NCT’s Taeyong has swiftly returned from his mandatory military service and is preparing for his 2026 activities, Xportsnews reported from Seoul’s Songpa district.
On January 25th, Taeyong’s concert ‘TY TRACK – REMASTERED’ took place at the Ticketlink Live Arena (formerly Handball Gymnasium) in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, Seoul. The concert is a reimagining of his first solo concert, ‘TY TRACK’, which was held in February 2024 before his enlistment.
Taeyong, who completed his military service on December 14th of last year, made him the first NCT member to finish his mandatory service. Just ten days later, he made a surprise appearance at the ‘2025 SBS Gayo Daejeon’, quickly reconnecting with his global fanbase.
During the concert, Taeyong opened with previously unreleased songs ‘Locked And Loaded’ and ‘Skiii’. His striking red hair added intensity to his performances, featuring daring choreography and pyrotechnics that thrilled the audience.
Taeyong followed with three hip-hop tracks: ‘Virtual Insanity’, ‘APE’, and ‘샤랄라 (SHALALA)’, expressing gratitude to fans, stating, “I missed you so much. I’m happy we can meet whenever we want now,” and shared his excitement about the successful first night of the concert.
He jokingly mentioned, “I searched myself on social media. Fans took great pictures; I might have to recruit them,” adding that he had saved many beautiful photos taken by fans.
During his military service, Taeyong continued to work on music during his spare time. He shared, “The response was incredible yesterday. Hearing comments like ‘neo infusion’ and ‘my dopamine returned’ was truly gratifying. This year, expect to see much more from me, NCT 127, and NCT. I’m ready,” a declaration that further excited his fans.
Before the next segment, he introduced another new song, ‘Mermaid’, and explained, “This was made with our Czennies (NCTzens, the fandom’s affectionate name) in mind. Typically, women who wait for sailors are referred to as mermaids, so please listen carefully to the lyrics.”
Following ‘Mermaid’, he performed the unreleased ‘H.E.R’, mini-album tracks ‘Move Mood Mode’ and ‘RUBY’, then showcased his ‘404 series’ tracks ‘404 File Not Found’ and ‘404 Loading’.
A captivating performance using a wire to seemingly walk on light thrilled the audience, culminating in ‘Moon Tour’. Taeyong joked, “Performing seven songs consecutively is quite a feat.” He then thanked the directors, producers, and staff involved in the concert’s production.
Taeyong expressed his passion for the elaborate performances in his ‘404 series’, sharing his experience by saying, “It was scary at first, but now I feel nothing. I’d love to perform on larger stages in the future. Music helps me overcome feelings of emptiness, and I hope my series can offer comfort to others as well.”
The show continued with a lovely atmosphere, featuring ‘Ups & Downs’, ‘What Is Love’, new song ‘Am I In Love Or Not’, and ‘GWANDO’.
He explained that ‘Am I In Love Or Not’ tells a story of unrequited love, and fans cheered when he mentioned NCT member Johnny was in attendance. Taeyong introduced Johnny as “the only free member currently in Korea” and revealed he had also heard from fellow NCT members Jaehyun and Jungwoo, who are serving in the military in the same unit. He humorously relayed a comment from Jaehyun, who is currently a corporal, saying, “How dare a private lie on a sergeant’s bed?” Other NCT members showed their support; Doyoung, who is serving in a different unit, sent a beautiful wreath filled with roses the day before, while Yuta, Mark, and Haechan were unable to attend due to overseas schedules.
In the final segment, Taeyong performed ‘Run Away’, ‘TAP’, and a solo version of NCT U’s ‘Misfit’. He also introduced two new songs: ‘501’, which was surprisingly revealed via a special video two months before his discharge, and ‘Feeling Myself’. During the encore, he sang ‘Love Theory’ while engaging closely with fans in the second-floor seating. Returning to the stage, he thanked them for their love for ‘501’ and mentioned that he had filmed a performance video for ‘Feeling Myself’ that would be released after the concert, as the stage costume had partially obscured the choreography.
Addressing fans who had waited 1 year and 8 months, he expressed, “Thank you for waiting, supporting, and cherishing me.” He smiled, adding, “As I mentioned yesterday, I guess I’ll have to keep dancing for another 10 or 20 years.” He continued, “I always tell my juniors to be grateful. There were times when I lost my gratitude and felt insufficient. This concert has once again reminded me to live with even greater appreciation. Thank you for being here; I won’t forget to repay your kindness and will continue to work hard.” He also promised, “I need to go to my Czennies who are far away. I’ll diligently collect my flight miles,” hinting at his upcoming Asia tour.
After performing ‘Back to the Past’, Taeyong returned to the stage for a final encore after persistent requests from fans, performing ‘Long Flight’ and ‘Love Theory’. He added, “Next time, we should go to an even bigger venue, the one right next door,” further fueling fan excitement for future performances.
Taeyong’s tour will continue in cities including Jakarta, Yokohama, Macau, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur.
