Chinese video site “illegally distributing” Blackpink documentary and BTS concert

Seoul — Media outlet Allkpop reported recently that the Netflix documentary Blackpink: Light Up The Sky is being illegally distributed on a Chinese video site.

A full 79-minute of the Netflix documentary was uploaded on Wednesday (Oct 14) on the popular Chinese video site BiliBili, which is similar to YouTube. Chinese viewers can easily search and watch the documentary as it already included Chinese subtitles.

The documentary was released exclusively on Netflix as it is a Netflix production, which means that it is being illegally distributed through BiliBili. Koreans online noted that people in China still watched Korean videos illegally although they are discouraged from doing so mainly for political and military reasons.

Bilibili has also come under fire for illegally distributing the BTS concert this month. It  uploaded the full concert on the site and the video garnered many views within two days. There is also other Korean content that is being illegally streamed on the site.

Blackpink: Light Up The Sky is about the lives of the members after their debut in 2016. It shows the path of the girls as they become world stars.

Blackpink is a South Korean girl group formed by YG Entertainment, consisting of members Jisoo, Jennie, Rose and Lisa. It debuted in August 2016 with the single album Square One, which featured Whistle and Boombayah, their first number-one entries on South Korea’s Gaon Digital Chart and the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart, respectively.

Meanwhile, BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a seven-member South Korean boy band that began forming in 2010 and debuted in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment. Its members —  RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook — co-write and co-produce  much of their own output. /TISG