Neo City - The Link

On November 15, 2021, NCT 127 officially announced their return to touring with their reworked second world tour, Neo City – The Link, in support of their third studio album, Sticker, with the tour beginning in December 2021 in Seoul.[1] The Seoul concerts served as the first concerts held at the reopened Gocheok Sky Dome since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as NCT 127's first domestic concerts in almost three years.[1][2] The tour title, "The Link," is named from NCT's "universe" where the audience is being linked as one through music and dreams.[2]

Due to the ongoing pandemic, attendees were required to present proof of vaccination and present a negative PCR test. Audience members had to observe social distancing in entering and departing the venue and being seated.[2] Fans were not allowed to shout in the venue, and they were encouraged to clap loudly instead.[3] In the Seoul concerts, only a maximum of 5,000 people were allowed despite the venue being able to accommodate 20,000 to 30,000 people.[4] Due to pandemic restrictions and limited attendance, the December 19th Seoul concert was livestreamed on the online platform Beyond Live for global fans and CGV Cinemas in South Korea for domestic fans.[1][5]

Two additional dates were announced for January 2022 at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan, however these were cancelled in December 2021 due to Japan's new border controls and restrictions in response to the new Omicron COVID-19 variant.,[6] but they will hold 2 shows in Japan online.

The concert's opening video featured the members introducing NCT's "universe." The group physically appears on lifted platforms before being brought down to perform the concert's first two songs, "Kick It" and "Lemonade."[2][3] Next performed is "Earthquake" from the full-group NCT album Universe (2021), marking the song's live debut. The group performed the song in a lifted stage that tilts left and right in line with the song's themes.[2]

After greeting fans, the group performed a series of brighter-themed songs, "Elevator (127F)," "Dreamer," and "Love Song." "Elevator (127F)" featuring the set being transformed into an elevator setting, while "Love Song" was accompanied by rain sound effects, prompting the group to bring out umbrellas during the performance.[3][7] The group began performing solo and unit stages from this point on. Taeil sang a reworked R&B version of "Another World" before he joined fellow member Haechan for "Love Sign," where Haechan performed a solo dance break.[3][8] They were followed by Johnny, Taeyong, Yuta, and Jaehyun performing a mashup of "Run Back 2 U" and its demo version "Bassbot," which the four performed years prior as part of the pre-debut project SM Rookies.[7] Next performed were "Music, Dance," "Highway to Heaven," and "Breakfast," with the latter song serving as a point of interaction with fans through moving the group's official fanlight.[3] After an intermission music video of "Running 2 U," Mark and Taeyong performed their solo song "Vibration" and "Moonlight," respectively, before they performed "The Himalayas" together.[7] Taeyong began "Moonlight" lifted on an elevated stage that was shaped like the moon.[8]

After another video featuring "Lipstick" from their Japanese extended play Loveholic (2021), Jungwoo performed a dance performance to a remixed version of the song. Jungwoo later explained this was to show a different side of himself, as opposed to his "cute and young image," to surprise fans; this performance marked a change in tone in the concert from "day to night" as the group began performing more sensual songs.[8] The band later regrouped to perform "Focus," where Johnny performed a solo dance break while shirtless in a closed room that resembled a shower. Jaehyun performed his solo song "Lost," before the group returned to perform two ballads, "The Rainy Night" and "White Night." After a video intermission focusing on Doyoung, he performed "The Reason Why It's Favorite," a solo ballad version of their single "Favorite (Vampire)" written by composer Kenzie for him. The group returned to perform the full version of "Favorite (Vampire)" and their prior single "Simon Says."[3] For "Love On the Floor," the band performed on the main stage, which rotated in 360 degrees and protruded into a slanted stage for the members to dance on.[7] After the group performed "Bring The Noize," Yuta performed his solo song "Butterfly," which explained the meaning behind his butterfly tattoo, as he kept the meaning secret from questioning fans until the song's debut.[3][7] After several personal notes from the band were displayed on screen for the audience, the group performed "refreshing" songs "Paradise," "Love Me Now," "Touch," and "Pilot," before ending the main set with the performance-driven "Sticker" and "Cherry Bomb."[3]

A final intermission video was played prior to the encore that concluded the "NCT universe" storyline from the beginning of the concert. NCT 127 returned for the final time to perform "Dreams Come True." Each member said their final speeches to the audience before they concluded the show with "Promise You" and departed the stage through the lifted platforms.[3][7]