Boy band NCT Dream is back on hoverboards for its fifth full-length album “Go Back To The Future,” a cinematic throwback gliding across the septet’s nine-year journey.

In the music video for “BTTF,” one of the album’s two lead tracks, NCT Dream rewinds time to the eve of its debut on Aug. 25, 2016, when the fresh-faced members first performed “Chewing Gum” on hoverboards. Now, atop a time-traveling hoverboard, NCT Dream revisited its pivotal moments in a playful journey back to its origin.


But the goal isn’t to rewrite history, according to the boy band.

“All the time we’ve been through so far has made us who we are now,” said Renjun during a press conference held in southern Seoul on Monday, ahead of the album’s release at 6 p.m. that day.

“In the lyrics, the phrase ‘I’m the future’ is repeated like a slogan, which represents our declaration to keep shining as we do now,” Renjun added.

The new album, “Go Back To The Future,” was made with the same hunger they felt as rookies, according to member Haechan.

“Though we’ll soon hit our ninth debut anniversary, our passion remains the same from our ninth day since debut,” he said.

“Go Back To The Future,” which comes eight months after the band’s fourth full-length album “Dreamscape” (2024), features nine tracks: two lead tracks “BTTF,” and “Chiller,” along with B-sides “I Like It,” “Dream Team,” “Interlude: Back to our Paradise,” “’Bout You,” “That Summer,” “Miss Me,” and “Beautiful Sailing.”

“BTTF,” which stands for “Back to the Future,” is a hip-hop dance track based on the idea of NCT Dream’s seven members traveling through time to meet their past selves, delivered in what NCT Dream describes as “a classic SM style,” or so-called SM Music Performance (SMP).

SMP is a signature style from SM Entertainment’s artists known for its dramatic and experimental beats and melodies, as well as an emphasis on visually impressive performances.

The music video for “BTTF,” inspired by the 1985 sci-fi film “Back to the Future,” features many Easter eggs for longtime fans, such as the members wearing pajamas similar to those worn during the “Chewing Gum” (2016) performances.

“We had so many ingredients for the time-travel concept,” said leader Mark. “Whether it be hoverboards or pajamas, we could come up with really fun concepts using such symbolic details.”

Another lead track, “Chiller,” continues the narrative, now focusing on the band’s present-day confidence.

The two lead tracks are “like two different songs derived from a single root,” said Renjun. Lyrics for both of the songs were written by SM Entertainment’s star producer Kenzie, who has been taking part in the production of NCT Dream’s discography since their debut.

NCT Dream recently wrapped up three shows from last Thursday to Saturday, which kicked off its “The Dream Show 4: Dream the Future” tour, at the Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul, drawing in 60,000 fans.

“I’m really proud that NCT Dream, now nearing our ninth anniversary, is a team that can hold a concert at a venue like the Gocheok Sky Dome,” said Jisung, promising that “We have a lot of things planned for the rest of the year.”

Reflecting on the band’s journey so far, Mark realized that there is something that has remained unchanged from the start.

“We started as a team consisting only of teens, and have always carried the same dream to give hope and positive energy,” he said. “In whatever shape or form, we want to continue delivering the message in the future.”

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]