WayV - Kick Back

Stranger Version	Hitchhiker Version

I. Introduction

Kick Back is the third extended play (EP) from the permanent NCT sub-unit, WayV. It was released on March 10, 2021 with the lead single "Kick Back."

II. Background and Release

Kick Back marks the second NCT sub-unit release following the all-unit NCT Resonance event, after NCT 127's Japanese release Loveholic in February. The group structure of NCT is unique among K-Pop groups due to the fact that the concept of NCT is an ever expanding group with "unlimited" members and it is comprised of several individual subunits. Currently there are 23 members in NCT, making up four individual subunits. The sub-units combine to create an all-unit project in select years that features all NCT members, debuts new ones, releases albums, appears on TV shows, web and social content.

The albums tied to the 2020 all-unit Resonance event became best-sellers in 2020 with NCT 2020 Resonance Pt. 1 temporarily becoming SM Entertainment's top-selling album of all time. Each NCT sub-unit's release after Resonance outperformed the group's previous releases, often selling more than double the previous amount. During Resonance, it was stressed that WayV was a sub-unit of NCT and its members were included in promotions, whereas the unit had previously been kept separate due to political tensions between Korea and China.

The EP was announced on February 23, with teaser photos and videos released over the next weeks. Kick Back contains six songs in Mandarin and Korean, and came in two versions: Stranger and Hitchhiker.

Kick Back was promoted with an Online Showcase on VLive, which featured performances of existing WayV songs and the premier of new songs from Kick Back as part of the launch. After the showcase, it was announced that WayV members Winwin and Lucas would miss album promotions due to conflicting schedules in China. The lead single "Kick Back" was performed in both the Korean and Mandarin versions during the group's Korean music show performances, depending on the show. The b-side "Action Figure" was released as a video on March 26, 2021.

III. Track List

IV. Spotify Playlist

V. Videos

MV: Kick Back

Action Figure: MV

VI. Concept Photos

VII. Reception

Kick Back was WayV's most successful album to date, boosted in attention by the NCT 2020 Resonance project. It became WayV's first #1 album on the Korean Gaon Album chart for the week of its release, then finished the month in 6th place with 226,535 copies sold. This was more than twice the amount from their last release, Awaken the World, in June 2020, prior to the Resonance project. The EP was certified Platinum, becoming the group's first. As of August 2021, it was both their highest charting and top selling album on Gaon and Hanteo in Korea. It also debuted at #1 on Worldwide Itunes Album Charts, as well as #1 in 20 countries and #2 in the United States. It debuted on both Japanese album charts (Oricon and Billboard) at #35, reaching #13 on the Oricon chart.

The lead single "Kick Back" reached #1 on QQ Music Mainland MV chart, as well as debuting at #7 on Tencent Music's UNI Chart. WayV promoted both the Chinese and Korean versions of the songs on different Korean music shows. It became WayV's first #1 on Melon World Music Charts.