Why is 'Hot Sauce' so precious to NCT DREAM?
Members of K-pop boy group NCT DREAM pose for photos during an online media conference, Monday. Courtesy of SM Entertainment
By Dong Sun-hwa
For the members of K-pop boy group NCT DREAM, their first full-length album “Hot Sauce” means more than anything else to them. It is not only their first release since the septet ― whose average age was 15.6 years old when they debuted in 2016 ― legally became adults, but also the first album since the return of Mark.
In 2018, the Canadian rapper “graduated” from the group as he turned 20, because NCT DREAM used to follow an age-based “graduation” system. But he rejoined the team last year following the elimination of the “rule.”
During an online media conference held a few hours before the release of “Hot Sauce,” Monday, Mark talked about how he feels about rejoining the group.
“I was so thrilled to take part in making NCT DREAM's first studio album with the other members, who warmly welcomed and embraced me when I returned,” Mark said. “So I strived to do my best. My biggest goal this time is to enjoy every moment and make good memories with my bandmates and our fans.”
Renjun added that Mark's return has added more variety to the new album.
“With Mark, we can now display seven different colors and showcase more variety,” he said. “Even when he was not in our group, I did not feel like he was completely gone ― he has always been part of us.”
“Hot Sauce” is also the name of the lead track, which is an Afrobeat-tinged hip-hop song with chill vibes and addictive sounds. This is the first time that NCT DREAM has pulled off this genre.
Haechan said, “So far, we have mostly been highlighting our youngness. But this time, we will focus on showing how much we have polished ourselves.”
“Hot sauce has enticing and additive tastes,” Jaemin said. “Through the lyrics of our new song, we try to show off our hot sauce-like charms.”
Jeno elaborated, “Our performances look powerful in the beginning, but we give some twists in a refrain by dancing in a relaxed style.”
“Hot Sauce,” which Jeno described as an album of “different flavors,” offers 10 tracks of various genres ranging from pop dance to R&B. It includes the groovy “Diggity,” the sentimental “Dive Into You,” the up-beat “My Youth” and the “Rainbow,” in which Mark, Jeno, Jaemin and Jisung rap.
“In 'Rainbow,' the seven of us reveal our hope that we want to become a rainbow and begin writing our new page,” Jaemin said. “Before working on the rap, we roughly wrote down our thoughts on the album and the messages we want to send to one another.”
Jisung added, “It did not take a long time for me to come up with the lyrics because all I had to do was to simply think how we usually are.”
Dubbing “Rainbow” his favorite song, Chenle said, “I love its melodies and the messages it deliver.”
There are high hopes that “Hot Sauce” will mark a turning point in their career. On Monday morning, NCT DREAM's management company SM Entertainment said the album racked up 1.7 million pre-orders, up 243 percent from the group's 2020 release “Reload.” During the press event, the members showed their appreciation to their fans and the staff members.
“I think we came here step by step,” Haechan said. “We are truly thankful to our followers and all those who have supported us.”