NCT 127 discuss celebrating ten years and share exclusive imagery ahead of their new album BLINGY

Ten years is a long time in the mercurial world that is the music industry, but K-pop group NCT 127 has reached that incredible milestone The group has evolved a lot over the years, shapeshifting through several line up changes, three top five albums on the Billboard 200 and members completing their military service in Korea. 

NCT 127, currently consisting of JOHNNY, TAEYONG, YUTA, DOYOUNG, JAEHYUN, JUNGWOO and HAECHAN are celebrating their decade-long run by releasing a full-length album BLINGY. It’s a nine track, genre-swinging album that has all the key sonic codes that the group are known for. Their sound even has its own terminology called ‘Neo’ that encompasses their experimental type of music. The title track opens proceedings with one of their signature sounds, a cranking blend of rock and rap with 200% energy that creates a richly-produced, storm-swirling song. The tougher tone continues through the album with rap-heavy, rock guitar track ‘Pinñata’ which make way for more chilled sound with a mellow EDM track ‘Day After Day.’

There is plenty of frivolity in the album to balance brasher moments. ‘Getaway’ has a summery chilled dance vibe, with clever vintage nods carry through to the breezy dance track with synths and bass woven in with a catchy melody. ‘Million Miles’ pays homage to a more traditional beloved K-pop sound that harks back to a much more sugary sounding era that adds a nice equilibrium to the album as a whole.

To accompany BLINGY, their current performing line-up JOHNNY, TAEYONG, YUTA, JAEHYUN and HAECHAN will be heading on tour in September (DOYOUNG and JUNGWOO are currently completing their military service in Korea.) After kicking off their comeback at KCON LA, and before heading on the road for their tour, the group spoke to us about their new album, their shared history and memories and the excitement of the road ahead with their new album and tour as well as sharing some exclusive imagery with us. 

You have been together for over 10 years now. What has been your biggest high over the past decade and why?

JAEHYUN: Our first world tour is definitely one of the biggest highlights for me. We were going to so many places for the first time, and it was honestly kind of surreal to see fans there already cheering for us with so much energy. 

Obviously over 10 years, you will face challenges as a group. How do you overcome difficult moments together?

YUTA: Whenever I’m having a hard time, I naturally feel better just talking with the members in the waiting room, joking around, and hanging out together. I don’t think that part of us has really changed. We’ve always been there to give each other strength, and we still are.

JAEHYUN: Over the years, we’ve really become people we can lean on when things get tough. I recently went on a solo fan-concert tour, and I found myself missing the members a lot. It made me realize just how much we’ve come to rely on each other. Having them by my side makes me feel like we can take on pretty much anything together. 

Which member do you go to most when you need comfort or advice?

HAECHAN: I probably talk to DOYOUNG the most. He’s really good at listening, and he gives advice that’s honest and practical but still really comforting. JOHNNY is a great listener too. He’s always the one telling me, “You’re doing great,” and cheering me on. 

TAEYONG- you have been the leader of NCT 127 during the past 10 years. What is the most important lesson you have learned when it comes to being a leader?

TAEYONG: I used to be pretty strict with the members when we were practicing or getting ready for new releases. Looking back, everyone was already doing a great job on their own, so I probably could’ve loosened up a little. Now that we’re all older and more experienced, I learn a lot from the members too. More than anything, I’ve learned how important it is to talk things out and really listen to each other, especially when we don’t see things the same way.

As the leader, which member do you go to if you are having a tough time, and why?

TAEYONG: I tend to think things through on my own rather than talk them out with someone. But while we were preparing for this comeback, I found myself having a lot of conversations with all the members. 

You go through a lot of genres on this album. What are the themes (lyrics and musically) that connect all the tracks?

YUTA: I think what ties everything together is the sense of who we are as a team. While working on this album, we felt that what we do best — music filled with our own voices — is what gives us that “NEO” identity. More than any specific genre, what mattered was capturing the confidence and energy that felt true to us. In that sense, I think this is the album that feels the most like NCT 127. 

What genre do you think NCT 127 excel at most? What genre do you like to perform the most?

JOHNNY: I think what we do best is that “NEO” sound — music that doesn’t really fit into one genre. Songs like ‘2 Baddies’ and ‘Kick It’ hit hard from the very first second, and the crowd always gives that energy right back to us. That gets us even more fired up onstage, too. 

How do you think your sound has developed from when you first debuted to this new album?

HAECHAN: Early on, I think it was important for us to experiment with different ways of bringing our music to life, whether through our performances, styling, or other elements. Going through all of that helped us develop a much stronger identity of our own. Now, I think we focus more on how we can use our voices to better express the emotions and messages we feel in each song. 

What is your favourite track from the new album and why?

YUTA: I really love rock music, so I was naturally drawn to the rock sound in “Piñata.” It made the recording process feel really fresh and fun for me.

HAECHAN: Hearing all seven of our voices together on ‘127 Million Miles’ was really special to me. The moment DOYOUNG and JUNGWOO’s bright, clear vocals came in, I thought, ‘Yeah, this is NCT 127.’

JOHNNY: ‘Getaway.’ It’s one of those songs that makes you want to just take off and go somewhere. The members all really liked it too — as soon as we heard it, everyone was talking about how much they liked the vibe of the song.

You are about to go on tour again. Does the feeling change over the years? Do you still get nervous?

TAEYONG: I do get a little nervous, but I’m excited too. Over time, I’ve come to appreciate being onstage more and more. Every performance feels more special to me now, and that just makes me want to give it my all each time.

JAEHYUN: I definitely approach performing differently now. Being back onstage and getting to see our fans again means a lot more to me, so I find myself looking forward to every show that much more. 

Do you have any songs in your whole discography that are special to perform live and make you emotional? If so why?

JOHNNY: We recently performed ‘Piñata’ for the first time at KCON LA, and it’s one of those high-energy tracks that’s even better live. Of course, ‘Blingy’ is even better! We’ve got a lot of new performances planned for this tour, so I’m excited for everyone to see them.

You share a lot of you lives with your NCTzen’s. Is there anything about a member that they might not know about that they might be interested in? For example- a mannerism or a cute habit that a member does when you’re hanging out, or something surprising about a member’s personality that you only experience as a group in private?

JAEHYUN: YUTA sometimes sleeps with his eyes slightly open. You can even see his eyes moving from side to side. The first time I saw it, I thought he was awake, so I was pretty stunned when I realized he was actually asleep. 

Has any member, or the whole group developed any rituals routines or good luck routines before going on stage or when you are on the road touring together? 

JOHNNY: I usually have an energy drink before a show, so that’s become a little pre-show habit of mine. And once everyone’s ready, we always hype each other up right before we go onstage. I think that’s naturally become one of our group routines too.

What is your most memorable moment of your careers so far?|

YUTA: One moment I always think back on is when we covered a song by Celeb Five. It was really different from what we usually show onstage, and I had such a good time putting it together with the members. I think that’s what made it so memorable for me.

TAEYONG: I still remember drinking lemonade with the members on the beach in Miami. More recently, we had some really meaningful conversations together in Bali. I think it’s actually those little moments we share together that end up sticking with me the most.

HAECHAN: I’d probably say our first North American tour. We got to travel to so many different cities and meet our fans in person, and that experience has really stayed with me. 

If you could give advice to your younger selves, or a younger member? What would it be?

YUTA: Don’t worry so much. Just enjoy the moment.

TAEYONG: Just have fun. You’re already doing great.  

NCT 127’s album BLINGY, is out now.