NCT U

NCT U (Korean: 엔씨티유; Japanese: エヌシーティー) 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" and "Without You" under the label SM Entertainment. The member line of NCT U is rotational, changing with each release and concept. The group's original members were Taeyong, Ten, Doyoung, Jaehyun, and Mark. NCT U is most known for their experimental nature, with their singles inspired by various genres such as trap and electro pop.^[1]

NCT U
NCT U at SBS Radio in November 2020
Background information
Origin	Seoul, South Korea
Genres	K-pop hip hop R&B
Years active	2016 (2016)-present
Labels	SM Entertainment
Spinoff of	NCT
Members	see NCT Members

History

NCT U's debut was confirmed in early April 2016 after SM Entertainment CEO Lee Soo-man announced plans in January 2016 to create a boy group with core principles of localization and flexibility in its lineup.^[2] The group made their first broadcast appearance on April 9, 2016, in a Naver broadcast with Super Junior's Heechul,^[3] where he introduced the initial group lineup of Taeyong, Ten, Doyoung, Jaehyun, and Mark.^[4]

The group made their Chinese & Korean debut with two digital singles: "The 7th Sense" (released April 9, 2016) and "Without You" (released April 10, 2016).^[5][6] The singles would peak at #2 and #3 respectively on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales charts on April 30, 2016.^[7]

In 2018, NCT released NCT 2018 Empathy, featuring two new songs by NCT U: "Boss" and "Baby Don't Stop".^[8] The member lineup for this release consisted of Taeyong, Ten, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Mark, Winwin, Jungwoo, and Lucas. "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.^[9]

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.^[10] NCT U would also receive their first award as a group on episode 375 of Show Champion for "Make A Wish".^{[11][unreliable source?]}

On December 14, 2021, NCT U released the title track for NCT's 2021 album Universe, "Universe (Let's Play Ball)". This release's lineup included members Doyoung, Jungwoo, Mark, Xiaojun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Yangyang, and Shotaro.^{[12][unreliable source?]}

Upon the release of NCT's album Golden Age on August 28, 2023, NCT U's "Baggy Jeans" hit #1 on Billboard's Hot Trending Songs chart the week of its release.^[13] This release marked the first reunion of NCT U's original lineup - Taeyong, Doyoung, Ten, Jaehyun, and Mark - since their 2016 debut.^{[14][unreliable source?]} On December 6, 2023, "Marine Turtle" was released with a new member lineup of Renjun, Chenle, Xiaojun, and Kun.^{[15][unreliable source?]}

Discography

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released, sales, certifications and album name

Title	Year	Recorded by	Peak chart positions					Sales[A]	Album
			KOR [16]	KOR Billb. [B][17]	JPN Hot [18]	US World [19]	WW [20]
"The 7th Sense" (일곱 번째 감각)	2016	Taeyong, Doyoung, Ten, Jaehyun, Mark	111	—	—	2	—	KOR: 48,376[21]	NCT 2018 Empathy
"Without You"		Taeil, Doyoung, Jaehyun (Korean ver.) with Kun (Chinese ver.)	126	—	—	3	—	KOR: 28,860[22]
"Boss"	2018	Taeyong, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Mark, Winwin, Lucas, Jungwoo	97	80	—	3	—	—
"Baby Don't Stop"		Taeyong, Ten	—[C]	—	—	2	—
"Yestoday"		Taeyong, Doyoung, Lucas, Mark	—	—	—	—	—
"Make a Wish"	2020	Taeyong, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Lucas, Xiaojun, Jaemin, Shotaro	14	15	59	11	128		NCT 2020 Resonance Pt. 1
"From Home"		Taeil, Yuta, Kun, Doyoung, Renjun, Haechan, Chenle	92	—	—	—	—
"90's Love"		Ten, Winwin, Mark, Jeno, Haechan, Yangyang, Sungchan	84	65	—	15	—		NCT 2020 Resonance Pt. 2
"Work It"		Johnny, Yuta, Ten, Jungwoo, Hendery, Jaemin, Jisung	123	—	—	23	—
"Universe (Let's Play Ball)"	2021	Doyoung, Jungwoo, Mark, Xiaojun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Yangyang, Shotaro	86	96	61	14	147		Universe
"Baggy Jeans"	2023	Taeyong, Doyoung, Ten, Jaehyun, Mark	49	—	—	—	—		Golden Age
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

SM Station singles

Main article: SM Station discography

Title	Year	Recorded by	Peak chart positions		Album	SM Station project
			KOR Down. [24]	US World [19]
"Timeless"	2018	Taeil, Doyoung, Jaehyun	—	—	NCT 2018 Empathy	SM Station Season 2
"Coming Home"	2019	Taeil, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Haechan	—	7	Non-album singles	SM Station X 4 LOVEs for Winter
"Conextion (Age of Light)"	2022	Doyoung, Mark, Haechan	—	—		NCT Lab
"Rain Day"		Taeil, Kun, Yangyang	80	—
"N.Y.C.T"	2023	Taeil, Haechan	49	—
"Marine Turtle"		Kun, Xiaojun, Renjun, Chenle	—	—

Soundtrack appearances

Title	Year	Member(s)	Album
"Stay in My Life"	2017	Taeil, Taeyong, Doyoung	School 2017 OST
"Radio Romance"	2018	Taeil, Doyoung	Radio Romance OST
"New Dream"		Taeil, Jaehyun	Dokgo Rewind OST
"Best Day Ever"		Haechan, Chenle, Jisung	SM Station Season 3, Trolls: The Beat Goes On! Korean OST
"New Love"	2019	Doyoung, Jaehyun	Best Mistake (일진에게 찍혔을 때) OST
"Baby Only You"		Doyoung, Mark	The Tale of Nokdu OST

Collaborations

Title	Year	Recorded by	Peak chart positions	Album
			KOR Down. [25]
"Maniac" (prod. Ryan S. Jhun)	2021	Doyoung, Haechan	52	Maxis by Ryan Jhun Pt. 1

Other charted songs

List of other charted songs, with selected chart positions

Title	Year	Peak chart positions		Album
		KOR [26]	KOR Billb. [B][17]
"Misfit"	2020	130	88	NCT 2020 Resonance Pt. 1
"Volcano"		168	—
"Dancing in the Rain"		188	—
"Faded in My Last Song"		186	—

Notes

1. Korean-language singles are downloads while Japanese-language singles are physical units, except noted.
2. Includes the Billboard K-pop Hot 100 (defunct as of 2022), and South Korea Songs (part of Billboard's Hits of the World (2022 onwards)).
3. "Baby Don't Stop" did not enter the Gaon Digital Chart, but peaked at number 62 on the Gaon Download Chart.^[23]

References

1. Herman, Tamar (January 9, 2017). "Examining NCT and Its Various K-Pop Units". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
2. Bahk, Eun-ji (April 4, 2016). "SM's new K-pop band NCT U to debut this week". Korea Times. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
3. Min-kyung, Jung (April 24, 2016). "Super Junior's Heechul roots for NCT U". Archived from the original on April 24, 2016. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
4. "Breaking Down The NCT System, From The Rotational NCT U To The Upcoming NCT Tokyo | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
5. Ji-hyoung, Son (April 6, 2016). "NCT U confirms lineup, set to unveil singles 'The 7th Sense,' 'Without You'". kpopherald.koreaherald.com. The Korea Herald. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
6. "SM's neo-boy band 'NCT U' to launch this week". Yonhap News Agency. April 4, 2016. Archived from the original on September 20, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
7. "NCT U - Billboard". Billboard. November 30, 2020. Archived from the original on November 30, 2020.
8. Benjamin, Jeff (March 24, 2018). "Three NCT Teams Debut on World Digital Song Sales Chart: Your Guide to Each One". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
9. "NCT U - Billboard". Billboard. November 30, 2020. Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
10. Benjamin, Jeff. "NCT Complete One Of 2020's Biggest K-Pop Albums With 23-Person Single & Concert". Forbes.
11. "NCT U takes their first win ever as a unit group on 'Show Champion,' which is also the first win for new member Shotaro". allkpop. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
12. "Here's the NCT U member lineup for NCT 2021's comeback title track 'Universe (Let's Play Ball)'". allkpop.
13. Rutherford, Kevin (September 6, 2023). "NCT U's 'Baggy Jeans' Tops Hot Trending Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
14. "Watch: NCT U Flaunts Their "Baggy Jeans" In Stylish Comeback MV". Soompi. August 28, 2023.
15. "NCT U drops teaser images for NCT LAB project 'Marine Turtle' ft. Kun, Xiaojun, Renjun, and Chenle". allkpop.
16. Chart positions on the Gaon Digital Chart:

    • "The 7th Sense", "Without You". April 16, 2016. Archived from the original on August 5, 2016. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
    • "Circle Chart" Boss – 2018년 11주차 Digital Chart. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 22, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
    • "Circle Chart" Make a Wish – 2020년 42주차 Digital Chart. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
    • "Circle Chart" From Home – 2020년 43주차 Digital Chart. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
    • "Circle Chart" 90's Love – 2020년 48주차 Digital Chart. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
    • "Circle Chart" Work It – 2020년 49주차 Digital Chart. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
    • "Circle Chart" Universe (Let's Play Ball) + Beautiful – 2021년 51주차 Digital Chart. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
    • "Baggy Jeans – 2023 Week 37 Digital Chart". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved September 21, 2023.
17. Billboard K-Pop 100 chart positions:

    • "NCT U Chart History: Billboard K-Pop 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
    • "Make a Wish": "Billboard K-Pop 100". Billboard. October 24, 2020. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
18. Japan Hot 100:

    • "Make A Wish(Birthday Song) (October 26, 2020)". Billboard Japan. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
    • "Universe (Let's Play Ball) (December 22, 2021)". Billboard Japan. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
19. Billboard World Digital Songs:

    • "NCT U Chart History: World Digital Song Sales". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2022.
    • "Resonance": "World Digital Song Sales". Billboard. December 19, 2020. Archived from the original on December 15, 2020. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
20. "Global 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 23, 2020. Retrieved November 29, 2020.

    • "Make a Wish (Birthday Song)". Billboard. October 24, 2020. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
21. "Circle Chart" 2016년 04월 Download Chart (see #142). Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
22. "Circle Chart" 2016년 04월 Download Chart (see #220). Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
23. "Download Chart 2018 Week 11". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved August 9, 2022.
24. Circle Download Chart positions:

    • "Rain Day": "Download Chart 2022 Week 30". Circle Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
    • "N.Y.C.T": "Download Chart 2023 Week 36". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved September 13, 2023.
25. "Circle Chart" 2021년 33주차 Download Chart [Week 33 of 2021 Download Chart]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). August 8–14, 2021. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
26. Peaks of other songs on the Gaon Digital Chart: