NCT’s Mark dominates iTunes charts worldwide with his latest solo Child

NCT member Mark reaches a new high as his first solo track ranks Number 1 on iTunes ‘Top Song’ in 14 different countries.

On February 4, 2022, at 6 p.m. KST, Mark debuted his solo single Child, the first song from SM Station’s new “NCT LAB” project. The song gained immediate success both domestically and internationally.

The song ranked Number 1 on Bugs and Naver VIBE along with other major South Korean music charts.

The song also charted at Number 1 on iTunes ‘Top Song’ in multiple countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru, Colombia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, El Salvador, Mongolia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Bahrain, and the Philippines.

Mark made his debut in 2016 as the main rapper of the boy group NCT under SM Entertainment. He along with 4 other members of SM Rookies marked the debut of the first NCT sub-unit, NCT U. He is also a member of the fixed subgroups, NCT 127 and NCT Dream. In August 2019, he was also announced as a member of SuperM, a K-pop supergroup created by SM Entertainment.

The Canadian-Korean artist muses over self-identity, dreams, and expectations in his self-composed single, Child. It takes on the hip-hop genre.

Produced by dress, Child opens with a melancholic alt-rock composition. The song begins with electric guitar riffs before abruptly switching gears for the chorus, which features a powerful thumping beat and trap-like synths. This continues into the second verse, before the second part of the song shifts to a much more dynamic and upbeat tempo. For the bridge, Mark returns Child to the thundering chorus and the same electric guitar that he used at the beginning.

He seamlessly transitions between vocal and rap performances, illustrating his struggles with remaining true to himself in the face of constant criticism from others, as the lyrics read, “I’m a child/ I can’t be the person you want/ Have a good night/ No need for a lullaby.”

The music video, like the song, has a lot of meaning behind it. Mark spends most of the video escaping from hooded figures. These figures, symbolize the difficulties he is currently facing in his life, as shown in his lyrics.

A few hours before the release, Mark posted a message for his fans on the fan messaging app, Bubble. It read, “Honestly, ‘Child’ is a song that I made a long time ago. It’s a song that’s been there for a while.”

“I kept thinking about it since last year, and if I release it through [SM] Station, I think I can approach you more comfortably, and I also want it to be really comfortable without having to worry about moneyㅡyou can enjoy it to your heart’s content through the music and video,” he added.

Overall, Child is an excellent introduction to the new NCT Lab series. It also provides an intriguing look into Mark’s thoughts and experiences as an artist thus far.