INTERVIEW From rookie jitters to confident steps, NCT WISH defines its sound with new release 'poppop'
K-pop boy band NCT WISH poses during an interview with The Korea Times at a studio in Yongsan District, central Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of SM Entertainment
What does love mean to NCT WISH, the youngest stars in SM Entertainment's powerhouse roster?
For these bright-eyed K-pop rookies, whose oldest member is just 22 and the youngest only 17, the answer is crystal clear — their official fandom, NCTzen, lovingly called Czennie, is their "first love."
No matter how the question was phrased, the members— Sion, Riku, Yushi, Jaehee, Ryo and Sakuya — never strayed from this heartfelt devotion.
"The thing that makes our hearts 'pop' the most is Czennie!" the group exclaimed in unison during an interview Thursday with The Korea Times at a studio in Seoul's Yongsan District.
Since their debut a little over a year ago, every stage has been a love letter to their fans.
"Whenever we catch a glimpse of Czennie's faces and their reactions from the stage, it fills us with happiness," Riku said.
Sakuya, who remained thoughtful and serious throughout the interview, chimed in. "Whenever Czennie cheer us on, we gain so much energy," he said.
From left are NCT WISH members Ryo, Riku, Yushi, Sion, Sakuya and Jaehee. Courtesy of SM Entertainment
NCT WISH is the youngest addition to the sprawling NCT roster, which boasts both one of K-pop's largest fandoms and its strongest commercial appeal. Joining in 2024, these fresh faces couldn't fully hide their shyness and nerves throughout the interview.
Yet, when it came to expressing love for their fans — who wholeheartedly embraced them despite joining an already successful franchise — the members spoke with confidence.
"It's still hard to believe there are so many people who love us, even more than we worried about at first," Jaehee said. "Because we're receiving so much love, we want to give back with good music, work even harder on stage and make sure we never disappoint our fans."
NCT WISH is the newest addition to SM Entertainment's boy band roster, NCT. The band officially debuted in January 2024. Courtesy of SM Entertainment
As a way to return that love, NCT WISH is set to release its second mini album, "poppop," on Monday, packed with all the giddy feelings they get when thinking of their fans.
"The new album circles around the theme of love," said Sion, the group's leader.
"When you fall in love, everything tends to look more adorable. That feeling really comes through in the lyrics of this album. We're confident that both we and our fans will feel happy listening to it."
Sion also believes this album has helped to cement NCT WISH's musical identity.
"When we first debuted, we were still figuring out our style. But with this album, I feel like we've really discovered our true color," he said.
When asked what that "color" might be, he chuckled shyly as he searched for the perfect words.
"Musically, it has a slightly mechanical vibe, but it's not too intense. It's refreshing, but not overly so ... It's so hard to put into words, but it's a feeling that's uniquely ours," he said.
NCT WISH is set to release its second mini-album, "poppop," Monday. Courtesy of SM Entertainment
The album features a total of six tracks, including the title track, along with "Melt Inside My Pocket," "Design," "1000," "Silly Dance" and "Still 3PM," all capturing the emotions of boys in love.
"There are a lot of exciting and fun songs," Jaehee said. "For example, ‘Silly Dance' is about how you start acting awkwardly around the person you love. It reminds me of my own nervousness when I perform for our fans, so I really tried to bring that feeling to life."
Since debuting, NCT WISH members have built their presence not only on stage but also online, becoming icons for their fellow "chronically online" Gen Z fans by posting a flurry of viral short-form videos.
While some of those videos come from ideas discussed with their agency, the members revealed that much of it comes from their own "thorough market research."
From left, NCT WISH members Ryo, Riku, Yushi, Sion, Sakuya and Jaehee pose during an interview with The Korea Times at a studio in central Seoul's Yongsan District, Thursday. Courtesy of SM Entertainment
"The content team usually recommends short-form ideas for us to try," said Sakuya, one of the masterminds behind their viral videos. "But I also love doing my own 'market research' and putting my personal touch on the videos we post. It's genuinely fun for me."
"We've definitely grown closer as a team, and fans love seeing us work together and keep pushing ourselves," Yushi added. "We're always trying to show our best."
With three projects under its belt — its debut single "WISH," follow-up single "Songbird," and first mini album "Steady" — NCT WISH has already sold nearly 2 million copies, claiming the title of best-selling debut artist of 2024.
Given its skyrocketing success, the group's goals for "poppop" are both ambitious and clear.
"I hope this promotion brings us even more Czennie," Ryo said, beaming. "And I really want to see us hit No. 1 on the music charts!"