Candy is the fifth extended play (EP) by South Korean boy band NCT Dream. It was released digitally on December 16, 2022, and physically on December 19, 2022, by SM Entertainment through Dreamus. Marketed as a special winter mini-album, the EP consists of six Christmas-themed tracks, including its lead single of the same name, originally released by H.O.T. in 1996.
NCT Dream released their second studio album, Glitch Mode, in March 2022, followed shortly afterwards by its reissue, Beatbox.[1][2] It became their second release to sell more than 3 million copies after Hot Sauce (2021).[3] The album charted at number one on the Gaon Album Chart in South Korea,[4] while in the United States it was their first entry on the Billboard 200, charting at number 50. In support of the release, they embarked on their third concert tour, The Dream Show 2: In A Dream, in September 2022, visiting South Korea and Japan.[3][2] A concert film, NCT Dream The Movie: In A Dream, documenting their opening concert held in Seoul was released in theaters in November.[5] That same month, the group announced they would release their first Japanese single, "Best Friend Ever", in February 2023.[6]
The EP includes six Christmas-themed tracks.[7][8] "Tangerine Love (Favorite)" is described as a retro song featuring "funky" analog synthesizers. "Take My Breath" is described as a mid-tempopop song, with lyrics about a "shy" confession.[8][9] "Moon" is described as a ballad song led by a piano melody.[10] "Walk with You" is described as a dance pop song that follows the same storyline of the group's 2017 track "Walk You Home" from their first EP We Young.[11] "Graduation" is described as a R&B song that harmonizes the vocals with the strings.[12] It was highlighted as the standout track of the EP by Jeff Benjamin of Billboard.[13]
NCT Dream first hinted at a new release during an Instagram live broadcast on November 17.[7] The next day, SM Entertainment released a teaser video clip featuring snow falling on an illustrated house named after NCT Dream covered in Christmas-themed decorations, including bows, mini Christmas trees, candy canes and peppermints.[2][5] It served to announce the group's fifth extended play (EP), Candy, titled after its lead single of the same name, originally released by H.O.T. for their debut studio album We Hate All Kinds of Violence (1996).[7] On November 21, it became available for pre-order in both online and offline stores.[3] Winter themed teaser images of the members wearing colorful outfits reminiscent of H.O.T.'s stage costumes were released on December 2,[14] and were followed by individual teaser images of the members, released from December 4 to December 9.[15][12] Marketed as a special winter mini-album, the EP was released digitally on December 16 and physically on December 19.[7]
Three pop-up stores were opened in Seongsu-dong, Hongdae and Yeonhui-dong on December 20.[21] Fans reportedly queued from dawn on the day of the opening and formed lines of over 3,000 people in front of each store to get the exclusive photo cards sold with the EP.[22]
Despite being a special mini-album, Candy achieved 2 million pre-orders, according to SM Entertainment.[23] The EP debuted at number 28 on the Billboard Japan Japanese Hot Albums in the chart issue dated December 21, 2022,[24] and two weeks later it peaked at number two.[25] It debuted at number eight on the Oricon Digital Albums in the chart issue dated December 26, 2022.[26]
^Yoon, Joo-oh (January 27, 2022). SM "NCT Dream, 3월 목표로 새 앨범 준비 중" [공식입장] [SM "NCT Dream, preparing a new album with the goal of March" [Official Position]]. MyDaily (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved March 25, 2022 – via Naver.
^2022년 14주차 Album Chart [Week 14 of 2022 - Album Chart] (in Korean). Gaon. April 7, 2022. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
^Oh, Yoon-joo (November 11, 2022). NCT 드림, 내년 2월 일본 첫 싱글 발매 [NCT Dream to release its first Japanese single in February next year]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022 – via Naver.
^ abcdeJeong, Jina (November 18, 2022). NCT 드림, 겨울 스페셜 앨범 캔디 리메이크…내달 공개 [NCT Dream, winter special album Candy remake... release next month]. Newsis (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 18, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jeong, Jin-ah (December 6, 2022). NCT 드림, 달콤 사랑이야기 캔디…런쥔 티저 공개 [NCT Dream, sweet love story Candy... Renjun teaser released]. Newsis (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022 – via Naver.
^Choi, Hye-jin (December 7, 2022). NCT 드림, '캔디'로 전할 고백..비주얼 폭발 재민 티저 [NCT Dream, a confession to be conveyed through Candy... visual explosion Jaemin teaser]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jeong, Jin-ah (December 8, 2022). NCT 드림, '발자국'으로 설렘 자극…해찬 티저 공개 [NCT Dream stimulates excitement with "Walk with You"... Haechan teaser released]. Newsis (in Korean). Retrieved December 8, 2022 – via Naver.
^ abKim, Min-ji (December 9, 2022). '컴백' NCT 드림, 천러 티저 공개…통통 튀는 매력 ['Comeback' NCT Dream, Chenle teaser release... bouncing charm]. News 1 (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022 – via Naver.
^Hwang, Hye-jin (December 2, 2022). NCT Dream, H.O.T. Candy 재해석…16일 스페셜 앨범 컴백 [NCT Dream, H.O.T. Candy reinterpretation... Special album comeback on the 16th]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim, Bo-ra (December 4, 2022). NCT Dream 제노, 캔디 처럼 달달하네…H.O.T. 재해석 [NCT Dream Jeno is sweet like Candy... H.O.T. reinterpretation]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022 – via Naver.
^Yeon, Hwi-seon (December 17, 2022). '음중' 르세라핌 1위, NCT드림 'Candy' 재해석·WSG워너비 컴백 [종합] [1st place in Music Core Le Sserafim, NCT Dream "Candy" reinterpretation WSG Wannabe comeback [Comprehensive]]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022 – via Naver.
^Ji, Min-kyung (December 12, 2022). NCT Dream, 19일 Candy 컴백 라이브 진행..달콤한 시간 예고 [NCT Dream, Candy comeback live on the 19th...Sweet time notice]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022 – via Naver.
^ abKang, Da-yoon (December 9, 2022). NCT 드림, 21일 겨울 앨범 '캔디' 발매 기념 팬이벤트 개최 [NCT Dream held a fan event to commemorate the release of their winter album Candy on the 21st]. News 1 (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim, Gun-woo (December 22, 2022). NCT 드림, '캔디'로 세대 통합 "부모와 자녀 세대 함께 즐긴다" [NCT Dream, unifying generations with "Candy" "Parents and children's generations enjoy together"]. Money Today (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim, Won-hee (December 21, 2022). NCT 드림의 팝핑 ‘캔디’[오늘은 어떤가요] [NCT Dream's popping Candy [How about today]]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2022 – via Naver.
^年間 アルバムランキング 2023年度 [Annual Album Ranking 2023] (in Japanese). Oricon. p. 6. Archived from the original on December 19, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
