‘BTS: The Return’ Director Bao Nguyen on Capturing an Intimate Look at the Band and Why Each Member Has an ‘Additional Cinematography By’ Credit

By Jazz Tangcay

Jazz Tangcay

Artisans Editor

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Pay close attention to the end credits of “BTS: The Return,” now streaming on Netflix, and as the documentary’s credits roll, viewers will see that Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook all earn individual “additional cinematography by” credits.

How did that happen?

The doc follows the band from Los Angeles to Seoul, South Korea, as they reunite after serving mandatory military service. All seven members return to the studio to record and mix their latest album, “Arirang.” When director Bao Nguyen set out to film the documentary and tell the story of the biggest band in the world, he knew he wouldn’t have access to the band 24/7. Speaking at the Los Angeles screening of the documentary, Nguyen said, “I had this idea of, what if we gave them their own camcorders?” He added, “They shoot their own content on their phone, but that’s a very specific visual language.” He added, “I wanted to evoke something like your brother, mother, or uncle were filming a vacation. To give them the cameras, added this texture that I think is very intimate.”

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