Whatever one might expect from a K-pop boy band performance — from sugary boy-next-door charm to grown-up charisma — NCT Dream delivered, and then some, during its fourth tour “The Dream Show 4: Dream the Future,” taking fans on a time-traveling journey through nearly a decade of evolution.

The tour kicked off with three sold-out shows at Gocheok Sky Dome in western Seoul through Saturday, drawing 60,000 fans in total.

The two-and-a-half-hour show was a celebration of NCT Dream’s transformation, from the fresh-faced teens of their 2016 debut — when their average age stood at only 15.6 years — into today’s confident, charismatic veterans fully in command of their audience.

On the third and final date of the concert’s Seoul leg, the show opened with “BTTF,” which stands for “Back To The Future,” one of the two lead tracks of NCT Dream’s fifth full-length album “Go Back To The Future,” set to be released at 6 p.m. Monday.

As its title suggests, the new album centers on the idea of time traveling, taking longtime fans — collectively known as NCTzen — on a nostalgic ride across the band’s nine-year history while also welcoming newcomers to the fandom with a crash course on some of NCT Dream’s most iconic hits through the eras.

And just like any other good crash course, NCT Dream didn't hesitate with its delivery.

After an intense opening sequence showcasing sci-fi aesthetics, the members immediately shifted gears from powerful, commanding charisma to youthful, sporty charms. The members brought fans to the first stop on their time-traveling journey with “We Young” (2017), a cute summer song, followed by “Dunk Shot” (2017) and “Candy” (2022).

And then, when people would normally expect a brief slowdown, NCT Dream pushed forward to deliver “Hot Sauce” (2021) and “Diggity” (2021).

The most deafening cheers of the night came during a steamy section of the set list, which started with “Best of Me” (2024), followed by “Stronger” (2019) and “Smoothie” (2024), thanks not only to the performances' explosive production, but also members Jeno and Jaemin showing off their abs.

NCT Dream then launched into the highlight of the night marked by “Trigger the Fever” (2017) and “Hello Future” (2021), as well as “Chiller,” the other lead track for the new album.

While it might be hard to imagine the once wide-eyed young boys of the band's debut single “Chewing Gum” (2016) when looking at today’s hypercharismatic performers of “BTTF,” what makes NCT Dream unique remains unchanged: the unrelenting youthful energy, perfect precision, seamless teamwork, playful banter and devotion to fans.

“We will never take for granted of the fact that you have filled this venue for all three nights,” said Chenle during the concert as he looked out across NCTzen filling the four tiers of Gocheok Sky Dome.

Jaemin playfully called fans “princesses and princes,” instead of perhaps the more commonly used “ladies and gentlemen,” asking, “Did you take care of yourselves today?”

After a shout-out to his mother in the audience, Jaemin told fans that “Every one of you is someone’s most precious person,” stressing, “Remember to love and take care of yourself.”

The tour will now bring NCT Dream to Bangkok on Aug. 16 and 17, Hong Kong on Aug. 30, Jakarta on Sept. 27 and 28, Singapore on Oct. 18 and 19, Taipei on Dec. 6 and Kuala Lumpur on Dec. 13 and 14.

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