Hot Sauce is the first studio album by South Korean boy band NCT Dream, the third sub-unit of the South Korean boy band NCT. It was released on May 10, 2021, through SM Entertainment. Following their previous EP, Reload, this album marks NCT Dream's first release to feature back as a seven-member unit following the return of Mark from the termination of the age-based graduation system that was operated in the group.[3]Hot Sauce is one of the best-selling albums in South Korea.[4]
The album was repackaged as Hello Future on June 28, featuring 3 new tracks including the lead single of the same name.[5]
On May 10, NCT Dream released their first studio album, Hot Sauce, which marked the group's first full album release as a 7-member unit since 2018 and the group's first full-length album after nearly a five-year career.[6]
The title track "Hot Sauce" is described as a hip-hop song laid over an afrobeat. The contrast of the unique chanting in the chorus helps the otherwise minimalist track to stand out.[7][8] The album's first b-side track, "Diggity" is a pop dance song with a groovy beat and a refreshing chorus. In addition, "Dive Into You" is a song featuring band instruments with an attractive contrast between an emotional melody and a sense of speed. As a sound-based mid-tempoR&Bpop song, the lyrics express the relationship between "me and you" in relation to the whale and the sea, vividly expressing the desire to fall deeply into your arms as a whale swims in the sea. "My Youth" is an upbeat R&Bpop song that harmonizes the members' lyrical chorus with a tempo-sensory 8-beat rhythm. The lyrics expressing gratitude for the beautifully shining season are impressive, recalling the pure emotions and memories generously given to each other. "Rocket" is a retro pop song with an attractive atmosphere created by the funky rhythmic Rhodes keyboard and organ sound. The lyrics expressed as 'Dream Rocket' contain the aspiration to take a bigger leap forward using the universe as a stage. "Countdown (3, 2, 1)" is a pop dance song that stands out with an intense 808 bass and an addictive trap beat chorus. The lyrics describe suppressed dreams exploding out of the world becoming bigger impressive dreams. NCT Dream's "ANL", with its unique refreshing charm, has a popping lead synth sound and brass. It is a synth pop song with a harmonious session. Like the moon floating in the night sky every day, the lyrics that metaphorically express the thoughts toward the other person that keeps rising in the head add to the joy of listening. "Irreplaceable" contains a vintage keyboard sound, percussion instrument, brass, etc. A medium-tempo song with a swing rhythm that harmonizes the lively instruments with the lyrics, it tells of the preciousness of you, who cannot be replaced by anything else, doubling the excitement of the song. The album's penultimate track, "Be There For You" is a ballad song sung by Haechan, Renjun and Chenle, whose voices stand out with light and emotional vocals over the smooth piano melody that leads the whole song. With its acoustic guitar sound and rich harmony of chorus, it creates a warm atmosphere with lyrics that convey the sincerity that you want to always be with the members. The final track, "Rainbow", is an R&B pop song with a comfortable guitar sound that leads the song. With the members' sincere vocals added to this album, expressed by comparing this album to a book with bookmarks, and a message that the seven members create a new page together like a beautiful rainbow, members Mark, Jeno, Jaemin and Jisung participated in writing the rap lyrics, adding an extra layer of authenticity.[9]
On May 9, the album exceeded more than 1.71 million copies in pre-orders, setting a new record as SM Entertainment's highest pre-orders album of all time.[16] It officially sold a million copies on the first week of release according to the Hanteo chart.[17] The group achieved four number ones on Gaon Chart as Hot Sauce ranked first on the Album chart while the lead single of the same name topped the Digital, Download and BGM charts.[18] On May 26, the album sold more than 2 million copies.[19]
From April 17 to May 7, the group was featured in the travel entertainment series 7llin in the Dream, posted on their official YouTube channel to officially begin promotions as a 7-member group.[20] On the day of the album and music video release, the group hosted a live broadcast on Naver's V Live to discuss about the album. On May 11, the group held a comeback show that was broadcast through various online platforms such as YouTube, V Live, Twitter and TikTok. The show included performances of tracks from Hot Sauce, as well as 7-member version of their previous singles "Boom" and "Ridin'".[21] NCT Dream promoted the album on various South Korean music programs. On May 13, the group made their first music show appearance on M Countdown by performing the tracks "Dive Into You" and "Hot Sauce" and was followed by performances in Music Bank, Show! Music Core and Inkigayo in the same week.[22] They earned their first music show trophy for "Hot Sauce" on the May 19th episode of Show Champion and achieved a total of eight trophies by the end of the promotions.[23][24]
^Chu, Seung-hyeon (May 10, 2021). ""7드림이라 행복해" 성인 되어 모인 NCT DREAM이 보여줄 시너지" ["I'm happy because I'm 7 DREAMs." The synergy that NCT DREAM will show as adults.]. Seoul Economy (in Korean). Retrieved May 11, 2021.
^Yoon, Sang-geun (June 8, 2021). NCT DREAM 리패키지 'Hello Future' 28일 발매 확정[공식] [NCT DREAM repackage 'Hello Future' to be released on the 28th]. Star News (in Korean). Retrieved June 8, 2021 – via Naver.
^ abJeon, Hyo-jin (April 12, 2021). NCT DREAM, 5월 10일 컴백 [공식] [NCT DREAM, comeback on May 10th]. Sports Donga (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021 – via Naver.
^Lee, Min-ji (April 28, 2021). "NCT DREAM, 첫 정규 앨범 '맛' 에너제틱 매력 예고" [NCT DREAM, first full album 'Hot Sauce' Energetic charm notice]. Naver. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
^Lee, Duk-haeng (May 26, 2021). NCT DREAM '맛', 16일만 음반 판매량 200만장 돌파 [공식] [NCT DREAM 'Taste' surpassed 2 million album sales in the 16th [Official]']. Star News (in Korean). Retrieved May 26, 2021 – via Naver.
^年間 アルバムランキング 2021年度 [Yearly album ranking – 2021] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
^Choi, Bo-yoon (January 11, 2022). "임영웅·이무진 '2021 한터뮤직어워즈' 특별상" [Lim Young-woong and Lee Moo-jin's '2021 Hanteo Music Awards' Special Award]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 11, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
^Hwang, Mi-hyeon (January 27, 2022). "NCT드림, 2021년 2분기 음반상 "계속 성장할 것" [가온차트뮤직어워즈]" [NCT Dream, Album Award in the 2nd Quarter of 2021 "Keep Growing" [Gaon Chart Music Awards]]. News 1 (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
^Kim, No-eul (January 8, 2022). ""모든 처음은 유애나와♥" 아이유·NCT DREAM, 음반 본상 영예[2022 골든디스크]" ["Everything starts with Uaena♥" IU・NCT DREAM, Album Bonsang Honor [2022 Golden Disc]] (in Korean). X-port News. Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved January 8, 2022 – via Naver.
^Hwang, Hye-jin (July 8, 2021). ‘엠카’ NCT드림, 브브걸 꺾고 1위…규현·태연·DAY6·소연·SF9컴백(종합) [‘M Countdown’ NCT Dream, beat Brave Girls to 1st place... Kyuhyun·Taeyeon·Day6·Soyeon·SF9 comeback [Comprehensive]]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved July 8, 2021 – via Naver.
^Hwang, Soo-yeon (July 15, 2021). '엠카' NCT드림, 소속사 선배 태연 꺾고 1위…핫펠트·공민지 컴백 [종합] [‘M Countdown’ NCT Dream, defeat senior label-mate Taeyeon to 1st place... Ha:tfelt·Gong Minji comeback [General]]. X Sport News (in Korean). Retrieved July 15, 2021 – via Naver.
^Bae, Hyo-joo (July 9, 2021). ‘뮤직뱅크’ NCT DREAM ‘Hello Future’로 방탄소년단 꺾고 1위 ['Music Bank' NCT Dream 'Hello Future' beats BTS to 1st place]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved July 9, 2021 – via Naver.
^Ha, Ji-Won (July 10, 2021). '음악중심' NCT드림, MSG워너비 제치고 1위…음방 3관왕 [종합] ['Music Core' NCT Dream, beat MSG Wannabe to 1st place... 3rd music show trophy [General]]. X Sport News (in Korean). Retrieved July 10, 2021 – via Naver.
^Hwang, Hye-jin (July 11, 2021). ‘인기가요’ NCT DREAM 1위, 규현·태연·DAY6 (Even of Day) 컴백(종합) ['Inkigayo' NCT Dream 1st place, Kyuhyun·Taeyeon·Day6 (Even of Day) comeback [Comprehensive]]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved July 11, 2021 – via Naver.
^Kyung, Ji-min (July 14, 2021). '쇼챔' NCT DREAM, 출연 없이 1위..데이식스·SF9·전소연 컴백[종합] ['Show Champion' NCT Dream, 1st place without appearance.. Day6·SF9·Jeon So-yeon comeback [General]]. OSEN (in Korean). Retrieved July 14, 2021 – via Naver.
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