NCT U (; ) is the first sub-unit from the South Korean boy band NCT. They debuted on April 9, 2016, with the double digital single "

The 7th Sense "The 7th Sense" () is the debut single by South Korean boy group NCT U, the first sub-unit of NCT. It was released digitally on April 9, 2016, through SM Entertainment. Musically, "The 7th Sense" was described as a future bass genre based on hip- ...

" and "Without You" under the label

SM Entertainment SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency established in 1995 by Lee Soo-man. It is one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies and has been responsible for fostering and popularizing the car ...

. The member line of NCT U is rotational, changing with each release and concept. The group's original members were Taeyong, Ten,

Doyoung Kim Dong-young (; born February 1, 1996), known professionally as Doyoung (), is a South Korean singer, actor, and host. He is a member of the South Korean boy band NCT (group), NCT through the sub-units NCT 127 and NCT DoJaeJung. Doyoung wa ...

, Jaehyun, and

Mark Mark may refer to: In the Bible * Mark the Evangelist (5–68), traditionally ascribed author of the Gospel of Mark * Gospel of Mark, one of the four canonical gospels and one of the three synoptic gospels Currencies * Mark (currency), a currenc ...

. NCT U is most known for their experimental nature, with their singles inspired by various genres such as trap and electro pop.

History

NCT U's debut was confirmed in early April 2016 after SM Entertainment CEO

Lee Soo-man Lee Soo-man (, born 18 June 1952) is a South Korean business executive and record producer who is best known for being the founder of SM Entertainment, a multinational entertainment company based in Seoul. He has also been referred to as the "p ...

announced plans in January 2016 to create a boy group with core principles of localization and flexibility in its lineup. The group made their first broadcast appearance on April 9, 2016, in a

Naver Naver (; stylized as NAVER) is a South Korean online platform operated by the Naver Corporation. The company's products include a search engine, email hosting, blogs, maps, and mobile payment. History Naver was the first Korean web provide ...

broadcast with

Super Junior Super Junior (; stylized in all caps), also known as SJ or SuJu, is a South Korean boy band. The group is composed of Leeteuk, Heechul, Yesung, Shindong, Sungmin, Eunhyuk, Siwon, Donghae, Ryeowook, and Kyuhyun. Han Geng, Kibum, and ...

's Heechul, where he introduced the initial group lineup of Taeyong, Ten,

, Jaehyun, and

. The group made their Chinese & Korean debut with two digital singles: "

" (released April 9, 2016) and " Without You" (released April 10, 2016). The singles would peak at #2 and #3 respectively on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales charts on April 30, 2016. In 2018, NCT released

NCT 2018 Empathy ''NCT 2018 Empathy'' (stylized in uppercase) is the debut studio album by South Korean Boy band NCT (group), NCT, an unlimited group project under the management of SM Entertainment. Containing a total of fourteen tracks with twelve of which were ...

, featuring two new songs by NCT U: " Boss" and " Baby Don't Stop". The member lineup for this release consisted of Taeyong, Ten, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Mark, Winwin, Jungwoo, and

Lucas Lucas or LUCAS may refer to: People * Lucas (surname) * Lucas (given name) Arts and entertainment * Luca Family Singers, or the Lucas, a 19th-century African-American singing group * Lucas, a 1960s Swedish pop group formed by Janne Lucas Perss ...

. "Baby Don't Stop" and "Boss" would peak at #2 and 3 respectively on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales charts on March 31, 2018. NCT's second studio album NCT 2020 Resonance featured multiple new NCT U songs, including "Make A Wish" (also called "Birthday Song"), "From Home", and "Work It". In contrast to the smaller member lineups on the singles of 2016 and 2018, this release featured all 23 members of NCT. NCT U would also receive their first award as a group on episode 375 of

Show Champion ''Show Champion'' () is a South Korean music television program broadcast live by MBC M every Wednesday at Bitmaru Broadcasting Center in Ilsan. Hosts * Shindong (February 14, 2012 – December 25, 2012) * Hahm Eun-jung (January 30, 2013 – ...

for "Make A Wish". On December 14, 2021, NCT U released the title track for NCT's 2021 album

Universe The universe is all of space and time and their contents. It comprises all of existence, any fundamental interaction, physical process and physical constant, and therefore all forms of matter and energy, and the structures they form, from s ...

, " Universe (Let's Play Ball)". This release's lineup included members Doyoung, Jungwoo, Mark,

Xiaojun Xiao Dejun (; ; born August 8, 1999), known mononymously as Xiaojun, is a Chinese singer and actor based in South Korea. He is a member of the South Korean boy group NCT and its sub-unit WayV. Career 2015–2018: Pre-debut In 2015, Xiaojun pa ...

, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Yangyang, Shotaro and Sungchan. Upon the release of NCT's album

Golden Age The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology, particularly the ''Works and Days'' of Hesiod, and is part of the description of temporal decline of the state of peoples through five Ages of Man, Ages, Gold being the first and the one during wh ...

on August 28, 2023, NCT U's "Baggy Jeans" hit #1 on Billboard's Hot Trending Songs chart the week of its release. This release marked the first reunion of NCT U's original lineup - Taeyong, Doyoung, Ten, Jaehyun, and Mark - since their 2016 debut. On December 6, 2023, "Marine Turtle" was released with a new member lineup of Renjun, Chenle,

, and Kun.

Discography

Singles

SM Station singles

Soundtrack appearances

Collaborations

Other charted songs

Notes

References

{{SM Town NCT (group) South Korean boy bands SM Town SM Entertainment artists Avex Trax artists 2016 establishments in South Korea South Korean hip-hop groups South Korean dance music groups Mandarin-language singers of South Korea English-language singers from South Korea Musical groups established in 2016 K-pop music groups