NCT DREAM has begun a time travel adventure on hoverboards, journeying from the past to the present and into the distant future in search of the most radiant 'me'.
NCT DREAM's fifth studio album, 'Go Back To The Future', is a spectacular portrayal of the curious and quirky NCT DREAM embarking on a journey through time to find the most radiant 'me'. Through the double title tracks 'BTTF' (Back To The Future) and 'CHILLER', the album conveys NCT DREAM's unique message that connects the past, present, and future.
Inspired by the movie 'Back To The Future', NCT DREAM announced the expansion of their universe by visiting a cinema instead of a stage. At the production presentation for 'Go Back To The Future' held at Lotte Cinema World Tower in Songpa-gu, Seoul, the members explained, "'Go Back To The Future' is an album with double title tracks, containing a total of 9 songs. It is an album themed around 'time travel'."
Mark discussed the core theme of the album 'Go Back To The Future', saying, "The seven quirky members of NCT DREAM accidentally discover a time machine and embark on a time travel adventure to find the most radiant 'me'. The time machine is a 'hoverboard'. As a narrative powerhouse, NCT DREAM has a lot to visually showcase. This time, the members will ride hoverboards to travel through time to find the most radiant 'me'."
The title track 'BTTF' conveys a message of NCT DREAM, who have gained the power to change the future through time travel, looking back on a regret-free past and returning to their most brilliant future. The dynamic sound that seems to traverse the past and future over a signature synth bass enhances the sci-fi feel that fits the song's theme. Additionally, the powerful chanting of "I am the Future" boldly expresses NCT DREAM's confident aspirations.
Regarding this, the members emphasized, "It is a song with a time travel concept and well represents the core concept of 'Go Back To The Future'. The intense performance is a highlight." Renjun added, "All the time from the past has accumulated to create the current 'NCT DREAM'. The lyrics 'I am the Future' are repeated like a slogan, containing confidence about the future that will continue to shine. This is a message we want to convey to our fans and is the core message of this album, making it even more meaningful." Jeno also mentioned, "It's not technically difficult, but it's an energetically challenging song."
Another title track, 'CHILLER', features an experimental sound, unique synth textures, and an impressive unpredictable development. It showcases the confident and cheerful energy of 'CHILLER', which fully enjoys the most radiant moments, hinting at a new chapter of NCT DREAM that is different from 'BTTF'.
The music video for 'CHILLER', released alongside the audio, captures the members who have found the most radiant 'me' returning to the 'absolute present' and coolly enjoying the moment. The imaginative development symbolized by the companion robot D-RO, combined with witty and funky performances, adds to the viewing pleasure.
About 'CHILLER', Chenle explained, "'CHILLER' is a song that follows 'BTTF' and is personally one of my favorites. 'CHILLER' means 'a chill person', and like the lyrics 'too super, so there's a lot to say', it has many cheerful and witty expressions, making it a song that suits NCT DREAM, who still has a playful side."
Jaemin defined 'CHILLER' as "a song characterized by its overall sound." He added, "If you listen to the intro of 'BTTF' and the intro of 'CHILLER' at the same time, it’s quite fun. The characteristics of the intros are similar. We recorded 'CHILLER' in a 'chill' way. We worked hard but tried to keep a relaxed atmosphere, which I think helped convey the lyrics well. Personally, I think this song represents NCT DREAM's color well, making it one of my favorites."
'CHILLER' depicts enjoying the present self confidently and cheerfully while traversing the narrative of 'BTTF'. Through the two title tracks, anticipation builds for how NCT DREAM will showcase the narrative they have built over the past nine years and their confidence as they move toward the future. Notably, Kenji, who worked on NCT DREAM's debut song 'Chewing Gum', also participated in this project, adding significance. Mark commented, "As double title tracks, I think they have weapons that are different yet can connect. Above all, Kenji noona brought the lyrics to life well, effectively conveying the story of time travel while clearly showing the differences between the two title tracks. Personally, I want to give a 'shout-out' to Kenji noona." Renjun shared, "I heard that Kenji noona was moved when she saw our concept," revealing behind-the-scenes details related to the album.
For the storytelling of this album, NCT DREAM has built a vast 'time travel' universe set against the backdrop of the year 2016, their debut year as 'Past', 2025 as 'Present', and the distant future as 'Absolute Present'. To faithfully implement the concept inspired by the movie 'Back To The Future', they received official approval for the homage from the original companies, Universal Studios and Amblin Entertainment, and combined elements symbolizing NCT DREAM's identity with the key devices from the film to complete NCT DREAM's unique 'time travel universe'.
The members of NCT DREAM, who made their debut riding hoverboards, now travel through the past, present, and future on hoverboards that have become time machines. Regarding the symbolism of the 'hoverboard', Renjun stated, "The hoverboard can be seen as a symbol of dreams. It signifies going back to the past, perhaps recalling moments that were forgotten, and moving forward, giving dreams back. It's like revisiting the dreams we had when we were like babies before our debut and secretly returning to them."
In addition to the double title tracks, this album features 'I LIKE IT', which interestingly unfolds the time travel theme, the cheering song 'DREAM TEAM' that allows you to enjoy NCT DREAM's unique energy, 'Interlude: Back to Our Paradise' that transitions the atmosphere with a dreamy sound, 'Bout You' that depicts a fateful encounter that transparently colors the heart, 'That Summer' which reflects on clumsy memories of first love, 'Miss Me' that tenderly captures the moment of parting, and 'Beautiful Sailing' that looks back on the past journey and aims to sail into a bigger sea, all filled with fresh yet quintessentially NCT DREAM emotions and messages.
Regarding what they hope to achieve with this regular album, Haechan declared, "More than the results based on the charts, we hope that the world we have ambitiously prepared is well conveyed to those who watch and listen. We have worked hard to prepare both the performance and the album. Our goal is for that passion to be well communicated to our fans."
Chenle also expressed that he hopes fans enjoy the universe created by NCT DREAM rather than focusing on any results, stating, "I want to engage in activities without regrets, more than any results. Above all, I will do my best to fill the regrets left from previous activities and work hard without any more regrets."
Meanwhile, NCT DREAM's fifth studio album 'Go Back To The Future' will be released on July 14 at 6 PM, with all tracks available on various music sites, and the music video for the title track 'CHILLER' will also be opened simultaneously on the SMTOWN YouTube channel.
Additionally, NCT DREAM will hold a comeback countdown live broadcast to celebrate the release of their fifth studio album starting at 4:30 PM today on the NCT DREAM YouTube channel and the NCT TikTok channel, introducing the 9 tracks included in the album, unboxing the album, and sharing special communication with fans worldwide.
[Geum Bitna, MK Sports Reporter]
