New Jersey’s Prudential Center was aglow with a sea of neon green light sticks thanks to steadfast fans supporting K-Pop boy group NCT 127 for their 4th Tour ‘Neo City—The Momentum’ on March 2.
NCT 127 has dominated the music industry since their debut in 2016 with dynamic performance styles, sleek dance moves, and unique personalities. Since the release of their first album, “Regular-Irregular,” the group has skyrocketed to success with boundless energy.
The jam-packed show at the Prudential Center not only marked their fourth North American tour, but also their 100th concert performance. Six of NCT 127’s members—Doyoung, Johnny, Mark, Jungwoo, Yuta, and Haechan (Taeyong and Jaehyun are undergoing their mandatory military enlistment)—expressed their disbelief that they reached this remarkable milestone.
“To do anything one hundred times is pretty crazy, but I’m just happy that we are here with you guys for this special moment,” Johnny said. “We are going to make this a night one to remember.”
Thousands of supporters, affectionately known as NCTzens, screamed proudly as pyrotechnics exploded into the air while the powerhouse performers sang hits like “Gas,” “Designer,” “Kick it,” “Fact Check,” “Whiplash,” and “Sticker.”
For longtime fans like Rogina Nagib, being a part of this momentous occasion with NCT 127 made the concert even more special.
“It felt special because we never really get any celebrations here, so when they mentioned it, I was like Omg thank you God because now they will remember us for an amazing experience and the fans they got to celebrate their 100th concert with,” Nagib shared.
“Honestly, they did an amazing job despite having two members not there. The performance was great. They kept the energy. They kept hyping up the audience. They also interacted with their fans while trying to make their performance the best. They looked like they were having a blast, doing little dance moves with each other, teasing each other and that honestly makes me so happy because it shows that they are having as much fun as we are,” she added.
The moniker NCT 127 comes from the longitude of Seoul, Korea, emphasizing their roots and the home of K-Pop. These global icons have persevered through many hardships, and yet their strength and passion have been unyielding for almost 10 years.
NCT 127’s return to the Tri-State area not only had fans flocking to the Prudential Center, but it also created an opportunity for supporters—many of whom say that without NCT 127 they would never have made so many K-Pop friends—to meet and hold pre-concert parties.
One set of six young tenacious K-pop lovers created a fan club entitled “Broke K-Pop Girls,” (BKG) where they foster an inclusive environment for fans to showcase their support of bands like NCT 127, while being humbly honest about their financial straits. Together they celebrated NCT 127’s return to the East Coast with a pre-concert celebration on March 1 at EVOL NYC.
“Over time, we noticed that NYC does not receive a lot of K-pop events. This made us start making events for fans who live in the city. From our Mark Lee Look Alike Contest to our most recent NCT 127 Pre-Concert Party, we wanted to give NCTzens and other fandoms unforgettable experiences. As the anticipated NCT 127 concert was approaching, we planned out a party to get fans excited for the concert and show our appreciation for our idols,” Riya told amNewYork Metro.
“I would have never met anyone from BKG or be in the position I am in if it was not for NCT127, so to me, they represent adventure, tenacity, and lifelong connections. NCT127 has taught me that community is everything,” Dream, another longtime fan, shared.
Before NCT 127 took their final bow of the night, they reiterated how grateful they were for the fans continued support and promised that they would return again.
“I really try my best to always remember to be thankful. I feel like sometimes words can’t express how thankful someone could be, but I feel like sometimes when we’re in one place together, you guys get that feeling, and I hope you guys do,” Johnny said.
“To everyone who came out to see us tonight, thank you all so very much. No matter how high the number may go up. I just hope that the joy that we have in our concerts never fades away. So, in the future, I hope that we’ll always continue to have fun on stage,” Mark added.
