“Taeyong who loves you and is loved by you, I am proud, Let’s not forget that courage”
ㅡ from Taeyong to Taeyong
Q. Do you remember the first stage of NEO CITY: SEOUL The Origin?
TAEYONG: When we were on the lift and went up to the main stage, the lightsticks turned red at once and smog spread. In short, it was the beginning of everything. After that, I haven’t thought of anything aside from the first choreo. So, I concentrated on the stage as much as I could.
Q. How did you feel when you met the fans at the solo concert?
TAEYONG: I could see them on their seats very well. Also, It was comfortable because it was held in a huge venue with only our fans there. Nevertheless, on the first day of the concert, it was a bit awkward to get responses from them. Czennies, I’m glad to see you. It’s my first time meeting so close, so I didn’t know how to look natural and how would you like it. The members seem to have grown during this tour. I really enjoyed the moments.
Q. When did you think you were the coolest person on stage?
TAEYONG: Rather than think that I was cool, I felt that the eyes of the fans looking at me were most intense during ‘Wake Up’. I was very impressed with the energy during that performance. Personally, I think the jungle gym stage was all good.
Q. During ‘Mad City’, there was a lot of cheer for Taeyong. Did you feel it?
TAEYONG: Of course. It was a fan favorite song so I was looking forward to this stage too. ‘Mad City’ is a song me and Mark wrote about six years ago while we sat in a small room. “Shall we write it like this?”, “How about that?” We discussed and wrote the lyrics together. While I was performing on stage, I remember telling Mark my story a long time ago. I hope I can do more collaborations with Mark.
Q. What performance from the concert is your favorite?
TAEYONG: In the middle of singing Summer 127, there’s a section where each member comes out to the center and dances in freestyle. It was like a scene that says “We’re going to have fun right?”. I really enjoyed the atmosphere.
Q. When the lightstick flew during the performance became a hot topic. Do you have any other embarrassing moments?
TAEYONG: When the lightstick flew away, the first word that came to my mind was “oing?”. There were other embarrassing moments. Even though I practiced so much, it was hard to pose while climbing up the jungle gym. I was confused, so I sprinted in a different direction, then I ran back to the original position.
Q. Even before the concert, the members considered Welcome To My Playground as one of the songs for the concert.
TAEYONG: Most of all, I think we can all enjoy and sing together. When I first listened to the melody and wrote the rap, I discussed with Mark what would be the mood to have and at what point it would be good to burst.. When we recorded it, I thought it would be fun to have people’s voices in the song, so the members screamed in the studio. I felt sorry that my voice wasn’t heard but it was great to be able to sing with a louder voice at the venue. In particular, I think Jungwoo is cool during this stage. And since it was the second half of the concert, I felt relaxed and showed my charm naturally.
Q. What did you think after you had your first solo concert in Seoul?
TAEYONG: On the first day of NEO CITY: SEOUL – The Origin, I was so nervous that I couldn’t feel my feelings completely. After the concert, I met my sister and told me that our parents have cried since the intro stage. After hearing that, on the second day, I tried to look at the audience and feel their feelings as much as I could. It wasn’t until then that I thought I was standing in the middle of so many people.
Q. On the second day, you mention that you weren’t able to sleep properly. What thoughts prevented you from sleeping properly?
TAEYONG: I didn’t think I made a mistake on the first day or something I should do better. It may sound great, but after the first show, I thought about why I existed. When I started my life as a trainee, I started to think about being a singer, from my debut and activities, to what I had to do for my future. About what I’m doing, have done, and will do in the future because I exist.
Q. How do you feel when fans sing together while waiting for the encore?
TAEYONG: I thought, “So this is how it feels when receiving a love confession”. This action of the fans can be described as pure love.
Q. During the last ment, “The road that came up wasn’t smooth,” which impressed the fans.
TAEYONG: When I made my debut with the members, I remember saying, “Let’s always do our best even if there are 5 or 10 fans.” After those days, it seems like a story to be standing in such a huge stage. It felt like we were gaining the result of our hard work. And I’d like to take this opportunity to tell you that I really appreciate the audience’s listening and sympathizing with my heartfelt story.
Q. Tell me how you feel about finishing NEO CITY: SEOUL The Origin.
TAEYONG: It was NCT127’s first concert, so it was very meaningful for me and the members and NCTzens. After making big and small memories together, we finally saw the result of a solo concert and felt it through our skin. Maybe that’s why I strongly thought that ‘This is our world’ throughout the NEO CITY performances. I was so happy.
Q. How was the scene after the completion of NEO CITY: SEOUL The Origin?
TAEYONG: I’ve been doing things with the members, the performance staff and the company family, while having a good night with everyone, I think we had a good day, but we will still have another one. Therefore, I’m going to go back to my basics and work hard to show you more. We really want to show you a lot of things.
Q. Is there something new you will show for the next concert?
TAEYONG: At the next concert, we will work hard to show more of the talents and abilities of the members. In NCT127, I want to create a stage where the words vocals, rappers and dancer positions will not be an issue. Please look forward to the performance of All Round Players! Thank you.
191017 NCT 127 NEO CITY: SEOUL – The Origin Photobook