NCT Dream's lineup changes were pretty much inevitable given the group's unique 'graduation system' concept from the beginning. SM Entertainment originally designed NCT Dream as a unit where members would 'graduate' once they hit a certain age, specifically targeting the teenage demographic. It was bittersweet but made sense—imagine a 'Dream' unit where the members no longer fit the youthful vibe they were going for. The first major shift happened when Mark, the oldest, graduated in 2018, and it felt like the end of an era. Fans were devastated because the original lineup had such incredible chemistry, especially with hits like 'Chewing Gum' and 'My First and Last.'
But then SM did something unexpected: they scrapped the graduation system entirely in 2020. Honestly, it felt like fan power played a huge role in that decision. The fandom (Czennies) had been vocal about wanting OT7 back, and after Mark rejoined for 'Reload,' it was clear SM couldn’t ignore the emotional and commercial value of the original lineup. The permanent reunion announcement in 2020 was a massive win for fans—it felt like SM finally listened. The group’s dynamic just works best when they’re together, and their later releases like 'Hot Sauce' and 'Glitch Mode' proved that. Sometimes, even the most rigid K-pop systems have to bend when the magic of a particular group is too strong to break up.
2026-04-16 15:48:45
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This Time, I Choose The Alpha King Male Lead
Circeleari
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[YOU HAVE TRANSMIGRATED INTO A VILLAINESS FATED TO DIE.]
I was supposed to obsess over the Alpha King, scheme against the heroine, and meet my end at the execution block.
Instead, I rewrote the story.
I chose Pierre Ashbourne—the neglected second male lead I once pitied as a reader—and spent three years helping him rebuild his dying pack, believing I had finally changed my fate.
Then he abandoned me at our mating ceremony for his first love, the heroine.
Now, the system has given me only one way home, restore the original ending by pushing the heroine back into the arms of the ruthless Alpha King, Hades.
But the more I try to complete the story, the more these leads are getting out of character!
What should I do?
Two months remained until debut evaluation night.
Before our unit performance, our main dancer suddenly offered me her center position.
I stared at her, confused, "The trainers always praise your stage presence. Why give up your spot?"
"You... you deserve center more than I do."
Her smile was painfully forced, and she was fidgeting with her practice clothes - obviously not saying what she really felt.
Puzzled by her strange behavior, I asked, "Are my moves too big? Am I making it hard for you to perform?"
She suddenly started shaking, looking at me with pure fear in her eyes.
After what felt like forever, she finally choked out, "Please, just stop. I won't try to compete with you for center anymore!"
During the live boyband auditions, I won the popularity vote by a landslide and was given the position of the main singer.
Another member of the boyband suddenly laughed as he patted me on the shoulder. "Jordan, I was the one who accompanied you to get stamina supplements after you overdid it in bed with your rich married lover. Now that we're in the same boyband, please look out for me!"
Immediately, the phrase 'The Boyband's One-Minute Man' was seen everywhere online.
Even our mentor chimed in, trying to get me kicked out of the band.
I had no choice but to call my mother when I was unable to prove myself innocent. "Mom, I don't want to debut in a boyband anymore. Let me go solo and send the rest of them off to labor away their lives at the factory!"
Lately, I've been having a weird dream consistently.
In the dream, a man with a mole near the corner of one eye keeps telling me, "I miss you so much."
But whenever I try to take a good look at him, I wake up from the dream.
That is, until I spot the man in my dreams on a pop-up window featuring an advertisement that promotes chatting with AI bots.
There, I personally craft every inch of that man, making him my perfect AI boyfriend.
But right after I uninstall the app, he appears in my apartment in person.
Jillian had been living and enjoying her life peacefully; doing whatever she wants whenever she wants. She couldn't ask for more. Who wouldn't want a peaceful life?
Until one day, she bumped into a seemingly mysterious guy in a gray hoodie who was being chased by some crazy girls and he even had the audacity to kiss her to save himself!
She thought he was only a random guy that she won't ever meet again, just like the rest of the people she bumped to on the street, until he came back and offered her something she couldn't refuse in exchange to pretend as his fake girlfriend for the next two months.
And in their two-month charade, it wasn't easy. It wasn't all sunshines and rainbows, especially when you're dating a famous idol.
I go to my boyfriend after hearing about him flirting with his college senior. On the way there, I get into an accident and suffer from temporary memory loss after a head injury.
He hurries to the hospital but points at his stoic dormmate and claims he's my boyfriend instead. He wants to use this to get rid of me.
I'm unaware of this, so I hold the handsome dormmate's hand and look at him with bright eyes. "So, you're my boyfriend."
Later, I regain my memory but still want to be with the handsome dormmate. I want to sever ties with my boyfriend, but he breaks down.
NCT Dream is one of those groups that feels like a burst of youthful energy every time they perform. The current lineup includes Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, and Jisung. Each member brings something unique—Mark's rap skills are legendary, Renjun's vocals are like honey, and Jisung's dancing is insanely precise. I love how their dynamic shifts depending on the song, from the playful vibe of 'Chewing Gum' to the more mature sound in 'Hot Sauce.'
What’s fascinating is how they’ve grown together since their debut. Haechan’s versatility shines whether he’s with NCT Dream or 127, and Jaemin’s stage presence is magnetic. Chenle’s high notes always give me chills, and Jeno’s charisma is off the charts. They’ve really carved out their own space in K-pop, balancing catchy tunes with performances that feel fresh and full of personality.
NCT Dream's debut is one of those K-pop moments that feels like it just happened yesterday, but also ages ago at the same time. They dropped their first single 'Chewing Gum' on August 25, 2016, and honestly, it was such a refreshing concept—teenagers riding hoverboards and just having fun. The energy was infectious, and I remember being hooked by how perfectly they balanced youthful vibes with polished performance skills.
What’s wild is seeing how much they’ve grown since then. Back then, they were literally the 'dream' unit of NCT, meant to rotate members as they aged out, but fan love basically rewrote that plan. Now they’re a fixed group, and tracks like 'Hot Sauce' and 'Glitch Mode' show how their sound matured while keeping that signature NCT Dream charm. It’s been a joy watching their evolution.