Korean Netizens Are Divided By NCT Dream's New Song "Smoothie"

NCT Dream‘s new title track, “Smoothie,” has stirred up quite a debate among fans. On Pann, a popular online forum, a post titled “NCT Dream is really frustrating” criticizes the song for moving away from the group’s brighter tracks, which has gone viral.

nct dream hello future 1 — Teaser for “Hello Future” | *SM Entertainment*

The post — which mentions “Hello Future” and “Candy” as some releases they liked by the group — has garnered more than 54,000 views and over 115 comments. OP’s frustrations seem to be ones that a lot of other fans share, as the post also has over 230 likes. However, not everyone agrees, leading to a lively debate.

haechan dream teaser — NCT Dream’s “darker” teaser for their latest comeback. | *SM Entertainment*

The main issue fans are discussing is whether NCT Dream should stick to their cheerful, upbeat songs or keep exploring new, darker themes as they did with “Smoothie.” Some fans miss the light and fun vibe of earlier hits and think those kinds of songs are what the group does best. Others argue that changing it up with different styles, including darker and more intense themes, is a good thing. They believe it shows the group’s range and keeps things interesting.

nct dream hello future — Teaser for “Hello Future” | *SM Entertainment*

There’s a bit of a split in the fanbase. While some newer fans were drawn in by the song “Boom” and liked the idea of a darker, more intense NCT Dream, others long for the refreshing tracks they fell in love with.

nct dream hello future 2 — Teaser for “Hello Future” | *SM Entertainment*

One fan even mentioned that another NCT unit (NCT Wish) released a refreshing track recently, worrying about the overlap that would’ve been caused if NCT Dream had done the same.

“Seriously, what kind of song has no melody at all? This is really frustrating.”
“There are hardly any fans clamoring for refreshing songs anymore. Yes, there were quite a few new fans because of ‘Boom,’ but not everyone is into the refreshing vibe, you know? Honestly, it’s more frustrating every time.”
“Honestly, the song is too niche… It seems like they’ve completely given up on mainstream appeal. Well, I guess as long as the fans like it since it’s all about fan sales anyway.”
“Maybe it’s because ‘Boom’ is my all-time favorite, but I think this new song is one of their best. Honestly, they’ve done a lot of refreshing songs, and NCT Wish just released a refreshing track a few days ago, so it might overlap.”
“Surprisingly, there were a lot of new fans during the hiatus (I’m one of those who became a fan because of ‘Boom’). Refreshing songs are nice, but I think intense performances are fundamental…”

The debate over “Smoothie” shows just how passionate and varied fan opinions can be. Whether or not the song marks a major turning point for NCT Dream, it’s clear that it has sparked a wider conversation about what fans want from the groups they love. You can check out “Smoothie” here: