Who is NCT Wish?
The NCT universe has expanded with their final Japanese sub-unit, NCT Wish. The group consists of six members: Sion, Riku, Yushi, Jaehee, Ryo and Sakuya. Through SM Entertainment, they released three Japanese pre-release songs titled “NASA,” “Hands Up” and “We Go!”
NCT Wish’s producer for their first Korean track is the legendary BoA. She has been active in the K-pop scene since 2000 with a prominent solo career in both Korea and Japan. Given her success, all of the performances will be overseen by her, as the group is trying to take over the Korean and Japanese markets. According to Koreaboo, “The name ‘NCT WISH’ stems from the catchphrase ‘Wish for Our Wish,’ reflecting the group’s aspiration to support everyone’s wishes and dreams through their music and love. SM Entertainment has expressed that the band is determined to become a ‘Wish Icon,’ sending strong hope and energy to music fans worldwide.”
“Wish” Debut Review
“Wish” by NCT Wish is a hip-hop-focused track that meets a cute concept. The vibes of the track are as if NCT 127 and NCT DREAM had a child. “Wish” has an ethereal bright vibe, showcasing the group’s youthfulness. While the verses and pre-choruses are on the calm side, there is an addictive, explosive chorus. The singular thing they should have included within the track: a classic SM Entertainment bridge with amazing vocal showcasing. There are two versions of the music video, with one being Korean and the other Japanese.
The song tells the story of wishing for future success and going along for the journey ahead. This message is seen in the lyrics, “Future’s in my hands. It’s my wish (All my wish). Hey, we are NCT WISH. Uh, uh, uh, uh.”
NCT Wish’s concept is age-appropriate, and they have a very catchy debut song. They are showing promise and will be the first NCT unit to try to conquer two Asian markets at once. This track showed off their effortless rapping and stunning vocals perfectly. SM Entertainment has set the members up for success with this debut, which definitely deserves a listen.
B-side “Sail Away” Review
“Sail Away” came out in the same format, with Korean and Japanese versions. It is a cute song but doesn’t stand out compared to “Wish.” The song showcases their vocal abilities better with impressive high notes but lacks some substance. They should’ve continued that ’80s/’90s sounding concept from “Wish” with maybe a synth-pop track.
The story of “Sail Away” is a continuation of “Wish,” talking about the possibilities of the future of this group. They have a bright outlook on debuting and they believe in themselves enough to take over the industry with each release. The Genius-translated lyrics show this concept, especially in the refrain. In the refrain, it translates to, “The future shining on the compass faraway, but it’s good (Let’s find out). The bird flying above my head freely into the sky (Go higher).”
Overall, NCT Wish shows great promise with this debut. They are going to be the next talked-about group with more releases to come. Are you tuning into this debut?
