Concert review: K-pop boy band NCT Dream play up their sexy and cute sides
2024 NCT Dream World Tour – The Dream Show 3: Dream( )Scape
Singapore Indoor Stadium
June 29, 6pm
K-pop boy band NCT Dream returned to the Singapore Indoor Stadium, but without one member once more.
The septet – a sub-unit of NCT that were formed in 2016 – comprise Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle and Jisung, aged 22 to 24.
In May 2023, China-born Chenle missed out on the NCT Dream Tour The Dream Show 2: In A Dream In Singapore – also at the same venue – due to unspecified health issues, and was adamant to make up for his absence.
On the first of two sold-out shows in Singapore on June 29, he told the 9,200-strong audience in Korean through an interpreter: “Sadly, I couldn’t make it last year. Tonight, I’m going to do everything I couldn’t do last time.”
And referring to his new icy blue hair colour, the 22-year-old said to cheers: “This is for you, Singapore.”
However, Renjun – who is also from China – has been sitting out NCT Dream’s concert tour The Dream Show 3: Dream( )Scape, which kick-started in Seoul in May.
Prior to the Singapore leg, it took them to Japanese cities, Jakarta, Hong Kong and Bangkok.
NCT Dream and their backup dancers put on an energetic show in Singapore. PHOTO: LIVE NATION SINGAPORE
The group’s agency SM Entertainment had earlier announced that the 24-year-old is on hiatus due to his “poor physical condition and anxiety symptoms”.
It is unknown if Renjun will rejoin his bandmates, as the tour resumes in August and heads to countries including Brazil, the United States and Netherlands.
Nonetheless, the remaining six members and their crew of eight backup dancers still put on an energetic 2½-hour show. Here are three highlights.
1. Ramping up the sex factor
(From far left) NCT Dream’s Jeno, Chenle, Jisung, Jaemin, Haechan and Mark oozed masculine charm as they took the stage in figure-hugging outfits. PHOTO: LIVE NATION SINGAPORE
The sextet oozed masculine charm as they took the stage in figure-hugging black outfits with silver studs for their opening track Box.
Released in March, the heart-thumping number is from their fifth mini album Dream( )Scape that includes the sexy song Smoothie.
“Do you like NCT Dream when we are at our cutest?” Canada-born leader Mark, 24, asked their fans – or NCTizens as the group affectionately call them – in English.
“What about when we’re at our sexiest? Or when we’re at our most youthful?”
His questions sent fans into a screaming frenzy, and into an overdrive at the mention of “sexiest”.
To which a bemused Mark responded: “Whenever we ask these questions, we either get cute or sexy. But nowadays, I think we get a lot of sexy. I don’t know why.”
The fans were rewarded with what they liked most, as the concert videography team zoomed in on the heart-throbs’ bulging biceps whenever they removed their jackets.
2. The boys still love to be cute
NCT Dream showed their camaraderie as they often teased and hugged one another during the concert. ST PHOTO: ELISA CHIA
Besides their powerful dance moves and commanding stage presence, NCT Dream also want to present their youthful and adorable sides.
The second half of the gig saw them in colourful casual wear as they performed catchy tracks such as Candy (2022), Dream Run (2020) and Fireflies (2020).
In yet another outfit change, Haechan, 24, and Jisung, 22, appeared in blue sleeping robes adorned with cartoon characters, while Jaemin, 23, wore a headband with two pink ribbons.
They also showcased their camaraderie, often teasing and hugging one another.
During a group photo shoot with their fans on stage, Mark told his fellow members, “Everybody do cute”, after which they struck their most adorable poses on cue.
3. Smooth talkers
Jisung (far right) from NCT Dream said he likes Singapore fans, or NCTizens, “more than chilli crab”. PHOTO: LIVE NATION SINGAPORE
Many of the group members have glib tongues too.
“I really like the chilli crab here in Singapore. But it cannot be my favourite part of Singapore because of you guys,” Mark said as the show came to an end.
Jisung agreed, adding: “I like Singapore NCTizens more than chilli crab.”
As with every show on the concert tour, the guys requested their fans to do a stadium wave.
As NCT Dream basked in the sight, Mark gushed: “Singapore has the most beautiful wave out of this tour.” He followed up in Singlish: “Swee lah.”
And when the camera crew captured a number of fan signs that read “We miss you, Renjun”, Jaemin assured in charming fashion: “We will come back to Singapore as soon as we can with Renjun, okay? Till then, please wait for us. Don’t skip (your) meals.”