Mnet's 'National Spark Tour' was heated up by the activities of NCT DREAM.
On the 19th, the second episode of Mnet's Idol Festa Operation 'National Spark Tour' (directed by Jo Hye-mi) displayed the journey of NCT DREAM (hereafter 'NCT DREAM') heading to Andong, the center of traditional Korean culture. The activities of NCT DREAM, which provided local specialties and performances in a one-plus-one (1+1) offer, filled the Andong scene with intense heat and created unforgettable memories for fans gathered from all over the country and local residents.
The broadcast that day opened with a 'surprise camera' disguised as a pre-meeting. Members of NCT DREAM, including Haechan, Jaemin, Renjun, Mark, Chenle, Jeno, and Jisung, arrived one after another at a meat restaurant and faced unexpected situations such as a sudden initial consonant quiz and a singing mission. Initially, they showed a bewildered response, but as they gradually figured out clues hidden throughout the store like Toegye Yi Hwang, steamed chicken, yangban, apples, and singer Youngtak, they learned that the final destination was 'Andong'.
In fact, Andong is a meaningful place with which NCT DREAM has built a connection through mural volunteer activities and donations for wildfire damage in the Yeongnam region. The mission given to NCT DREAM during this visit to Andong was to sell apples. Appointed as 'One-Day Andong Apple Ambassadors', the members embarked on the special challenge of selling apples, a local specialty, instead of performance tickets. Although they showed some confusion due to lack of sales experience, they gradually regained their confidence thanks to 'public sentiment flirting strategy' from guide DinDin and Andong dialect training.
On the much-anticipated performance day, the first place NCT DREAM visited upon arriving in Andong was the Andong Gymnasium. The members could not hide their nervousness at the larger-than-expected scale of the venue, expressing, "The seats look like apples." There was another layer of pressure knowing that they had to conduct both apple sales and performance promotions simultaneously throughout the day. The members held a strategic meeting and recorded a promotional message in the dialect, stating, "8 o'clock Andong Gymnasium, here we come," showcasing their determination.
The first pop-up was held at a traditional Korean house book café in Andong. The scene was packed with not only Andong citizens but also fans from all over the country, indicating the hottest interest among the most attendees ever at the pop-ups. The members split roles for sticker application, apple sales, and pop-up information and promotion, fully displaying their teamwork accumulated over 10 years. Notably, Jisung, who was in charge of promotion, stated, "As a team that has been together for 10 years, we have met many fans, but I have rarely encountered them this closely," expressing shyness at first but quickly adapting skillfully to attract attention.
The subsequent second pop-up took place at Andong City Hall. The members separated into outdoor truck sales teams and city hall visitation sales teams, meeting fans in a more relaxed manner. Notably, the city hall visitation sales team faced some initial difficulties, but they captured the hearts of city hall employees through intimate communication. Meetings with fans who had diverse stories also delivered deep emotions. A 'native fan' princess who listened to NCT DREAM's music during her prenatal education, a granddaughter of a resident who suffered wildfire damage in 2024, and officials who were responsible for mural volunteering during their Andong visit in 2019, among others, created warm connections.
NCT DREAM's performance, which was the highlight of the festa, heated the venue to the point where it was impossible to take one's eyes off. The concert hall was filled with fans and local citizens holding apples instead of cheering sticks, and NCT DREAM, performing in full seven-member formation, showcased hit songs such as 'BTTF', 'CHILLER', and 'Hello Future', presenting a brilliant performance. The apple time of 7 DREAM, which could only be seen during the 'National Spark Tour', also drew enthusiastic responses from the audience. A total of 3,881 apples were sold, and the members who acted as 'Andong Apple Ambassadors' in just 6 hours could not hide their amazement at the remarkable achievement. The sales proceeds are slated to be donated to a meaningful cause.
Members of NCT DREAM expressed their gratitude, stating, "We thought there was a special connection between Andong and NCT DREAM, and it is truly an honor to come back like this," while Jisung added, "Andong will remain a wonderful memory for me for the rest of my life," sharing a warm message. The citizens of Andong and the fans watching the performance also responded passionately. Comments poured in such as, "I was so happy to get apples and a performance for 990 won," "NCT DREAM's faces are the best," "Usually, I would have to drive 3 hours to see them, but this time, I could see them just 30 minutes away," and "I had never been to a concert before, so it was touching to have them come to a nearby area," making the scene even more heated.
Meanwhile, next week, ZEROBASEONE is set to engage in corn sales in Wonju, Gangwon Province, raising expectations. Mnet's 'National Spark Tour' airs every Tuesday at 10 p.m.
[Photo] Broadcast capture
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