19 pandemic.
In addition, the deal includes a reality show called In the Soop: Friendcation and featuring V from BTS, Itaewon Class TV star Park Seo-joon, Parasite actor Choi Woo-sik, singer and actor Park Hyung-sik and rapper Peakboy.
The show would follow the five friends "venturing on a surprise trip" and "enjoying a variety of leisure and fun activities," Disney said.
The company will also introduce new programming from other HYBE artists over the next few years.
Celebrating BTS Army Day
Every year on July 9, millions of BTS fans around the world celebrate Army Day, dedicated to the group's fandom. Marking the day, the name "Army" was first coined for the band's fans.
Ahead of the ninth anniversary of Army Day, the record-breaking septet announced a special fan version of their hit song Yet To Come (The Most Beautiful Moment), to be released on Wednesday.
The song is the lead single from the group's anthology album, Proof, which was released on June 10.
— Additional reporting by The National
RESULTS
Dubai Kahayla Classic – Group 1 (PA) $750,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
Winner: Deryan, Ioritz Mendizabal (jockey), Didier Guillemin (trainer).
Godolphin Mile – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Dubai Gold Cup – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (Turf) 3,200m
Winner: Subjectivist, Joe Fanning, Mark Johnston
Al Quoz Sprint – Group 1 (TB) $1million (T) 1,200m
Winner: Extravagant Kid, Ryan Moore, Brendan Walsh
UAE Derby – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Dubai Golden Shaheen – Group 1 (TB) $1.5million (D) 1,200m
Winner: Zenden, Antonio Fresu, Carlos David
Dubai Turf – Group 1 (TB) $4million (T) 1,800m
Winner: Lord North, Frankie Dettori, John Gosden
Dubai Sheema Classic – Group 1 (TB) $5million (T) 2,410m
Winner: Mishriff, John Egan, John Gosden
World Cup warm-up fixtures
Friday, May 24:
- Pakistan v Afghanistan (Bristol)
- Sri Lanka v South Africa (Cardiff)
Saturday, May 25
- England v Australia (Southampton)
- India v New Zealand (The Oval, London)
Sunday, May 26
- South Africa v West Indies (Bristol)
- Pakistan v Bangladesh (Cardiff)
Monday, May 27
- Australia v Sri Lanka (Southampton)
- England v Afghanistan (The Oval, London)
Tuesday, May 28
- West Indies v New Zealand (Bristol)
- Bangladesh v India (Cardiff)
2019 ASIA CUP POTS
Pot 1
UAE, Iran, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia
Pot 2
China, Syria, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Qatar, Thailand
Pot 3
Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Palestine, Oman, India, Vietnam
Pot 4
North Korea, Philippines, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, Turkmenistan
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
