A Decade of Change for NCT 127
NCT 127 released its seventh full-length album, "BLINGY," on Monday. The launch marks a significant turning point for the unit, which reached its 10th anniversary this year. The Seoul-based group debuted under SM Entertainment in July 2016 with the goal of international prominence. Over ten years, they produced notable hits like "Cherry Bomb" and "Kick It."
But the current iteration of the group looks different. Only five members attended the press conference held at Lotte World Tower in Seoul. Taeyong, Johnny, Jaehyun, Yuta, and Haechan are the active participants for this release. Two members, Doyoung and Jungwoo, are currently serving in the military. Mark departed the group in April after his contract with SM Entertainment concluded.
Adapting to a New Lineup
Taeyong addressed the physical absence of his bandmates during the Monday event. The remaining five members included life-size standees of Doyoung and Jungwoo on stage. This choice aimed to show that the team remains a collective unit. Taeyong admitted that the current five-member structure was not the vision they held when the group first started in 2016.
He described the process of shifting through membership changes as difficult. Despite the losses, the remaining members focused on honoring the history they built with their fans. Haechan noted that specific vocal parts usually handled by the absent members were challenging to cover. He explained that the group relied on confidence to fill those gaps during the recording process for the nine tracks on the new album.
The Sound and Future of the Group
"BLINGY" serves as both a retrospective of their journey and a statement of intent for the future. The lead single, which shares the album's title, draws on hip-hop elements, distorted synths, and heavy drums. Taeyong contributed to the choreography, while Yuta highlighted the vocal layering as a primary focus during production. Johnny described the record as a return to beginnings.
He claimed that the dance routines for this album are physically demanding. The choreography is intense enough that he struggled to finish rehearsals without stopping. Beyond the technical aspects, the tracklist contains "127 Million Miles," a song that includes recordings from all seven members. Another track, "I mean, It's about time," was co-written by Taeyong and Johnny.
Jaehyun emphasized that chart metrics are not the primary metric for this release. He noted that the group focused on staying true to the identity fans recognize. The priority is to satisfy both long-term supporters and new listeners. The group will debut "Blingy" live at an event at the KINTEX Exhibition Center in Ilsan on Tuesday. A world tour titled "NEO CITY — THE REDLINE" follows this release, starting with three nights at the KSPO Dome in Seoul on September 18.