2 years, 11 months, 13 days.

That was how long it’s been since I last saw NCT 127, the second sub-unit of NCT a.k.a. Neo Culture Technology. I last saw them during their debut concert in Singapore, NEO CITY: The Origin. I’ve had them under my radar ever since I found out about them through SM Rookies, and I've been an NCTzen (NCT fan) ever since. 

While I had seen The Link via an online livestream back in December 2021, I couldn't wait to experience the show in person.

As I made my way to the show, I was greeted by a sea of green. Fellow NCTzens were clad in their best green outfits, clutching their spruced-up Neo Bongs (Official Fanlight) and queuing up for fan-made merchandise. I watched as a group of fans huddled close to take a photo with Taeyong, NCT 127’s leader. Well, not him exactly, it was one of his birthday ads that were on display at Stadium MRT.

Even under the sweltering Singapore heat, NCTzens were in a festive mood as they trooped into the Singapore Indoor Stadium for the biggest and first general standing concert on the island since the pandemic began in 2020. The pre-show playlist kept NCTzens on their toes with Neo Bongs up in the air, eagerly waiting for NCT 127's Singapore stage comeback. 

The concert officially kicked off with an explosive performance of their 2020 hit, 'Kick It'. It took me back to when I first heard the song and found myself enthralled by their undeniable stage presence.  

Keeping the momentum with high-energy bops like ‘Lemonade’ and ‘Simon Says’, the members then paused to greet their fans. The crowd returned the love with screams and cheers. Doyoung's “Tonight, I’m yours!" in particular, caused a roar of cheers to echo across the Indoor Stadium.

They then moved on to lively pop tracks like ‘Elevator’, ‘Dreamer’ and ‘Love Song,’ before moving to the first solo stage of the night, Taeil's take on ‘Another World’. His velvety smooth voice and unique take on the dynamic track were soothing to the ears. Haechan then joined Taeil for their unit stage, performing ‘Love Sign’. While Taeil’s piano-playing and Haechan’s dancing were particularly impressive, it was the seamless blend of harmonies between the two, that did it for me. 

There was barely any time for any of us to recover before we started hearing a familiar tune. In an instant, I was transported to April 2015, when I first came across ‘SR15B_BASSBOT’. The ‘BASS BOT’ performance video was one of the first few pre-debut videos of NCT that I’ve ever seen. Without Yuta, who was unfortunately down with COVID-19, the stage felt incredibly empty but Johnny, Taeyong, and Jaehyun gave it their all. 

As the concert progressed, NCT 127 treated fans to more solo and unit stages - some more sultry than others, energetic performances (Mark and Taeyong absolutely tore the place up with 'The Himalayas') and sing-along worthy bangers like ‘Love Me Now’ and ‘Breakfast’. NCT 127 also shared a fan cheering guide for these two songs where fans could dance along with their Neo Bongs.

The group was known for their unconventional and addictive title tracks, so it was refreshing to hear them take it down a notch and croon their slower songs like ‘The Rainy Night’ and an orchestral version of ‘Back 2 U’ that truly highlighted their vocal colours. From Jaehyun’s husky baritone to Doyoung’s melodious notes and Taeil’s deliciously addictive adlibs, I was reminded of the reason I fell in love with this group in the first place.

Turning the heat right back up after a short break, was Doyoung’s solo which led up to ‘Favorite’, their latest track from their repackaged album and hits like ‘Bring the Noize’ and ‘Love On The Floor.’ They left us awe-struck at how they made full use of the stage, moving from the main to the centre stage to deliver a cohesive performance. 

The concert hit its climax with hits like ‘Cherry Bomb’ and ‘Sticker’ which got everyone screaming their lungs out. Finishing off with ‘Dreams Come True’ and ‘Promise You’, NCT 127 then thanked their Singaporean fans for coming and promised that all of them - including Yuta - will be back soon.

When it was Taeyong’s turn to speak, the fans surprised him by singing 'Happy Birthday,' and the 'Lonely' act beamed with gratitude, stating that he was happy to celebrate his birthday with Czennies. As he shared his thanks, he also said "Please look forward to our next album," which caused a loud uproar. Jungwoo got the crowd to burst into laughter with his, “I say ‘Singa’ you say ‘Pore”, which moved on to other variations like Chili Crab, Pepper Crab before Johnny wrapped it up with “I say Jung, you say Woo.”.

As the members made their exit, fans were left in the Indoor Stadium already looking forward to the group's next time in Singapore.

Once the concert ended, I caught up with a few fans to find out what they had to say about the show.

Name: Alisya
Occupation: Hotel Rooms Reservations
Age: 24

Who’s your bias in NCT127 and why? All, but Jaehyun hits different. I just think our vibes match. 

How do you feel about today’s concert? I think it’s definitely a different experience seeing it being performed live as compared to the screen. The adrenaline rush, the atmosphere & the stage presence they give off during the concert is something that I always look forward to & that would actually be the most memorable moment for me (besides seeing all of them of course!)

Name: Rabitah
Occupation: Admin Executive
Age: 33

Who’s your bias and why?  Jaehyun. Because of his looks and voice. 

How do you feel about today’s concert? I loved it. It was a dream come true seeing them on stage. 

Memorable moment: Jaehyun’s solo.

Name: Nicole 
Occupation: Interior Designer
Age: 27

Who’s your bias and why? Haechan a.k.a. "full sun." His voice is incredible, he’s a great dancer and he’s so funny! I didn’t notice him at first but once I did, there was no going back!

How do you feel about today’s concert? I really enjoyed The Link! The energy of the crowd was really good and NCT’s performance was amazing too! This is the first K-pop concert I ever attended and I went alone because I don’t have any NCTzen friends so it was a really interesting experience for me to get to know my seatmates (who coincidentally came alone too) and to just have fun together. 

Memorable moment: The solo segments were one of the moment memorable parts of the concert, especially Taeyong's and Doyoung’s. I think I was just really blown away by their performance. The vocals were incredible and Taeyong’s stage presence is just out of this world.

While we've all seen the production, the set list, and the choreography online before, NCT 127 2ND TOUR ‘NEO CITY : SINGAPORE – THE LINK proves that nothing beats witnessing the smoke machines, over-the-top pyrotechnics and of course, the melodic vocals and complex choreography unfolding before our own eyes, experiencing the concert with over 9,000 fans.

Check out the setlist for NCT127 (NEO CITY - THE LINK: SINGAPORE) here:

1. Kick It (Intro)
2. Kick It
3. Lemonade
4. Intro (Siren) + Simon Says
5. Elevator
6. Dreamer (Short ver.)
7. Love Song (Short ver.)
8. Another World (TAEIL Solo)
9. Love Sign (TAEIL, HAECHAN Unit)
10. Run Back 2 U + BASS BOT
11. Highway to Heaven (ENG ver)
12. Breakfast
13. Vibration (MARK Solo)
14. Moonlight (TAEYONG Solo)
15. The Himalayas (TAEYONG, MARK Unit)
16. Lipstick (JUNGWOO Solo)
17. Intro + Focus (JOHNNY Solo)
18. Lost (JAEHYUN Solo)
19. The Rainy Night
20. White Night
21. Intro + Back 2 U
22. The Reason Why It’s Favorite (DOYOUNG Solo)
23. Favorite
24. Intro + Bring The Noize
25. Intro + Love On The Floor
26. Paradise
27. Touch
28. Love Me Now (Short. ver)
29. Cherry Bomb
30. Sticker
31. Dreams Come True
32. Promise You

Special thanks to One Production SG for the invite.