NCT is a South Korean boy band formed and managed by SM Entertainment. Introduced in January 2016, the group consists of 25 members divided into six different sub-units: NCT U, NCT 127, NCT Dream, WayV, NCT DoJaeJung, and NCT Wish.
NCT U: The start of a never ending concept.
NCT U, was the start of the journey for NCT. Fans love to state this unit as the initial foundation for the overall concept forming NCT. NCT U was teased in 2016, they did not debut until April 9, 2016. The original members being, Jeong Jaehyun, Kim Doyoung, Lee Taeyong, Mark Lee, and Ten Lee. Their song “The 7th Sense” was groundbreaking for a new sound wave in K-POP, the overall hyper mixes was reduced for a more mellow esc flow, with RnB elements. This concept was later expanded as more and more members were added to NCT. Instead of NCT U being a “fixed” unit with only one set of members, it explored different set of members each time put into a new environment set to explore different concepts.
NCT 127: First Fixed Unit.
NCT 127 debuted in July 7th, 2016. The initial line-up was 7 members, the 127 coming from Korea’s longitude of Seoul. They debuted with the song, “Firetruck.” The line-up however, was later changed to 9 members in January 6, 2017 with the groups’ comeback “Limitless”. This again was changed in 2018 with the comeback “Simon Says”, with a last member added, making the group 10 members. This however, was not the final line-up. Two members in 2024 are no longer active in the group making the group 8 members. NCT 127 is often seen as the oldest group, the leader of NCT as a whole resides here. Lee Taeyong is often seen as the most “neo” member from the fans. (He wears that with pride!)
NCT DREAM: The start of a dreamlike youth.
NCT Dream is the third sub-unit of the South Korean boy band NCT, formed by SM Entertainment in 2016. A 7 member group, consisting of, Mark Lee, Lee Haechan, Lee Jeno, Na Jaemin, Park Jisung, Huang Renjun, and Zhong Chenle. They were initially intended to be the teenaged unit of NCT with an admission-and-graduation system, in which members would leave after reaching age of majority, prior to re-branding in 2020. The graduation system received an abundant amount of protest after the leader, and oldest member, Mark Lee had graduated.
WAYV: New wave, expanding cultures.
WayV is a Chinese boy band and the fourth overall sub-unit of the South Korean boy band NCT, managed by SM’s Chinese sub-label, Label V. The group is currently composed of Kun, Ten, Winwin, Xiaojun, Hendery, and Yangyang; Lucas was part of the original lineup but departed in May 2023. There was a buzz of a Chinese subunit in 2018, fans had speculated past members, Chenle and Renjun might be added to this unit since they were growing out of the NCT Dream graduation system, this however was only speculation. Instead, SMrookies, Yangyang, Xiaojun, and Hendery were added to NCT to form the last remaining members of WAYV.
NCT DoJaeJung: Exploring Units
NCT DoJaeJung is the fifth sub-unit of the South Korean boy band NCT, formed and managed by SM Entertainment. The group consists of three members: Doyoung, Jaehyun, and Jungwoo. They debuted on April 17, 2023, with their extended play Perfume.
NCT Wish: The end of a never ending concept.
NCT Wish is a Japanese boy band and the sixth and final sub-unit of the South Korean boy band NCT, formed and managed by SM Entertainment and Avex Trax with SM director and soloist BoA, in charge as the producer. The group consists of six members: Sion, Riku, Yushi, Jaehee, Ryo, Sakuya. They released the single “Hands Up” under their temporary name NCT New Team on 8 October 2023, ahead of their scheduled debut in 2024. Initially fans were apprehensive towards the end of the never ending concept of members NCT was known to have. Along with how the final sub-unit was formed through a survival show.
