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NCT WISH aims to solidify status as top rookie of 2024 with 'Steady'

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By Pyo Kyung-min
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K-pop boy band NCT WISH performs 'Steady,' the title track of its eponymous new mini-album, during a media showcase at Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Seoul's Yongsan District, Tuesday. Yonhap

K-pop boy band NCT WISH performs "Steady," the title track of its eponymous new mini-album, during a media showcase at Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Seoul's Yongsan District, Tuesday. Yonhap

SM Entertainment's youngest unit from its expansive NCT roster, NCT WISH, released its first mini-album, "Steady," Tuesday, aiming to cement the group's position as the leading rookies of 2024.

The six-piece group — consists of members Sion, Riku, Yushi, Jaehee, Ryo and Sakuya — has been building a solid fan base through promotions in both Korea and Japan since its February debut.

This growth was also recently made evident in the impressive pre-orders for the new "Steady" album, which surpassed 800,000 copies, exceeding the 630,000 pre-orders for the group's July single "Songbird."

To mark the new release, NCT WISH held a media showcase at Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Seoul's Yongsan District, Tuesday afternoon, where its members discussed the group's rapid rise and their excitement about the new album.

Members of K-pop boy band NCT WISH, from left, Ryo, Riku, Yushi, Sion, Sakuya and Jaehee, pose during a press event at Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Seoul's Yongsan District, Tuesday. Yonhap

Members of K-pop boy band NCT WISH, from left, Ryo, Riku, Yushi, Sion, Sakuya and Jaehee, pose during a press event at Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Seoul's Yongsan District, Tuesday. Yonhap

Group leader Sion expressed his amazement at the surge in pre-order numbers, saying, "I saw the news this morning and was honestly a bit stunned. I’ll work hard to meet the fans' expectations and deliver our best performances."

Sion also shared his excitement for the release, adding, "I'm really looking forward to releasing our first mini album. I'm nervous but also excited to give my best in our activities."

Sakuya chimed in, expressing his determination to maintain the group's momentum. "We hope to carry this energy forward and have our future albums reach the one-million mark," he said.

NCT WISH performs 'Steady,' the title track of its eponymous new mini-album, during a media showcase at Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Seoul's Yongsan District, Tuesday. Yonhap

NCT WISH performs "Steady," the title track of its eponymous new mini-album, during a media showcase at Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Seoul's Yongsan District, Tuesday. Yonhap

The group's latest album carries a message of cherishing and steadily continuing valuable moments spent as members of NCT WISH. The album includes a total of seven tracks — the eponymous title track, "Steady," "Dunk Shot," "3 Minutes," "On & On," "Supercute," "Skate" and the Korean version of the group's pre-debut song "Hands Up."

In particular, the upbeat title track, "Steady," blends house, UK garage and Jersey club beats, pairing youthful energy with the group's refreshing vocals.

Describing the album as "filled with challenges in new genres," Jaehee explained that the title "Steady" signifies "to continue, to keep going," adding that the lyrics reflect "the desire to maintain the strong connection with our fans."

K-pop icon BoA was instrumental in shaping the album, contributing to everything from the music to the choreography to highlight the group’s Gen Z appeal.

"She oversaw the performance, arrangement and many other elements, helping bring the album together seamlessly," Ryo said, expressing his appreciation for the first-generation K-pop star.

"BoA focused on even the tiniest details and even added a rap section specifically for Riku, who handles our rapping, which wasn’t part of the original demo for 'Steady.'"

NCT WISH performs 'Steady,' the title track of its eponymous new mini-album, during a media showcase at Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Seoul's Yongsan District, Tuesday. Yonhap

NCT WISH performs "Steady," the title track of its eponymous new mini-album, during a media showcase at Blue Square Mastercard Hall in Seoul's Yongsan District, Tuesday. Yonhap

In line with the group's youthful image, the promotion for "Steady" focuses on short-form content, featuring fun challenge videos on Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.

"We did a lot of interesting promotions, and it feels good to know that the fans are also enjoying them," Sion said. "It's fun to rewatch the videos we filmed when they get posted, even though we were the ones who made them."

Despite debuting less than a year ago, NCT WISH has already built a substantial fan base, leading them to achieve the rare feat of winning a rookie award just 50 days after their debut.

"We're really happy to be receiving so much love, and we want to become artists who can give that love back," Riku said.

Sion echoed the sentiment, adding, "It's not so much pressure as it is gratitude to our fans and the responsibility to repay their support. We're determined to work hard and earn the title of 'Best Rookie of 2024.'"