Hey Reddit! I’m Bao Nguyen, director of The Greatest Night in Pop and The Stringer. My latest film, BTS: The Return, follows the global pop sensation BTS as they come back together as a band. Out on Netflix 3.27. AMA!
Check out BTS: The Return Trailer on Netflix https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRig7JvOpWg
SYNOPSIS:
This feature-length documentary chronicles the long-awaited return of pop royalty, BTS. From acclaimed director Bao Nguyen (The Stringer, The Greatest Night in Pop) and renowned producers, This Machine (Martha, Karol G) and HYBE, the film offers unprecedented access, following BTS as they come back together to begin a reunion set to be etched in pop culture history, while reflecting on the journey that transformed seven Korean members into global icons. Since their debut in 2013, BTS built one of the most devoted fan communities in the world. After completing South Korea’s mandatory military service, the seven members reunite in Los Angeles to make music together, returning to a shared creative space shaped by time apart and personal change. As millions of fans await the comeback of the decade, BTS confronts quieter questions: how to begin again, how to honor the past without being bound by it, and how to move forward together. Through moments of doubt, laughter, and rediscovery, they create new music that reflects who they are now—culminating in what will become a landmark album of its time. Intimate, emotional, and often joyful, BTS: THE RETURN is a story of resilience, brotherhood, and reinvention.
Ask me anything, and join me for my AMA on March 27th at 4pm PT / 7pm ET!
by netflix
26 Comments
Omg this is exciting
Was there a lot to cut from the documentary to fit the running time? Any interesting deleted scenes you would’ve liked to keep in?
Oh I am so excited for this!!! This will be incredible.
Thanks to Reddit and Netflix for setting this up with us here on r/kpop. We are very grateful to have Bao visit us. Please send in your questions below.
What message are you looking for fans to take away from this?
You have worked on such a wide range of projects, from music documentaries to war documentaries to films. So I am curious, what felt different in the way you approached “BTS: The Return”?
Especially as this is their big comeback after their military hiatus and follows the making of their first studio album in 6 years, and considering the anticipation around the project, did that shape your storytelling or how you approach the project compared to your previous works?
Which member do you think is the most different behind the scenes vs. in front of the camera when filming content?
After filming BTS up close, how did your perception of them evolve, and what do they represent to you now compared to before?
1. You observed BTS as a group for quite a long time, and I read that you did your research first, watching a lot of their online contents etc. Was there anything that surprised you in their group dynamics?
2. I don’t know if you’re allowed to answer this, but how much creative control did you have for the overall framing of the documentary, and how much control did you retain for the final cut? Eg, were there scenes that the company, group or members asked you to cut or add?
What was your favourite scene from the documentary to film? If you could, would you ever direct another documentary for them? Was there a specific member that caught your eye/made you laugh the most? Are there any scenes that was added that you thought could have been replaced by scenes that didn’t make the cut?
what was your favorite scene to shoot? also, what was your reaction to hearing the songs mid creation during the filming?
I’m so curious to know whether all the raw footage is translated first or only the scenes that make the final cut? Since the members mostly speak to each other in Korean how does the language barrier affect your decision as a director on what conversations to highlight?
How did you balance the documentary between the parts before Jin arrived (when they were making the songs) and after (when they were finally 7 again)?
hey bao, thanks for doing this!!! congratulations, i’m so excited to watch 💞 i have a lot of questions lmao, answer as many or as little of these as you like
• did you at any point feel pressured by the weight of so many fans’ expectations and such a massive level of excitement/intrigue from the general public?
• how did knowing there were millions of people waiting for this story to be told influence the way you chose to tell it?
• what were your expectations going into this project, and did they end up being proven correct or incorrect?
• was there anything you learned from the direction of previous projects that you utilised going into this one?
• was there anything you learned from this project that you will utilise in your future projects?
Do you feel like their on camera and off camera personas are similar or completely different?
What is your favorite camera to shoot footage with?
Thanks for the AMA!
Was it difficult deciding which scenes made the final cut? Did you ever wish you had more runtime to include certain moments?
What’s one scene you think will stay with fans long after watching?
Did any member surprise you the most during filming? In what way?
What do you think fans misunderstand most about BTS that this film helps clarify?
I’m so excited you’re here! I’m looking forward to the documentary so much.
What are some unique challenges as a filmmaker in trying to get across the personalities of seven men relatively equally (thank you for respecting their personal comfort levels, too) and *also* film the creative process itself, which to me seems very difficult with music in particular? It seems like a lot to balance, and making something as opaque as songwriting clear on the screen is mind boggling to me.
I’m also curious about how a frame narrative (assuming there is one!) is chosen. Did you come into it with ideas, discuss it with the guys/their team, or have thread lines jump out at you mid filming?
Thank you again!
Do you have any favorite memories to share while filming?
Hi Bao! I’m curious to know since I’m guessing you had a lot of content you had to cut from the documentary for the runtime, which cut content is your favorite and why?
Hellooo sir… I hope you’re doing well!!! What would you describe BTS as?… as you’ve worked with them… you might have learnt something
How do you think being a Vietnamese-American affected how you approached telling their story? They are Korean men working in LA to make music for global consumption that still aims to represent their culture. Does that resonate with what you yourself try to do as a filmmaker? Do you think your perspective as a person of color in America affected how you showcased them in the documentary?
Hi Bao, thanks for graciously agreeing to the AMA! All the members are very creative. How hands on were they in the process? Did they make any suggestions that you incorporated?
You’ve mentioned in interviews that the members were given old school camcorders to film their own footage for this documentary. Was there any memorable footage that didn’t make its way into the final cut?
Did you have any preconcived notions about the kpop industry/kpop idols? If so, how did that evolve since the filming of documentary?
You mentioned in an article that you perceive RM to be very philosophical, and mentioned his thoughts around time. Were there other conversations with him or the other members that left a lasting impression on you, that did not make it into the movie?
What surprised you most about BTS while working closely with them? How different were they from their on-screen personas?