NCT 127 Just Kicked Us In The Face With New Single 'Kick It'

NCT 127 is shaking things up with latest single "Kick It," an in-your-face banger that highlights the group's signature swagger. The Korean artists are known for their bass-heavy beats and high-energy concepts, and "Kick It" delivers that sort of unwavering bravado fans have come to expect — nevertheless it also ushers in a bold new era for NCT 127. They've routinely been confident and fashionable in their delivery, calling themselves the hugest hit on the stage." Nevertheless right now they're totally owning that title by becoming heroes in their own right.


Visually, "Kick It" is a powerful display of Asian identity. The lush music video is heavily influenced by iconic kung fu films of the '70s, including Enter the Dragon, and Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill series. The song itself also explicitly references legendary martial artist Bruce Lee on the hook with a boisterous refrain that, translated to English language, goes, "I throw a straight punch right left Bruce Lee / I'm flying around for the entire day Bruce Lee." (The Korean title of the single, "영웅," translates to "Hero.")


With vivid beauty and dynamic visuals — not to say, a few pivotal shirtless moments — "Kick It" is crucial NCT viewing. It also gifts fans with center Jaehyun and center Haechan, additionally to shirtless biker Johnny "I'm Going To Ruin Your Life" Suh, which with little effort makes it one of their best videos ever. Exhibits A, B, and C below:


"Kick It" is the lead single off NCT 127's new full-length album, Neo Zone. True to the NCT brand, the album is a diverse mix of genres and vibes, from the hip-hop heavy bass and attitude of "Sit Down!" To the bubbly EDM-pop of "Love Me Right now — a true Song of the Summer 2020 contender — to the funky groove of album opener "Elevator." For NCT 127, the hope has routinely been to take their eclectic, confident vision worldwide. With Neo Zone, that dream is within reach.