Some K-pop groups take time to find success, while others make it big soon after their debut. NCT WISH, the latest sub-unit of the SM Entertainment boy group NCT, falls into the latter category. This sextet, consisting of members Jaehee, Riku, Ryo, Sakuya, Sion, and Yushi, won a rookie award just 50 days after their debut. On April 10, NCT WISH bagged the Best New Artist trophy at the 2024 Asia Star Entertainer Awards (ASEA). The ceremony was held at the Yokohama K-Arena in Japan.
@mybrii7_ent Congratulations to #NCTWISH for winning Best New Artist at ASEA 2024! 🌟🏆💚#NCTWISH #wishzen #Kpopfyp @NCT Official
In his acceptance speech, the group’s leader Sion said: “Thank you to our SMTOWN hyungs and noonas, Neo Production hyungs and noonas, our BoA–noona, and our fans, Czennies, for making it possible for us to receive an award at the first ceremony we attended. After receiving this award, we will continue to work harder and have fun. Let’s stay together for a long time! And lastly, our members! I never had the chance to express my gratitude to the members during an acceptance speech. Thank you all, I love you!”
Yushi stepped up to the mic after Sion finished speaking. “Hello, this is NCT WISH’s Yushi,” he said in Japanese. “It hasn’t even been two months since we debuted, so thank you for giving us such a great award. We will continue to work hard with the members in the future too, so please support us.”
Hands Up + Wish ‘ASEA: Asia Star Entertainer Awards 2024 ’ [240410]
NCT WISH put on spectacular performances
Aside from taking home the Best New Artist award (which they shared with TWS and ZEROBASEONE), NCT WISH put on two spectacular performances. First, they treated the crowd to renditions of their debut track “Wish” and their pre-debut song “Hands Up.” An article posted on SM Entertainment’s official site after the ceremony described their performance as brimming with “hopeful energy and refreshing charm.” It also noted that they elicited “enthusiastic responses from the audience.”
Additionally, NCT WISH dazzled the fans with a dance medley. They grooved to Girls’ Generation‘s “Genie,” SHINee’s “Lucifer,” Super Junior’s “Sorry, Sorry,” the Japanese version of TVXQ’s “MIROTIC,” and EXO’s “Growl.”
ASEA 2024 Special Stage | Genie + Lucifer + Sorry Sorry + Mirotic + Growl
After making their debut with a performance at the Tokyo Dome, NCT WISH made a splash on the charts in Japan and South Korea. Remarkably, they secured a win on a Korean music show a mere eight days into their promotional activities. Grammy.com also included the group in its list of “11 K-pop Newcomers to Watch in 2024.” Talk about walking on the flower path! – K-Pop News Writer
Featured Image: It didn’t take NCT WISH long to bring home the bacon, so to speak. Source: SM Entertainment.
