Here’s How Much NCT DREAM Have Grown Since “Chewing Gum,” Told Through Concept Photos

NCT DREAM’s lineup and debut were first announced five years ago in August 2016!

NCT DREAM‘s final line-up and debut single were announced from August 19 to August 22, 2016! SM Entertainment first confirmed the group on August 18 and then posted photos of the members to the Instagram account, @nctdream.chewinggum.

Back: Renjun, Jeno, Jaemin, Jisung, Haechan. Front: Mark, Chenle. | @NCTsmtown_DREAM/Twitter

In honor of five years since the group’s official announcement, here is a look at how each of the seven members grew up from comeback to comeback, all the way to “Hello Future!”

13. “Chewing Gum”

MarkRenjunJeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, and Jisung made their debut as NCT DREAM on August 25, 2016 with the single “Chewing Gum.”

| SM Entertainment

12. “My First And Last”

NCT DREAM released The First on February 9, 2017 featuring six of the seven members, as Jaemin was on hiatus.

| SM Entertainment

11. “We Young”

They released their first EP, We Young, on August 17, 2017!

| SM Entertainment

10. “Joy”

“Joy” was a Christmas single released on December 15, 2017 as part of SM Station.

| SM Entertainment

9. “GO”

“GO” was NCT DREAM’s group track on the NCT 2018 album NCT 2018 Empathy, released March 14, 2018. It marked Jaemin’s first comeback as a member of NCT DREAM, and began the group’s shift into a more mature look and sound.

| SM Entertainment

8. “We Go Up”

“We Go Up” was released on September 3, 2018 and was meant to be Mark’s final comeback with the group before his graduation later that year.

| @NCTsmtown_DREAM/Twitter

7. “Candle Light”

NCT DREAM released “Candle Light” for SM Station on December 27, 2018. It was, at the time, Mark’s final song with the group.

| @SMTOWNGLOBAL/Twitter

6. “Don’t Need Your Love”

Five of the NCT DREAM members collaborated with English singer HRVY on “Don’t Need Your Love!” It was released on June 6, 2019.

| @NCTsmtown_DREAM/Twitter

5. “Boom”

NCT DREAM released their third EP Boom on July 26, 2019 with the title track “Boom.”

| @NCTsmtown_DREAM/Twitter

4. “Ridin'”

The EP Reload featuring the title track “Ridin'” was released on April 29, 2020. 2020 marked the year Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, and Jaemin would turn 20 years old and therefore graduate from the group. However, SM Entertainment announced NCT DREAM would become a fixed unit, and Mark would be rejoining, re-completing the seven-member group.

| @NCTsmtown_DREAM/Twitter

3. “Deja Vu”

“Deja Vu” was NCT DREAM’s group track for the NCT 2020 album NCT 2020: Resonance. The album was released on October 12, 2020. It was the first song released since Mark’s return and the fixed unit announcement.

| @NCTsmtown/Twitter

2. “Hot Sauce”

“Hot Sauce” was the title track on NCT DREAM’s first full-length album, Hot Sauce. Preorders surpassed 1 million copies, making NCT DREAM the youngest million sellers in the industry. The album was released on May 10, 2021.

| @NCTsmtown_DREAM/Twitter

1. “Hello Future”

NCT DREAM’s first repackage album, Hello Future, was released on June 28, 2021. Combining the sales of Hot Sauce and Hello Future, NCT DREAM became triple million sellers!

| @NCTsmtown_DREAM/Twitter

NCT DREAM have grown up so much since they debuted 5 years ago but they are still the same seven idols fans fell for! NCTzens can’t wait to support them for many more years to come.

Source: NCT DREAM, NCT, SMTOWN and Instagram

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