Can you enjoy a concert without knowing a single song? That was the challenge I took on when I was given the opportunity to cover ‘THE DREAM SHOW 3: DREAM( )SCAPE’ in SINGAPORE”; but it wasn’t the only reason I went.
NCT’s concept is fascinating, especially for someone who has been listening to K-pop on and off for over a decade. Sure, the whole idea of subunits isn’t new; SM itself had tried out several units over the years with senior artistes like Super Junior and Girls’ Generation. Orange Caramel, a subunit of After School, gained immense popularity with their quirky, upbeat dance tunes.
Since their debut in 2016, NCT now consists of 26 members across 6 different subunits, each carving out their niche while cohesively existing within the same “NCT World” discography.
So when NCT Dream (the 7-membered subunit consisting of Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, and Jisung) arrived for Dream Show 3, I hauled my rusted bones down to Singapore Indoor Stadium, ready for a night of exciting performances.
Entering their 8th year since debut, NCT Dream’s transition from bright, innocent bubblegum pop to rebellious, matured music with a touch of sexiness showcases the boys’ growth throughout the years.
When asked to vote by cheers, NCTzens seemed to enjoy the step into a cooler and sexier concept compared to their cute concept by a hair. Yet when asked to flaunt their sexy charms, the boys’ mild fluster and shyness peeked through. Moments like these remind you just how young they still are, despite being considered big sunbaes as a third-generation group.
But their stage experience shone through as they performed a whopping 26 songs that night, singing several songs back-to-back with only short breaks in between, marked by ments and VCR for outfit changes. Their energy was great, so were the 9,000 fans onsite, making it easy to get wrapped up in the atmosphere.
The setlist was solid; fans enjoyed a good mix of old and new tracks, displaying the group’s different charms, from sentimental ballads showcasing their vocal abilities to cheerful and upbeat tracks that had everyone singing along in good spirits.
We’ve all got personal favourites, but ‘We Go Up’, ‘Candy’, ‘Never Goodbye’, and ‘Poison’ were some of mine.
Side note, I initially thought NCT was more of a dance-heavy group (pardon my superficial knowledge as a semi-relic), but to my pleasant surprise, NCT Dream’s vocals and rapping performances stood out more.
It may be a small detail, but I also appreciated the stage design where the lightsticks changed colours to the VCR scenes, adding a touch of interaction that easily captured the audience’s attention.
Chenle remarked how he was finally in Singapore after missing the previous tour, showing his drive to work twice as hard to make up for the regret. Fellow members, including Jeno, Jaemin and Jisung, also showed their elation at the high energy and supportive cheers from the audience.
However, NCT Dream was still unfortunately down by one, as Renjun is currently on a hiatus to recuperate on his health. His presence was not unforgotten, though. Fans held up signs wishing him a speedy recovery during the crowd interaction section, and loud cheers erupted whenever his appearance flashed on the big screen in VCRs. Haechan also gave a shoutout at the end, stating that they’ll be back as 7Dream next time.
Circling back to the question at the beginning, the answer is a resounding yes. As cliche as ‘music is a universal language’ may be, the statement rang true. I bobbed, I screamed, and just like member Mark commented during one of the ments, “We vibed together.” That’s all that mattered when it came to enjoying a concert.
I can’t wait to see them back on our shores – as a full 7Dream, of course.
Which moment was your favourite? Let us know in the comments.
Many thanks to Live Nation for extending the invite. Find more photos below, courtesy of Live Nation as well.
Text by: Madel
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