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| Members of K-pop act NCT 127 pose during a press event at Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel & Serviced Residences in southern Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of SM Entertainment |
Boy band releases 4th studio album '2 Baddies'
By Dong Sun-hwa
Malatang, a spicy soup originated in the southwest Chinese province of Sichuan, is one of the most-sought-after dishes among young Koreans. Although it seems irrelevant to popular K-pop boy group NCT 127, member Doyoung believes malatang shares something in common with his group, which is reputed for its unique music and performances.
"I think NCT 127 is like malatang," the 26-year-old said during a press conference at Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel & Serviced Residences in southern Seoul, Friday. "Malatang was not a widely loved dish in Korea until a few years ago, but today, we think those who don't enjoy it are odd. Many think malatang tastes unusual, but they still love eating it. In this sense, I believe NCT 127's music is not very different from malatang. It is offbeat, but people cannot get it out of their heads."
The SM Entertainment act rolled out its fourth full-length album, "2 Baddies," Friday afternoon, about a year after dropping its third studio album, "Sticker." Fronted by the lead single of the same title, the album offers 11 other tunes, including the hip-hop dance track "Faster," the R&B song "Time Lapse" and "1, 2, 7 (Time Stops)," a funky pop song with a 1990s vibe.
"We were very cautious when we were picking the songs for this album," Doyoung said. "We believe the quality of all songs is high, and we are satisfied with them. I would dare to call this album a masterpiece, although some listeners might have different viewpoints."
Japanese member Yuta added, "I am pretty nervous whenever we have a press conference, but this time, I feel like I have become stronger because I am confident about the quality of our lead track. I also poured a lot of effort into preparing for this release, so I will show this on stage through our performance.
The lead single "2 Baddies" is a powerful hip-hop dance track highlighting the members' vocal bravura. The song's Korean title is "Gallop" and through its lyrics, NCT 127 members tell people that only those who run toward their goals without being caught up in the judgments of others will be able to gain success.
Frontman Taeyong believes "2 Baddies" is a tune showing who they are.
"As can be seen from its music video, all our members bring their mischievous and 'neo' sides to the forefront," he explained, adding that he thinks being "neo" is about being unique, cool and distinctive, not weird or odd. In fact, the group's name "NCT" stands for Neo Culture Technology.
Jaehyun elaborated, "When we perform, we move our bodies more freely like baddies this time, instead of sticking to dance routines. Our performance has a flow and I hope our fans also feel like they want to gallop after listening to '2 Baddies.'"
The "2 Baddies" music video, which came out on YouTube one day before the album's official release, already exceeded 28 million views in one day. This is the first time that NCT 127 has unveiled a music video prior to the album release. Rapper Mark said he thought it was a clever idea.
"If you watch a music video first, then you may feel like listening to the song once it hits streaming platforms," he said. "I think this can excite people and make them look forward to its release."
The anticipation toward NCT 127's new album has been palpable, as the group's career hit an apex last year with its full-length album "Sticker," and its repackaged version of "Favorite," selling 3 million copies in total. "Sticker" also ranked third on Billboard's main albums chart.
"How we perform on different charts is important, but I think I will be happy enough if our fans love our new release," Doyoung said. "I hope they say it is an album that was worth the wait."
Johnny added, "If we really have to set a goal, I will say I want to secure the No. 1 spot on Billboard. Having a goal and a competitive spirit might prompt us to strive to be better."
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