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NCT’s Lucas has given fans a ray of hope after six long months. The 23-year-old rapper posted a photo from Tom Cruise’s latest hit movie, Top Gun: Maverick, hinting at his return to the group. The rapper’s last update was six months ago, on February 9, 2022. It was a black and white photo of the sea and the sun with no caption.
While that post was up for interpretation, the latest post of August 29 seems to be a direct message to his fans: He is going to push forward and keep his dreams alive because he is not worried anymore.
Lucas’ latest Instagram post of August 29 is a screenshot from one of the scenes in Top Gun: Maverick. The picture captures the scene of a group of men playing by the beach. The photo holds a lot of importance as it is a scene when OneRepublic’s I Ain’t Worried plays in the background. The song’s chorus says,
“I ain't worried 'bout it right now (right now) / Keeping dreams alive (hey!), 1999, heroes / I ain't worried 'bout it right now (right now) / Swimmin' in the floods (hey!), dancing on the clouds below”
NCT’s Lucas says I Ain’t Worried a year after going on hiatus after scandal
As “LUCAS UPDATE” began trending shortly after the rapper’s Instagram post, fans discussed the hidden meaning behind the picture and the song. As per the fans, the words “1999 heroes” hint at the rapper himself, as he was born in 1999. The first two lines of the chorus also signify the 23-year-old idol’s message of moving towards his dream and not letting the future worry him.
Although just a screenshot, the post holds significant meaning for the fans who have been waiting a year to #ProtectLucas. The OT23 fans were ecstatic and close to tears after seeing the update. It has been over a year since the idol went on a hiatus, and many believe that it is a positive sign of him resuming his activities with NCT.
NCT's Lucas: Scandal, apology, hiatus and comeback
A year ago, on August 25, 2021, the NCT rapper released a handwritten apology, and SM Entertainment announced his hiatus after an infamous scandal tainted his reputation. His sub-unit debut with fellow member Hendery was also canceled.
The controversy involved alleged ex-girlfriends who accused the idol of gaslighting and manipulating them. It was one of the biggest scandals of 2021 that left the K-pop fandom in pieces.
Both the personal letter and official statement mentioned that the NCT rapper was apologetic for his wrongful behavior in the past. However, his fans, who had “debunked” the evidence, demanded a statement addressing the issue at hand clearly. Another part of the fandom clearly expressed their wishes to have the idol removed from the group.
After the statement, the 23-year-old rapper went radio-silent. He was cut off from the 2022 Season’s Greetings merch, which further angered fans. Even though they rallied behind the agency to update them on Lucas’ indefinite hiatus, they only received a photo in February this year.
With the update, fans now have a ray of hope to count on. Moreover, since it has been over a year, they believe Lucas will be able to join NCT and all the sub-units in their activities soon.
