So, here are my credentials (again!). NCT Dream was actually one of the first reviews I wrote, back many months ago, when I was a pretty casual fan. By the end of that review, though, between reality shows and their talents, I was absolutely a DreamZen. Now, I’m rewriting this one since they’re making a comeback in a couple weeks, and I’m even seriously considering going to their concert this year. So, let’s take a trip down memory lane!

(Part One)

Album #1: Hot Sauce / Hello Future

Hot Sauce marks….well the return of Mark (sorry), and as happy as I am to hear him bring more balance, I wish he could’ve gotten a better song for that. The sing talking is back in spades and it’s genuinely grating on the ears, which I never thought I’d say about an NCT Dream song. But, I will say, I gave it more of a chance than I have before, and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the rest of the song with its Latin Pop influences and colorful music video, which only annoyed me more, since that chorus drives me nuts.

Hello Future is, at last, a title track that reflects the best of NCT Dream: upbeat, hopeful, and optimistic, It’s delightfully odd and a bit off-kilter, and manages to blend hip-hop, straight pop, and even a little bit of the dreaded sing-talk in to make an honestly delightful song, which isn’t an easy task. It reminds me of my old hometown, where everything is covered in rainbows and tie dye, and a good quarter of the people you meet have been smoking something. It doesn’t take itself too seriously either, which is always a good thing to me.

From the album, Hello Future, I enjoyed the vocalizing in Dive Into You, the very sweet lyrics of My Youth, Haechan’s high note in All Night Long, the jazzy background and great last chorus of Irreplaceable, and the lovely, nostalgic feeling of Rainbow (my hidden gem). From its repackage, I enjoyed the trippy energy of Life Is Still Going On and the fritzy energy of Bungee.

As a side note, their Dreamverse chapters are super interesting, and honestly do some great storytelling. Who would’ve thought I’d be so invested by four 3-minute YouTube MVs? 

Album #2: Glitch Mode / Beatbox

But, of course, this can’t last, and we’re back to the sing-talk with Glitch Mode, which I’ll admit is marginally better than Hot Sauce but still gets on my nerves because it has a pretty good build-up in the pre-chorus, but just no pay off. I just don’t understand why this song wasn’t given to 127, who, even though I’m not their biggest fan, have a very defined and clear style, rather than Dream, who work better with songs like Hello Future. I will say, I do like the kind of glitchy choreography, which is clever.

Beatbox, unsurprisingly, builds off of R & B and hip-hop, but manages to not make it like Glitch Mode by having strong melodies, consigning its sing-talk to the post-choruses, and overall just feeling like a lot of fun. I like the sound effects mixed with actual beatboxing and percussion, especially in the final chorus. Somewhat hilariously, even though I like the song, I just completely forgot to include it in my original review. No idea how.

From the album, Beatbox, I enjoyed the sleepy warmth of Teddy Bear, the upbeat drive of Better Than Gold, the chill road trip vibes of Drive, and the electro / R & B influences of On The Way. In fact, their b-sides after Hot Sauce are almost all good, and even the ones that don’t end up on my playlist, I don’t usually find myself skipping much.

EP #5: Candy

Candy is a cover of H.O.T.’s 1998 mega-hit, but I think it’s quite a good fit for NCT Dream. It’s very much a holiday feeling song, which shockingly, I, a certified Christmas cynic, don’t mind. It’s fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously, going through the frankly ridiculous lines with a smile, which is a must with this kind of subject matter. Plus, it got a few chuckles out of me, especially now that I’ve seen the original song and can notice all the little homages.

Graduation isn’t technically a single, but since it has an MV (and because I’m biased but let’s pretend I have a legit reason), I’m treating it as such. In my opinion, it’s one of NCT Dream’s best songs. What could so easily become just another easy listening b-side turns into an honestly lovely ballad with their voices adding sweeps of genuine emotion. Since I had just watched their other MVs in order, the snippets of them here meant even more. Overall, I think that it’s one of their most honest songs, which makes sense if you know the backstory behind Mark leaving and returning (that shot of him sitting back with them always gets me!) and it reminds me of my own graduation, which means I never fail to sing along.

From the EP, Candy, I enjoyed the falsetto ad-libs of the retro Tangerine Love and the gentler guitar mixed with fritzy chiptune in Walk With You, which feels like a more polished version of their earlier style and was my hidden gem.

Single #4: Best Friend Ever

Best Friend Ever is a Japanese single, but feels a lot more like an NCT Dream song than Glitch Mode did, at least to me. It’s bright (and more than a little sappy), very much on the poppy side, super colorful, and has a trippy music video that made me chuckle. Led by synths and the Dreamies’ voices, it wears its heart on its sleeve in quite an endearing way. Is there a cuter title than “Best Friend Ever”? Don’t think so. All in all, I’m here for it!

Album #3: ISTJ

Broken Melodies starts like an understated, moody ballad, but begins to build after its first verse, soon spiraling into an anthemic song with an earworm of a chorus and excellent use of their voices, which sound imbued with warmth and better than ever. It’s no wonder that I became a fan after listening to this song for the first time in June of 2023, and promptly getting it stuck in my head. In my opinion, it’s songs similar to this that really exemplify what I think of when I think “k-pop”: warm, nostalgic, comforting, lovesick, and full of heart.

ISTJ, the actual single from the album, isn’t as good as Broken Melodies, but few things are. On first listen, I was worried that it would turn into another 127 clone, especially after that intro, but I was actually pleasantly surprised. The chorus mixes singing and sing-talk quite well; it’s sprawling and definitely has me tapping my head. It’s kind of like what Glitch Mode could’ve been, with definitely better lyrics. Though, I don’t know who came up with the line “you’re so hot, hot like soup,” because…what? What is that? Guys?

From the album, I enjoyed the nice beachside beat of Blue Wave and the stopping-and-starting classical background in Poison, but my hidden gem was Like We Just Met, which was written by the band members themselves, and feels like a warm hug or a walk by the water. Mostly though, this album was heavier on EDM and hip-hop, and wasn’t as much my style as the last two.

Next time, we’re onto the third and final part. Tschüss!