Universe (NCT album)

Universe is the third studio album and ninth album overall by South Korean boy band NCT. It was released on December 14, 2021, by SM Entertainment. Similar to their previous releases NCT 2018 Empathy and NCT 2020 Resonance, NCT 2021 Universe is part of "NCT 2021" project; which saw all current NCT members from several units collaborating on a full-length release. This time, the album features 21 out of 23 members from three current units of NCT; NCT 127, NCT Dream, and WayV. Members Lucas and Winwin were unable to participate. Universe is NCT's final album to feature Shotaro and Sungchan, who both withdrew from the group in May 2023.

Background and release
On November 13, 2021, it was announced that NCT would reunite for a third time as NCT 2021 following their second full group project, NCT 2020 Resonance, in 2020. Five teaser videos, titled "NCT 2021 YearDream" and each labeled from Stage 0 through Stage 4, were released between November 21 and November 29. NCT groups NCT 127, NCT Dream, and WayV were confirmed to participate in Universe, with Winwin and Lucas being absent from the project. NCT released track videos for "Dreaming", "Miracle", and "Earthquake", by NCT Dream, WayV, and NCT 127, respectively. The music video for "Universe (Let's Play Ball)" was released on December 10. The music video for "Beautiful" was released alongside the album itself on December 14.

Commercial performance
Universe surpassed more than 1.7 million pre-orders on the day of release, breaking their previous record of 1.1 million pre-orders for NCT 2020 Resonance Pt.1

Personnel
Credits adapted from Naver and QQ Music.


 * Rick Bridges – vocal director (track 1, 5), background vocals (track 1, 5)
 * GDLO – vocal director (track 2, 5)
 * Ju Chan-yang (Pollen) – vocal director (track 3, 10), background vocals (track 3)
 * G-high – vocal director (track 6)
 * Seo Mi-rae (Butterfly) – vocal director (track 7, 10), pro tools operator (track 7, 10)
 * Ju Dae-gwan – vocal director (track 8), pro tools operator (track 8)
 * Noday – vocal director (track 8-9), background vocals (track 10)
 * minGtion – vocal director (track 11), piano (track 11), bass (track 11), recording (track 11), digital editing (track 11)
 * Jisoo Park – vocal director (track 12), background vocals (track 12)
 * Yoo Young-jin – vocal director (track 13), background vocals (track 2, 13), digital editing (track 13), engineered for mix (track 13), mixing (track 13)
 * NCT – vocals, background vocals
 * Taeil – vocals (track 3, 8, 11, 12-13), background vocals (track 8, 13)
 * Johnny – vocals (track 3, 5-6, 13), background vocals (track 13)
 * Taeyong – vocals (track 1, 3-4, 13), background vocals (track 13)
 * Yuta – vocals (track 3-5, 13), background vocals (track 4, 13)
 * Kun – vocals (track 9-11, 13), background vocals (track 13)
 * Doyoung – vocals (track 2-3, 6, 12-13), background vocals (track 13)
 * Ten – vocals (track 4, 8-9, 13), background vocals (track 2, 4, 13)
 * Jaehyun – vocals (track 3, 8, 10-11, 13), background vocals (track 13)
 * Jungwoo – vocals (track 2-3, 5, 10, 13), background vocals (track 13)
 * Mark – vocals (track 1-4, 6-7, 13), background vocals (track 4, 13), rap making (track 2, 6)
 * Xiaojun – vocals (track 2, 8-9, 12-13), background vocals (track 2, 13)
 * Hendery – vocals (track 4-5, 9-10, 13), background vocals (track 13)
 * Renjun – vocals (track 6-7, 12-13), background vocals (track 13)
 * Jeno – vocals (track 2, 4, 6-7, 13), background vocals (track 4, 13)
 * Haechan – vocals (track 2-3, 7-8, 11, 13), background vocals (track 8, 13)
 * Jaemin – vocals (track 2, 5-7, 13), background vocals (track 13)
 * Yangyang – vocals (track 1-2, 4, 6, 9, 13), background vocals (track 1, 4, 13)
 * Shotaro – vocals (track 2, 5, 10, 13), background vocals (track 13)
 * Sungchan – vocals (track 6, 8, 13), background vocals (track 13)
 * Chenle – vocals (track 5, 7, 10-11, 13), background vocals (track 5, 13)
 * Jisung – vocals (track 5, 7, 10, 13), background vocals (track 5, 13)


 * Junny – background vocals (track 2, 7, 11)
 * Ebenezer – background vocals (track 3)
 * Kenzie – background vocals (track 4)
 * Oiaisle – background vocals (track 6)
 * MarcLo – background vocals (track 6)
 * Dwilly – background vocals (track 6)
 * Justin Starling – background vocals (track 9)
 * Jeffrey Okyere-Twumasi – background vocals (track 9)
 * Adrian McKinnon – background vocals (track 9)
 * No Min-ji – recording (track 1-2, 4, 7-8, 12), digital editing(track 1-2, 4-5, 10), engineered for mix (track 10)
 * Kang Eun-ji – recording (track 2-3, 5, 10-12), digital editing(track 3, 6), engineered for mix(track 3-4, 6, 12)
 * Lee Min-gyu – recording (track 6, 12), mixing (track 6, 8, 10), engineered for mix (track 11)
 * Jung Yu-ra – recording (track 7, 9, 12), engineered for mix (track 8), digital editing (track 12)
 * Xu Tian Hong – recording (track 8-9)
 * On Seong-yun – recording (track 9)
 * Jung Ho-jin – digital editing (track 2, 5, 9)
 * Kwon Yu-jin – digital editing (track 7-8), recording (track 8, 10-11)
 * Lee Ji-hong – engineered for mix (track 5, 9), mixing (track 9, 12)
 * Jung Ui-seok – mixing (track 1, 3-4)
 * Nam Gung-jin – mixing (track 5, 7)
 * Kim Cheol-sun – mixing (track 2, 10)

Locations
Recording
 * SM Yellow Tail Studio
 * SM SSAM Studio
 * SM Big Shot Studio
 * SM Starlight Studio
 * doobdoob studio
 * Studio21A
 * sound POOL Studios
 * SM BOOMINGSYSTEM

Editing
 * SM Yellow Tail Studio
 * SM SSAM Studio
 * doobdoob Studio
 * sound POOL Studios
 * SM Starlight Studio
 * SM BOOMINGSYSTEM

Mixing
 * SM Blue Cup Studio
 * SM Blue Ocean Studio
 * SM SSAM Studio
 * SM Concert Hall Studio
 * SM Big Shot Studio
 * SM LVYIN Studio
 * SM Starlight Studio
 * SM BOOMINGSYSTEM