NCT‘s Mark dropped his latest solo track on May 16th at 6 p.m. KST!
“200” is a rocky drum & bass genre song that combines the early 2000s-style electronic guitar sound with a lyrical melody, giving the track an essence of nostalgia. The fast-paced rap on top of the rapid BPM drums and synth bass creates a fresh trendy feel.
Mark participated in writing, composing, and arranging the lyrics, expressing his own emotions and capturing a different charm from his music compared to his NCT works. Collaborators jeanjinn jane, ron, dress, and Sion — who have all worked on the multiple NCT unit member’s previous solo releases — also worked on “200.”
Additionally, musician Olmos is credited as the track samples his song “North Star.” While the original was written as a Mother’s Day gift, Mark and dress had the idea to transform it into a romantic love song that became “200” as we hear it today according to the artist Olmos who gave the release a shout-out on Instagram.
The lyrics are a pure expression of an unexpected love story that eventually becomes a fateful encounter. It details the type of relationship where each person makes the other shine brighter and become more complete when they are together.
The music video continues that 2000s-style aesthetic, with vintage cinematography that captures the rock vibe of the drum & bass genre. Mark’s whimsical imagination and experimentation are depicted through lyric-narrating visuals and comic book animations.
Also, the MV is littered with references to Spider-Man, which is itself referencing a running joke within the NCT fandom of Mark being compared to the Marvel superhero. It’s not the first time fandom jokes have been used as inspiration, with 2023’s SM Station song “Golden Hour” conceptually about Gordon Ramsey replying to a post on X (formerly Twitter) about the rapper’s egg-cooking skills.
The single 200 also contains “200 (Minhyung’s Ver.)” which is a stripped-back, acoustic version of the title track, which was previewed in Mark’s acoustic live clip.
“200” kicks off the long journey towards Mark’s first solo album, which is scheduled to be released in February 2025.
Check out the entangling “200” music video below!
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Justin is an Aussie K-pop fanboy passionate about underrated and under-loved artists. He loves all types of music and is a dedicated TV show and soap opera viewer.
MEDIA: SMTOWN