NCT Dream’s concert was a delicately woven fantasy wherein the main characters are their fans. Mark, 23; Renjun, 23; Jeno, 23; Haechan, 22; Jaemin, 22; and Jisung, 21; are the master weavers of this beautiful dream. Chenle, 21, couldn’t join the two-day Manila concert because of health concerns. The experience ran for almost three hours but its memory will last forever.
The first “Dream Show” was prematurely concluded in 2019 because of COVID-19 lockdowns. The second one has become a demonstration of how much their fans have grown and missed them. It is an important milestone for the group as it marks several firsts for them. This is their first time holding a full concert together in the United States and Europe.
Many firsts
Their first time selling out three nights at the Kyocera Dome in Osaka. It is an impressive feat eclipsed only by more achievements. They’ve also sold out two nights at the Seoul Olympic Stadium, the largest concert venue in Korea, one that could accommodate more than 60,000 concertgoers. When they had their concert at the Stadium, only six other K-pop acts had previously performed there, namely H.O.T, g.o.d, Shinhwa, JYJ, EXO and BTS.
In Manila, “The Dream Show 2 ‘’ was held at the Mall of Asia Arena on April 29-30. Tickets sold out on the same day, adding another feather to their cap. The event was promoted by Pulp Live World and Happee Hour.
Fixed members
This is also their first world tour as a fixed member group. NCT Dream was initially a sub-unit of NCT made up of its youngest members. They debuted the seven members on Aug. 25, 2016. Back then, their maknae (youngest) Jisung was only 14 while their oldest member and leader was Mark, who was 17.
The members were initially set to graduate from the group when they reach the age of 19. Mark graduated in 2018, but he rejoined in 2020 after the admission/graduation system was terminated. NCT Dream goes by a couple more nicknames such as Dreamies and 7Dream. Their fandom is NCTzen. But in the press conference, the Dreamies kept referring to them by their nickname—Czennies.
Hands-on idols
In a few months, the group will celebrate its seventh year together but “The Dream Show 2” signifies a fresh start for them. Mark told the press that they were involved in planning this concert from the very start. They were hands-on from the first meeting. They told the production team what songs they want to be included in the setlist, the clothes that they wanted to wear. When we posted about this on Twitter, Czennies inquired if the cutouts in their stage fits were chosen by the members themselves.
We do not know the extent of their involvement in the costume department. However, we know that the arrangement of the setlist was meant to tell their narrative as artists. First, they laid out the groundwork with the heady dance tracks “Dreaming” and “Déjà Vu.” The songs hypnotized the audience, leading them to enter a land that the Dreamies conjured especially for them. When the Czennies were well into that world, Dreamies unleashed their quadruple kill.
Stage drama
They performed the melodious bop “My First and Last” (“The First,” 2017) with the innocence and excitement of a boy confessing his feelings to his first love. That same love had to end with a deceptively cheerful “Bye My First” (“We Boom,” 2019). It’s as if we’re listening to the story of their first fight.
At this point, we’re already invested in the drama happening onstage so when “Love Again” (“Reload,” 2020) dropped, we were ecstatic. The song is about giving that love a second chance. It recognizes the mistakes they committed while embracing the attraction that they couldn’t help but feel.
Things ended with a somber ballad “To My First” (“Beatbox,” 2022). The R&B/pop song formally ends things with their first love, and perhaps even with their younger selves. We’ve indicated the albums of the four songs because they are part of the love series that NCT Dream came out with through the years. These songs grew with them. They’re about innocence, heartbreak, hopefulness, and finally, awareness.
Vocal strength
They are songs that resonated with Czennies who were going through or have gone through the same thing in their lives. It was a genius move to make the first act of the concert this way. They made fans fall for them again, made their heart race and pine for what’s to come. If they opened the concert with powerful dance tracks such as “Glitch Mode,” “Countdown (3, 2, 1)” and “Stronger,”
In the second act, they underlined their vocal strength. Renjun and Haechan entered the stage in an all-white ensemble, leaving space in the middle for Chenle. This was one of the questions asked when it was announced that the latter couldn’t go to Manila. Who would take over his parts in “Sorry, Heart”? It turned out that nobody had to.
A video of Chenle was played for his parts, much to the appreciation of the Czennies. It was a touching moment. The soothing live vocals of Renjun and Haechan continued to give the Czennies the hug that they deserve. They were joined by the other members who were also dressed in white. They continued serenading the audience with “Puzzle Piece” while sitting on the extended stage. It was a memorable sight, seeing them in white against the collective sway of the neon lights of the Meumwonbongs (NCT lightstick).
Growth
They then chose to pick up the pace and perform their debut song “Chewing Gum” before segueing to “ANL,” a song from the album “Hot Sauce.” This transition needs to be appreciated because it shows the Dreamies’ growth. They are the same boys who charmed everyone with “Chewing Gum” but now they are also artists who can sing songs about being with the one they love all night long.
They continued with “Dive into You,” a song that describes falling in love more gracefully and poetically. Again, the vocals of the group shine in this song—their harmonization leaves the listeners breathless. Their vocal eloquence continued in “Irreplaceable.”
Glass boxes
At the presser, Jisung said that they are now ready to take on a more mature and stronger music genre. Mark praised the wave that the Filipino Czennies made for them. He said that he has never seen a wave like it. He couldn’t forget about it because he still talked about the wave at the presser the next day. They returned in the third act wearing black jeans, leather jackets and T-shirts.
The rap line Mark, Jeno, Jisung, Jaemin showcased their smooth rap flows with “Saturday Drip.” They added an adlib, saying, “Manila, are you ready?” before running towards the extended stage. Renjun and Haechan were reintroduced to the stage through a glass box, an “aquarium” as the Filipino fans lovingly call it.
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One remained empty as this should have been occupied by Chenle. This was one of the highlights of the night as it showcased the dancing prowess of the group.
We had been treated to their synchronized dance moves all night long, but the glass box took it to another level. They were paired accordingly: Renjun with Mark, Jeno with Haechan, and finally, Jaemin and Jisung. The communication between the members could be seen as they mirrored each other’s moves, including the sudden hip thrusts and eye contact.
It was an electrifying performance. They continued to show off their range with songs “Better Than Gold,” “Diggity,” “Ridin,” “Boom,” “Hello Future,” “We Go Up,” “Trigger the Fever” and “Hot Sauce.” For their encore, they returned wearing white shirts with their names on them paired with neon green pants. They performed “Beatbox” and “My Youth.” As soon as the first notes of “Walk You Home” started playing, the boys were showered with plush toys, pillows and soft bags.
Music they like
Jeno picked up a bag and wore it for their last song. Haechan picked up stuffed toys until his arms could no longer hold any more and they kept falling off from him. He chose a pillow with the face of Gordon Ramsay and covered his face with it. Later on, he would tease Mark with it. (The “my boyfriend cooked an egg” meme made Mark famous to non-K-pop audiences.)
Everyone promised to return, with Chenle in tow. They are more than welcome to return, especially after they said the right Filipino words: “Mahal kita.” They performed their cover of H.O.T’s “Candy” last. The forever hit song has become a rite of passage for SM Entertainment boy groups. Super Junior, SHINee and EXO-M all did a cover of this early in their careers.
In a way, NCT Dream is opening a new chapter for their group. This is why “The Dream Show 2” was special. It was a chance to witness that pivotal moment when the Dreamies “graduated” from being teenagers. They are now ready to take on the kind of music that they’ve set their hearts on.
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