[Interview] NCT Wish Leaving SM Practice Room "Love Pops with S.C.ENE's Cheers!"

NCT WISH, a Fresh Wave in K-pop
A Year of Achievements and Global Expansion

The group NCT WISH gave an interview on the 10th. SM Entertainment

On the 10th, in front of a venue in Itaewon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, a press interview with the group NCT WISH was underway. Dozens of fans had already taken their seats early at the scene. The fans quietly waited for the interview to end while sitting on folding chairs, continuing their silent support. It was a moment that clearly showed the idol group’s characteristic of drawing crowds like clouds wherever they go.

NCT WISH is a six-member boy group launched by the major entertainment company SM Entertainment in February last year. It is a sub-unit derived from the flagship intellectual property (IP) NCT. The group consists of four Japanese members (Yuushi, Riku, Sakuya, Ryo) and two Korean members (Sion, Jaehee), actively promoting mainly in Korea and Japan.

They have swept various rookie awards with over 2 million album sales from three releases: their debut single "WISH," the second single "Song bird," and their first mini-album "Steady." Their Asia tour, which ran from November last year to June this year, including 12 performances in six Japanese cities as well as shows in Seoul and Macau, was completely sold out.

Countless drops of sweat have built a global fanbase. NCT WISH members were the last to turn off the lights in the SM practice rooms. Senior artists NCT’s Doyoung and SHINee’s Minho, who watched this scene with pride, reached out first, saying, "We’ll buy you a meal sometime," and shared their contact information to show their support.

Having marked their first anniversary in February, they expressed an even stronger determination. Jaehee said, "I want to show a responsible presence on stage," adding, "We want to repay the love with good music that contains our unique colors."

Over the course of five seasons changing, they have become true friends. Sion said, "At first, we met through the training program and debuted immediately, so we didn’t have much time to get close, but we quickly bonded by talking a lot, and now we rely on each other," adding, "These days, we often joke around too."

The group NCT WISH gave an interview on the 10th. SM Entertainment

NCT WISH is a fresh and clear team, as if drawn with pastel and neon colored pencils in a diary. Their distinctive vibe is even more evident in their new song "poppop," released on the 14th. The song vividly captures the feeling of the world 'popping' at the moment of falling in love.

At their first press conference held in Shanghai, China, at the end of last month ahead of the album release, over 60 media outlets gathered, proving high interest. The fan event and the Macau performances from the 4th to the 6th (NCT WISH Asia Tour Log in Macau) also received great responses. The industry is anticipating this as a signal of the lifting of the "Hanhanryeong" (Korean Wave ban in China).

Ryo recalled, "I was very nervous because it was our first press conference in China," adding, "But thinking about meeting our fans, the Sizenis (fan club name), made it fun." All members were amazed by the passionate response from fans in the Chinese-speaking regions. Yuushi said, "Thanks to the warm welcome from Macau fans, we were able to perform comfortably," and Sion added, "I was surprised by the much warmer reaction than expected."