[in English] They are the ones that allow us to be where we are right now.
They are our everything.
[chuckles]
♪ Two baddies, two baddies, one Porsche ♪
[cheering]
["2 Baddies" playing]
[in Korean] When we first went abroad, to the US in particular,
I was amazed that fans came out to greet us
at the airport, even though we were from the other side of the world.
[horn honks]
[crowd whooping, cheering]
Before, when we were on our US tour, or when we went there to work,
I personally felt like it was really far away from Korea.
So I was intimidated at times.
But everyone was cheering us on and rooting for us.
[audience cheering]
My first priority used to be the stage.
To show our performance.
But this time, I think my priority was to meet our fans.
[cheering continues]
It's been three years
since our last visit to the US?
All of us were excited.
I believe we all grew in our own ways.
Maybe it's just me, but I think the fandom
also grew to a certain degree.
[in English] First, they're just beautiful.
And the way they dance, uh,
the effort they put in their work.
[in Korean] The production was amazing, and they're so good at performing live.
- I was so surprised. - Yes, a little...
Above all, they're so handsome.
- Perfect. - It was so fun, dude.
- It was amazing. - So fun. I was...
[stammering]
- Nothing could've been better. - Yes, yes.
Every song was good.
I was jumping until I couldn't anymore.
- Amazing. So fun. - The set list was…
[in Korean] Our first tour in America
was especially memorable. It still is.
Rather than feeling like it's been quite a while,
it feels like it hasn't been that long,
since we've seen everyone.
Thinking about how all these people came here to see us
to appreciate our performance is really overwhelming.
[in English] I think it's the presence that NCT 127 has
that they provide so much charisma
and everything on stage that most groups lack nowadays.
Each city we go to,
they each have their own way of cheering.
Feeling that difference is what makes us go on tour, you know.
And it's what makes us traveling around the world more meaningful.
[in Korean] For example, Korean fans act as Koreans would.
They're full of energy.
And our fans from Southeast Asia…
[cheering]
…they're always smiling and are very enthusiastic.
And our fans in North America really enjoy their time.
- ["Regular - English Version" playing] - [audience singing along]
We have songs in English as well as Japanese.
But it dawned on me quite clearly that it didn't matter to them
whether it was in English, Korean, or Japanese.
We are loved by fans from all over the world.
And we go to many countries.
So at times, I think…
I'm from Asia. I'm Japanese.
But I've listened to American music since I was a kid.
So, in a way, I think it's the same situation
that's happening here right now.
I'm really excited for 127.
Honestly, each member is so different.
We're a mixture of different nationalities.
And each member has his own idea of what looks good.
If we put them together, one by one, to create something better,
and if that becomes our future,
I really look forward to what it'll look like.
NCT 127 WILL SPEAK OF THEIR CHILDHOODS
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.
[clock ticking]
NCT 127 RECLAIM THEIR LOST CHILDHOODS
THROUGH PERFORMANCE ART.
[ticking continues]
[ticking ends]
NCT 127, WHO DEBUTED EIGHT YEARS AGO,
REFLECT ON THEIR PRESENT
THROUGH THE NINE MEMBERS' PASTS AND DREAMS.
"WHEN PEOPLE GROW UP, THEY FORGET THE WAY."
FROM THE NOVEL PETER PAN
♪ Just say it out, Ay-Yo ♪
["Ay-Yo" playing]
♪ Do it like us This is Valhalla ♪
- ♪ Haters ♪ - ♪ Lay Low ♪
- ♪ I be enjoying ♪ - ♪ So who gon' beat me ♪
♪ Ay-Yo ♪
♪ In the end I make my way... ♪
[music stops abruptly]
[Yuta, in Japanese] It started from my arm.
I felt heat spreading slowly up my arm.
It felt all warm and cozy. It was an amazing feeling.
While I was relishing this sensation,
it was as if my soul left my body to go somewhere.
In Korean, it's called yucheital, right?
I felt like I could go anywhere.
Then, it felt like I could actually fly.
I thought, "Shall I give it a try?"
But looking down from above, my sleeping body called to me.
It said, "Don't go."
And so, I returned to my body once more.
I'd love to go to space or to another planet someday.
YUTA
[in Korean] My first impression of Yuta is so different from now.
When I first met him, he was always smiling.
He was cute and kind of innocent,
and very pure, like he didn't know anything.
For a few years following our debut, I think…
[no audible dialogue]
…he always had a sweet smile on his face.
But now, he's very charismatic.
And he's become sexy.
[in English] Uh, I guess he's more outspoken
and clear with his ideas and suggestions more than he was before.
But, uh, the feeling that I have towards him as a person
hasn't really changed that much.
Yeah, it's still the same soul as when I saw him in the beginning.
Yeah, he's very kind.
[in Korean] On the outside, he appears very tough.
On the other hand, I think he's very thoughtful.
[interviewer] You're a pop star.
Shouldn't you be worried about the paparazzi?
I'm not worried at all.
I go out on a regular basis.
From the get-go, all I've done is work hard and give it 150%.
I don't think that part of me will change.
[interviewer] What does it feel like when you have an out-of-body experience?
Hmm…
Flying around freely, like a butterfly?
[interviewer] Then, was there a moment in your life
when you wanted to fly away like a butterfly?
Uh, there was a time when I stole money from my mom's and dad's wallets.
Because I liked model kits.
I really liked model kits,
so I kept stealing money from them.
But one day, I was trying to steal again
when my mom caught me.
She said, "Get out!"
It was a really cold winter.
But my mom kept looking for me.
In Japan, people ride bicycles.
I saw my parents looking for me on their bicycles.
But I just stayed hidden.
I kept hiding.
- [police siren wailing] - But when my mom couldn't find me,
she even called the police.
That's when I got a little scared.
When I was hooked on something, I pursued it persistently.
[announcer, in Japanese] The next station is Yuta.
Yuta Station.
[interviewer, in Korean] What sort of projects have you been up to recently?
In my case, I shot a movie in Japan
and I'm doing more solo projects.
I also released my song, "Butterfly,"
which was a start for me to produce my own music.
♪ Let me do now System all worn out ♪
♪ Don't know who is hurting me Tough ♪
There's a line in the first verse: "They'll never ever Unremoved my color."
Because I have confidence in myself.
♪ Like a butterfly ♪
I wrote those lyrics
because I know and feel
that I have the potential
to show another version of myself.
Was there any other moment you wanted to fly freely like a butterfly?
I used to play soccer when I was in middle school.
But I had a really hard time at practice.
First of all, I really hated running,
so I was known as a player who never ran.
But the coach had us run at the start of practice.
Before practice began, we started by running 10 kilometers,
for which we were given a time limit.
For example, he'd tell us to finish running by a certain time.
[in Japanese] Hey, you over there! Run faster!
[in Korean] At the end, I'd be given a box truck tire.
I had to run with this big tire tied to me.
So when I got tired of practice,
I just ran away to my grandpa's house to eat.
My grandparents' house was located near the practice area.
For me, it was heaven.
I would tell my mom and dad
that I was going to soccer practice.
But I would secretly go to my grandma's house.
And I would ask my grandma to buy me something from the convenience store.
I ate lots of yummy snacks.
My grandpa would go to the convenience store
and buy me so much bread.
[interviewer] You didn't get caught by your parents?
[Yuta] No, because they didn't tell my parents.
- [interviewer] What about your coach? - He found out.
[laughs] I got into so much trouble.
Patience?
When it's physically challenging
uh… and my bandmates would say,
"Oh, we're exhausted. Let's call it a day,"
I would think to myself quite often, "Is it really that hard?"
[interviewer] You must've had a hard time because of the language in Korea.
It was really difficult.
Well, in particular, when my bandmates were joking around.
Our leader, Taeyong, used to pull a lot of pranks on me.
I think the way I tried to get close to people
was kind of funny, now that I think about it.
[Yuta groans]
[Taeyong] Oh, no. No, Yuta.
I'm not going to let you go.
Ow, it hurts.
- No, no, no. [laughs] - Don't faint, don't faint.
[Yuta] For example, in the winter,
if I'm taking a shower on a really cold day…
I would turn off the light and shut off the water heater as a joke.
So I'd turn it back on and he'd turn it off again.
We would joke around and do this over and over again.
At that time, I was still struggling with the language.
So I'd use my phone and speak in Japanese…
Like,
[in Japanese] "Hey, you. Why did you turn off the water heater?"
[automated translator, in Korean] Why are you shutting down the boiler?
Ah!
Obviously, I did it a lot more often, even though Yuta did it too.
But we messed around with each other like that,
and the mood at the dormitory became more easygoing.
When Yuta was a trainee,
he didn't even know how to get food in Korea,
or where to order food since he didn't know what tasted good.
But I think he looked it up in Japanese.
Even things like bulgogi.
[automated translator, in Japanese] I can recommend a yakiniku nabe place.
[in Korean] Oh, how cute.
Well, just like the episode I told you about earlier,
we fought a lot over the most useless things.
But through it all,
we stayed together and worked hard together.
Because all of us worked so hard to achieve the same dream,
I am here now,
so I feel really grateful.
And now, I want to work harder for them.
I think coming to Korea
and adapting to an unfamiliar culture
was something Yuta had to struggle with for a long period of time.
I'm not saying that in a negative way.
I think it took him a long time…
to accept a culture much different from his.
I think his free and honest personality
only developed recently.
During his time as a trainee
and up until shortly after our debut,
I think there were some things he hid out of consideration.
I feel like he refrained from showing his true self.
But as time passed,
he learned how to voice his own opinion,
I can feel that he's changed a lot.
In other words, he's grown.
I wish I could learn to do the same.
Even though I want to, I'm just not outspoken like Yuta.
I also went through some tough times back then.
We really fought a lot when we were trainees.
To the point I'd say, "I can't do this anymore."
That's when I told my mom and family,
"I can't do it anymore."
I said, "I'm going home."
But my mom asked,
"Are you willing to throw away
everything you've endured up until this moment,
all because of what you're feeling now?"
She said, "It's okay for you to come home,
but you're going to regret it for the rest of your life."
So…
I decided to endure it for the last time and give it one more try.
When I first arrived here from Japan…
[audience] Aw!
It's okay! It's okay!
I was reminded of when…
I first came to Korea
with the sole determination to become a singer.
[audience] Don't cry! No! Don't cry!
I'm so grateful to all of you for reminding me of that.
[Yuta] There was an event that changed my life.
It was my encounter with Rino.
Her name is Rino Nakasone.
She's also Japanese.
She dances and teaches dance in foreign countries too.
She's a choreographer.
I had no confidence in myself when I first met her.
I don't think my bandmates did either.
Ever since our trainee days and even after debut,
we've been racing forward, always giving it our all.
Though it was tough,
we believed in each other and ran together, hand in hand.
That's when I met Rino.
One time, she told me,
"Each of you may represent different colors,
but every one of you is an amazing hero."
Then she gave me a hug.
But at that moment…
I realized something.
The world is big, and there are so many things to do.
There are people who support me and like me for me.
Since then,
I think things started to look up.
I believe that if you always want freedom,
the responsibility of your actions falls on yourself.
If you only want freedom,
then that's really foolish.
If you don't succeed or make any money,
that's your responsibility.
But if you really have fun doing it,
then it's all good.
"Butterfly" IS YUTA'S SOLO TRACK WHICH HE CO-WROTE AND COPRODUCED
HIGHLIGHTED BY HIS DELICATE PERFORMANCE,
IT'S ABOUT REFUSING TO GIVE IN TO RULES AND LIMITS,
VOWING TO SOAR LIKE A BUTTERFLY.
♪ They'll never ever Unremoved my color ♪
♪ My mirror-self stares back ♪
♪ Feeling sorry just while crying ♪
♪ Fixed rules and values My number ♪
♪ It is not my only world ♪
♪ Let me do now System all worn out ♪
♪ Don't know who is hurting me Tough ♪
♪ We gotta fight now Speak out right now ♪
♪ Where this maze ends, I don't care ♪
♪ Reach higher Keep on even if I fall ♪
♪ Get up, change it all My life, even higher ♪
♪ Like a Butterfly ♪
[crowd cheers]
- [door slams] - [cheering continues, muted]
[Taeil] There is an item that changed my life.
I was on my way to get a new phone,
when a lady passing by just gave it to me.
It was the turning point of my life.
Since that day, I passed the school entrance exam,
and received awards in every competition.
I was scouted by SM.
I always excelled in things, so I had a lot of confidence.
[interviewer] Taeil, do you consider yourself lucky?
Lucky…
Yes. I consider myself lucky.
[interviewer] Can you show us the four-leaf clover?
I lost it.
[chuckles]
TAEIL
Late at night,
I was watching Reborn Rich and getting ready to sleep.
There's a pillar in my house.
That pillar suddenly...
It's actually a piece of furniture, and it was falling toward me.
So I instinctively tried to stop it with my left hand…
and I ended up like this.
Taeil is…
someone who seems ordinary but is actually extraordinary.
And there are times…
he acts tough but takes care of us.
When he does that, I'm so touched.
He's like an older brother.
But he's also childlike from time to time.
Taeil can fall asleep anywhere at anytime.
Like, we'll all be working and suddenly realize someone's missing.
"Who's missing? I think it's Taeil."
So I'd call him and he'll say he went home
or he'll be like, "I came to pick up a parcel."
You never know where he might run off to.
People talk about the charm of a loose cannon,
or expressions similar to that…
Once I met Taeil,
I thought, "Oh, that's what they meant."
When I'm with him, I feel at ease.
He has a way of making people feel comfortable.
There are times when he feels the most reliable
out of all the members in this team.
[Johnny] I don't think I've ever imagined…
an NCT 127 without Taeil.
I think we'd all feel a huge void without him.
Even so, I think singing is my weapon,
so no matter what I do,
I believe my voice will shine through somehow.
First off, Taeil's vocals are a perfect fit for NCT 127.
And Taeil's solid and powerful voice
is one of the greatest strengths of NCT 127.
He's an extremely important member of the team.
Because he's a very talented singer,
when I imagine NCT 127's music without Taeil,
I can't help but think
that we may be a very different band.
Honestly, I've never seen anyone with a voice like his.
He blows me away every time.
Recently, during our concert,
I still remember…
There are times his ad-libs really stand out.
That's when I get chills from head to toe.
♪ Now don't ever, don't you ever Look for me anymore ♪
♪ No, no, whoa ♪
Wow, we always talk about that too.
"Wow, this is something only Taeil can pull off."
I'm not joking.
That's how much Taeil means to us.
[interviewer] What made you want to become a singer?
The dream was always vaguely there.
It's a dream anyone can have at least once.
Back then, I thought, "Wow,
my life is going to be so different."
With that in mind,
I really tried my best and endured all the difficulties.
Additionally, my family...
I felt responsible for my family,
so I thought,
"If I do this, I can change the environment they live in."
That was another motivation of mine.
[interviewer] What was your father like?
[Taeil] He loved his children so much.
He loved us more than anyone else.
But I think he loved me the most.
In my opinion, he loved me more than my sister.
Whenever I asked for an allowance or wanted to buy something…
he'd always give me all the cash in his wallet.
[interviewer] What was your mother like?
[Taeil] Uh, from what I remember, at the time,
she went to work 365 days a year, without a day off.
She would head out at 7 a.m. and return late at night.
She was extremely diligent.
She'd be able to survive no matter where she was.
And… I still think she can.
She's still that kind of person.
For a brief period,
my mom, sister, and I lived apart from my dad.
The three of us stayed elsewhere for a short time.
We stayed at my aunt's for a little while too.
We stayed…
at many other places.
DRY SAUNA
[through phone] Hello, Son?
Hi, Mom. I'm shooting right now, so you're on speaker. [chuckles]
Oh, why?
The director asked if I could give you a call.
Why?
There's something I wanted to tell you.
- Okay. -Thank you.
- To me? -Yes.
I'm thankful for you too, my son.
- Okay, I'll talk to you later. - What are you shooting?
- What is it for? -It's for a documentary.
What documentary?
Anyway, I'll call you later.
- Okay. -Okay.
[interviewer] Since when did you love to sing?
When I was in eighth grade.
My neighbors would compliment my singing.
My friends would cheer me on.
And it made me popular.
I liked gaining recognition from others,
so I would go to karaoke, all excited.
In middle school, my teacher suggested that I enter a singing competition.
That's how I came to participate in my first singing competition ever.
SINGING COMPETITION
But there, I was brutally crushed.
I told both of my parents about my dream.
But they were both very much against it.
Looking back now, they were right to do so
because it's such a tough path.
Even though they opposed,
my dad would secretly send me to vocal classes,
without my mom's knowledge.
When I first started singing, my mom was really against it.
Still, I was stubborn.
There's a saying that goes,
"No parent can win over their child."
Once I really started doing music,
I think they supported me from then on.
I think they just trusted me.
[interviewer] If you meet your dad again,
what do you think you'd talk about?
For some reason,
I think my dad would crack a joke.
I think it might be a little awkward for me.
[chuckles]
My dad is probably living a very busy life in his own way.
Just working and living an average, normal life.
And going with the flow.
At that time,
it was when I just started music,
so I was very driven…
to achieve my dream.
So…
Because I was focused on my dreams and my future,
I think I was able to endure everything.
[interviewer] Can you explain a little bit about the song you wrote?
At first, I just started working on it without any particular theme.
But while writing the lyrics,
I started to express myself
by writing things about me,
such as when I went through hardship or when I had a lot on my mind.
What I ended up saying in the song
is that the past is the past,
that things will get better…
and that everything will turn out for the best.
"Will Be" IS A BALLAD,
SHOWCASING TAEIL'S ABILITY TO WRITE LYRICS AND MUSIC.
IT EXPRESSES HIS WILL TO ACHIEVE HIS GOAL WITH A STRONG MIND-SET,
LEAVING HIS TOUGH CHILDHOOD BEHIND.
Composed by TAEIL, Yuhwa, KIM SURO
♪ The quiet break of day ♪
♪ Surely I ♪
♪ Remember the old days, yeah ♪
♪ Somewhat used to the place ♪
♪ It's gonna be all right ♪
♪ Gonna be okay, eh ♪
♪ Endless night sky ♪
♪ Left sitting alone ♪
♪ Defeated and call out ♪
♪ Gotta be strong ♪
♪ Every time I see those stars ♪
♪ I'll never be sober ♪
♪ Past the unending horizon ♪
♪ Sunset's just ahead ♪
♪ Keep thinking ♪
♪ You know that I want you ♪
♪ Gotta be strong, Will Be ♪
♪ Gotta be strong, yeah ♪
♪ Gotta be strong ♪
♪ Breaking through The crack of memory, baby ♪
♪ Turn back the time ♪
♪ Talk with eyes closed ♪
♪ I don't wanna be there ♪
♪ Just wanna be true, eh ♪
♪ Endless night sky, nah ♪
♪ Shout out, babe ♪
♪ Oh, no ♪
♪ But I just go up, gotta be strong ♪
♪ Every time I see those stars ♪
♪ I'll never be sober ♪
♪ Past the unending horizon ♪
♪ Sunset's just ahead ♪
♪ Keep thinking ♪
♪ You know that I want you ♪
♪ Gotta be strong, Will Be ♪
♪ Gotta be strong, yeah ♪
♪ Gotta be strong ♪
[vocalizing]
♪ Gotta be strong ♪
- [music ends] - [horn honks]
[clock ticking]
[ticking ends]
Translated by Tiffany Hwang and Jisu Park