Netizens Criticize SM Entertainment After Auditions For NCT Are Announced

NCT, or Neo Culture Technology, debuted in 2016 under SM Entertainment and brought a unique and exciting concept to life.

The group is composed of multiple sub-units, each with their own specific concepts and identities. The sub-units cover a range of musical styles, have members with their own unique and lovable charms, and can connect with fanbases worldwide as the group has members from Korea, China, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, the United States, and Canada.

NCT (Winwin was not in the photo due to filming schedules in China, and Lucas is currently on hiatus) | *SM Entertainment*

NCT’s first sub-unit, NCT U, debuted in April 2016 with the songs “The 7th Sense” and “Without You.” The members of NCT U are chosen depending on the concept of the song and music video, giving the group a rotating lineup that changes with each comeback.

NCT U during their “Misfit” era | *SM Entertainment*

The second sub-unit, NCT 127, debuted in July 2016; the “127” represents the longitude coordinate of Seoul. NCT 127 is the first fixed sub-unit and currently has ten members.

NCT 127 (Winwin is a current member, but is inactive at this time) | *@NCTsmtown_127/Twitter*

The third sub-unit, NCT Dream, debuted as seven members in August 2016 with the single “Chewing Gum.” When the group debuted, the members were all teenagers, and it was originally intended that members would “graduate” from the group when they became an adult.

Mark was the first member to graduate when he turned 20, but the group quickly realized how special their connection as seven was, so Mark returned to the group in 2020, and the group became a fixed unit.

The fourth sub-unit, WayV, debuted in January 2019. WayV has seven members, and the group focuses their promotions in China. They recently made their first comeback in almost two years with their fourth mini-album, Phantom.

WayV during “Phantom” promotions (Lucas is currently on hiatus) | *SM Entertainment*

NCT has become one of the most popular and successful K-Pop groups and has a massive global fanbase, and it’s easy to see why.

The group’s genre-bending music, lovable members, multiple sub-units, and rotating lime-ups provides fans with an exciting and ever-changing experience.

NCT currently has 23 members, but more will soon be on the way.

In 2021, plans for NCT’s continued growth were announced, and it was revealed that SM Entertainment was searching for future NCT members to form new sub-units, NCT Hollywood and NCT Tokyo.

The news at the time was met with mixed reaction, and after a more recent announcement that auditions are opening from February through June of this year, many netizens are again expressing their disappointment in the decision to expand NCT.

Many fans are hoping that SM Entertainment can instead create a new group or focus more on the existing NCT sub-units.

“It’s true that NCT is doing well but if I were a trainee hoping to debut, I would want to debut in a new group. I wouldn’t want to debut as a late-comer to an already existing group… To a competitive trainee, I think it wouldn’t be enticing”

“Stop expanding NCTㅠㅠ”

“There are a lot of decent kids in NCT.. I’m lost for words”

“Honestly, if they really do this and I were a male trainee, I wouldn’t want to audition for SM”

“If you’re gonna work on NCT, do it well. You can’t even manage the ones you’ve chosen already… Poor Sungchan and Shotaro…”

Do you believe SM Entertainment should continue to expand NCT, or would you like to see a new group join the SM Family?

Learn more about the upcoming sub-units in the article below!