On July 4 NCT’s official social media accounts released teasers of Shotaro’s first dance performance, “Wake Up.” The performance video, dubbed a “dance movie,” was greatly anticipated by fans, with Shotaro’s last official activities being during NCT 2020, last year.
After a day of waiting, at 10pm KST, the full dance video was uploaded onto the NCT YouTube channel, with Shotaro sharing the video on his personal Instagram account.
View this post on Instagram
Wake Up and Watch
The video starts in near-silence, with a shot from beneath Shotaro. Within a few seconds, the title flashes on the screen and it is clear that this is not just another dance video, but it’s exactly what SM had branded it—a movie.
Throughout the performance, the set is lit by deep red and cool-blue lighting. Metal frame work can be seen surrounding him along with plastic-like scenery and a stool. Fans were quick to comment flurries of emojis showing support for the dynamic atmosphere it created.
https://twitter.com/jungwooshomie/status/1411672312642826241?s=21
His outfit was also simple: head to toe in black, styled with a dark brown hat to top off the strong and mysterious look. Both the minimalist staging and styling never drew attention away from his performance.
Diving Into Dance
As one of NCT’s resident dancers, Shotaro made no mistake in choreographing an impactful routine. Fans were drawn to his natural ability to create such a powerful performance, saying, “dance by Shotaro just sounds so perfect.”
“dance by shotaro” just sounds so perfect pic.twitter.com/wzjfHIC52g
— JAE (@neoxjae) July 4, 2021
Prior to debut, the newest member had gained a following on social media for his talent in movement, yet the release of “Wake Up” made it clear to fans everywhere that he doesn’t just follow trendy moves, but can create masterpieces too.
The dance consisted of both precise, sharp gestures—highlighting his impeccable isolation—and softer, more fluid motions, creating a visibly diverse routine.
Worth the Wait
NCTzens flooded the comment section and socials with praise for Shotaro, with many proud to see his talent being showcased.
https://twitter.com/minjing_says/status/1411673412452241417?s=21
Others expressed their happiness by saying his performance was “worth the wait.”
WORTH THE WAIT, FINALLY SHOTARO IS HERE 🤩
DANCE BY SHOTARO OF NCT#DancebySHOTAROofNCT #SHOTARO #ShotaroDance
— NCT Global Team (@NctGlobalStream) July 4, 2021
Some were even lost for words, with fans turning to gifs and memes to display their positive feelings towards the dance movie.
— ͏ sam♡ (@bbobeulisnow) July 4, 2021
https://twitter.com/huisoulmate/status/1411724447581605892?s=21
For the Future
It’s clear that today’s performance by Shotaro was a success with NCTzen all over the world—the heaps of positive feedback being a great indication. Fans are eagerly waiting for more content from the idol, with hopes of more dance videos and official appearances.
Let us know what you think of Shotaro’s “Wake Up” by tagging us on socials @envimediaco and using the hashtag #EnVi.
Read more about Shotaro’s fashion style here!
Thumbnail courtesy of @_shotaroo_
