SM Entertainment has partnered up with Kakao Entertainment to launch a webtoon and web novel for their K-pop boy groups NCT and RIIZE, respectively.
On Thursday, August 17, Kakao Entertainment announced the news, saying that the projects will be in commemoration of NCT’s upcoming album and RIIZE’s anticipated debut.
NCT X 카카오엔터테인먼트 컬래버레이션!
‘NCT 세계관 IP’ 웹툰으로 재탄생!
8월 18일 오후 10시 첫 공개! 북미, 일본 등 글로벌 동시 오픈!https://t.co/GYmG5Cnj7m#NCT #Dream_Contact#Webtoon #SMCU #kakao— NCT (@NCTsmtown) August 17, 2023
As for NCT, the full group will be releasing their fourth studio album Golden Age on August 28. All 20 members of NCT’s different subgroups; NCT 127, NCT Dream, and WayV, will take part in the album.
Additionally, the album will have two title tracks, including the full unit song “Golden Age.” Prior to the album release, NCT will also hold their first-ever offline concert as a full group on August 26.
As for RIIZE, the seven-piece act will debut on September 4 with the single album Get A Guitar. Interestingly, RIIZE will serve as the agency’s first boy group in seven years following NCT.
What we know about NCT’s webtoon and RIIZE’s web novel
According to a press release, the webtoon about NCT will be titled NCT: Dream Contact, while RIIZE’s web novel is called Rise & Realize.
For NCT: Dream Contact, it’s going to be an omnibus-style webtoon that has a total of five episodes. It will follow NCT’s concept of people empathizing through dreams and becoming one through music.
Writers ZQ, Seogeul, and Kim Ho Ae are in charge of the production. NCT: Dream Contact will be released simultaneously in Japan and North America via via Kakao Webtoon and Kakao Page at August 18, 10 pm.
.@NCTsmtown and @RIIZE_official from @SMTOWNGLOBAL collaborated with Kakao Entertainment! 🎉 The webtoon "#NCT: Dream Contact" will be out at 10PM (KST) on Aug 18 on @kakaowebtoon_kr & @kakaopage and the web novel "#RISEandREALIZE" the next day on #kakaopage! #RIIZE pic.twitter.com/CHw1zC4opb
— SPOTV ent. (@SPOTVent_KPOPUP) August 17, 2023
On the other hand, Rise and Realize will be a web novel that have a total of eight episodes. It will be released on Kakao Page every Saturday starting August 19.
Moreover, Rise and Realize will see the members of RIIZE as characters in the novel as they try to overcome growing pains. Writer No Gon and illustrator Nak Di created the novel.
Furthermore, Kakao Entertainment expressed that it’s a “meaningful” collaboration with SM Entertainment.
“We plan to continue to carry out various projects on storytelling IP targeting the global market in the future,” they said.
Featured image: SM Entertainment’s boy groups NCT and RIIZE will be having their webtoon and web novels. Credit: Twitter/SPOTV
