Created by SM Entertainment, K-pop collective
NCT ("Neo Culture Technology") boasts an unlimited number of rotating members that populate multiple "sub-units" based in various international locales like Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai, and Bangkok. These sub-units include NCT U,
NCT 127,
NCT Dream, and the Mandarin-language WayV. Consistently atop the Korean and U.S. charts, the crew have sold hundreds of millions of albums around the world with releases such as
NCT 2020 Resonance and
Universe.
The original group was composed of members of SM Rookies. The first spinoff, NCT U, was announced in April 2016. They released a pair of singles before a second incarnation,
NCT 127, formed in July. Later that year,
NCT Dream debuted with "Chewing Gum" in both Korean and Mandarin versions. In 2018, the group unveiled the NCT 2018 project, releasing NCT 2018 EMPATHY. The set showcased the various units of the conglomerate, including NCT U,
NCT Dream, and
NCT 127. From there, the various sub-units continued to issue music, and another group was created for their Chinese fans in 2019. WayV debuted that January and made a splash around the world. By 2020,
NCT announced the NCT 2020 project, which combined sub-unit members once again.
NCT 2020 Resonance, Pt. 1 landed that October. In addition to featuring all four units, the effort also marked the debuts for a pair of new members. The following year, the annual project yielded
Universe, which once again united the sub-units. ~ Neil Z. Yeung