While I did not officially review their last title track, ‘Fact Check’, I placed it as number 37 in my 100 best K-pop songs of 2023 (which can be viewed here). NCT 127 have had quite a solid run of title tracks over the years with some few minor exceptions. Their latest single ‘Walk’ not only maintains this streak; it is arguably one of the strongest NCT 127 tracks they’ve ever released.
While I said that ‘Fact Check’ is the most ‘classic NCT’ track that NCT 127 has tackled in their recent discography, ‘Walk’ takes a slightly more traditional, or perhaps you could call ‘conventional’ approach. There aren’t as many ‘NCT-isms’ as some would like to refer to (aka, talk-singing, chanted choruses, silly lyrics, repetition of particular phrase or word, switch-ups in production, etc.). Instead, ‘Walk’ leans very heavily towards a hip-hop rap-track, with Main Vocalist Jaehyun actually taking on a substantial amount of rap lines. The only real vocal lines within the song are quite few and given to Taeil, Doyoung, and Yuta (who has the rare opportunity to sing!).
As an NCTZEN, I was not quite sure of the group’s ability to deliver such a rap-heavy track, especially in the timely absence of one of their main rappers, ‘Taeyong’, who is still in the military. However, I’m pleasantly surprised on their convincing performance. I really shouldn’t be, given their seniority in the industry, but it really has been a while since they’ve taken this approach (if ever, at least at the top of my head!).
Each and every single member owned their lines- and I genuinely mean it. Too often, NCT has had a history of having some rather cringy English lyrics that are talk-sung and given to members like Johnny. He tries his best, but alas, sometimes, your best isn’t enough. To be fair, the material he had been given has elicited mournful reactions of NCTZENs over the years. However, in ‘Walk’, he had been given an actual rap verse, which he sounded great in! This is solid proof that as much as there are some ‘NCT-isms’ which just make up the group identity, there others that they can do without. I hope that Johnny shall not be sabotaged in future comebacks any longer.
I can’t think of another active group in the K-pop industry to delivery ‘Walk’ as excellently as the NCT members. I will have to give a particular shoutout to Jaehyun, who set the mood of the song excellently in his opening verse, and continued firing the fuel of attitude throughout the track. I remember that Jaehyun had originally auditioned to be a rapper but ended being a main vocalist, but I’m glad that he can still make use of his skills in this track.
As for the song’s Hooks, despite the rather unmelodious chorus, it fits very well with the rather breezy and pulsating pace of the track- fitting of its title. It can be described as a consistent, fast-paced, walk, but one that won’t leave you bored the whole way. The chorus is relentlessly catchy, and has only grown more addictive with every listen. The song’s pulse and driving pace reminds me of Le Sserafim’s iconic ‘ANTIFRAGILE’, and I mean this as a compliment (even though they sound quite different). The production, as expected from SM entertainment, has a level of richness, fullness, polish, as well as innovation, that most other K-pop companies don’t offer. This sustains throughout the whole track, keeping it an engaging listen.
Ultimately, I’m very happy with ‘Walk’, and it has a strong chance of making it into the upper echelons of this year’s K-pop countdown.
Hooks – 9
Production – 9
Vocal and Rap Delivery – 10
Overall – 9.5
K-pop Evaluated 
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