Czennies, which era do you think was more important for NCT's growth?

    Vote! 19

    1. NCT 127 Kick It era (13) 68%
    2. NCT 2020 Resonance era (5) 26%
    3. Other (1) 5%

    I'm only providing these only two options because they seem to be the most talked about by fans and non-fans.


    Most people seem to lean towards Resonance, but I personally believe Kick It brought in more fans (myself included). Based on my own observations, an interesting portion of international fans seem to have become fans through Kick It then they started getting interested in other sub-units. NCT 127's growth during Kick It on an international scale seems also to be related to their US promos before 2020 when you take into consideration that Neozone sold 83k copies on the first week in the US.


    Feel free to correct me or add more info!


    Edited once, last by NEO ().

    Kick It kick started it, but NCT 2020 solidified for the whole group if that makes sense. Honestly just the steady stream of content made them the perfect group for people to discover during lockdown. In addition to all of the content they already had, you had a near constant stream of things to look forward to in NCity.


    I mean look at the timeline in 2020


    February - Neo Zone teasers start with a track video for every song, teaser photos, youtube content

    March - Kick It released and promotions begin

    April - Announcement that Mark is returning to Dream - NCT Dream releases Ridin'

    May - NCT 127 releases Punch

    June - WayV releases Turn Back Time

    July - WayV promotes Bad Alive

    August - First NCT 2020 teaser drops and WayV officially becomes part of NCT

    September - NCT 2020 teasers begin

    October - Resonance Part 1 with Make a Wish and From Home

    November - Resonance Part 2 with 90s Love and Work It

    December - Resonance performance video, joint MAMA stage, Gayo appearances


    NCT started releasing regularly monthly content and actually working their system to become the perfect k-pop distraction during the pandemic. We already know the kpop fan size exploded during the pandemic as people started seeking out new things to fill their time at home.


    TL;DR: Kick It was the flint and NCT 2020 was the kindling. They all worked their butts off in 2020 to build where they are now in 2022.

    NCT Dream's We Boom by 2019 actually didn't sell that much, I remember it sold like 340k by then, which really emphasizes how big the increase was when 127 sold +750k with Neo Zone after the first month, I feel like Dream had a more upwards trajectory after 127's Superhuman whole mess but Neo Zone arrived just at the proper time: the most important NCT song on Korea and successful enough to gain some international attention too. Also just when the pandemic was starting... it really made more people curious about NCT, and their videos on NCT daily and such content helped a lot.

    I feel like Resonance was the confirmation that the brand was huge, but I think Kick It is what completely changed the destiny and the image of the NCT brand; is what made them blow within the K-pop context and make an statement of "here we are" after a 2019 where it seemed like the brand was kinda getting stagnant.

    Resonance did made them all million sellers and made a 2nd push to both 127 and Dream to move insane numbers, and definitely helped WayV to gather more attention, but Neo Zone was THE trigger imo, just at the right time.

    Agreed. The amount of content we got in 2020 played a huge role in their growth. All the unit crossover content might have helped solo sub-unit stans (127zens, Dreamzens etc) warm up to the other sub-units.


    We can't deny Make a Wish brought in a lot of fans as well. It's a hugely appreciated song.

    Quote from JustWhatIThink

    NCT Dream's We Boom by 2019 actually didn't sell that much, I remember it sold like 340k by then, which really emphasizes how big the increase was when 127 sold +750k with Neo Zone after the first month, I feel like Dream had a more upwards trajectory after 127's Superhuman whole mess but Neo Zone arrived just at the proper time: the most important NCT song on Korea and successful enough to gain some international attention too. Also just when the pandemic was starting... it really made more people curious about NCT, and their videos on NCT daily and such content helped a lot.

    I feel like Resonance was the confirmation that the brand was huge, but I think Kick It is what completely changed the destiny and the image of the NCT brand; is what made them blow within the K-pop context and make an statement of "here we are" after a 2019 where it seemed like the brand was kinda getting stagnant.

    Resonance did made them all million sellers and made a 2nd push to both 127 and Dream to move insane numbers, and definitely helped WayV to gather more attention, but Neo Zone was THE trigger imo, just at the right time.

    When I read articles about NCT, most of them mention how the daily content helped solidify their brand and fanbase. It was a good stress relief during that time of the pandemic, when everything was more chaotic than ever.


    The Universe era was a huge letdown in this aspect. Hopefully they'll at the very least give us Mark Awards and the relay cams.


    I remember they dropped the Mark Awards vid at the same time SMA was being aired and that was pretty funny. They'll not be attending GDA this year even though both sub-units are huge sellers, so I hope we'll get something as a replacement. :saint:


    Resonance was really THAT era.

    Actually my favorite project overall was Empathy, maybe also because nostalgia, but remembering about the rumours of the Boss unit + Ten filming on a library on Ukraine and those aesthetics, and also NCT Dream filming Go on LA with also a type of MV I loved, that was something else...

    I wish we weren't on a global pandemic because imagine units filming on different places for these projects nowadays... it would be crazy.

    Quote from JustWhatIThink

    Actually my favorite project overall was Empathy, maybe also because nostalgia, but remembering about the rumours of the Boss unit + Ten filming on a library on Ukraine and those aesthetics, and also NCT Dream filming Go on LA with also a type of MV I loved, that was something else...

    I wish we weren't on a global pandemic because imagine units filming on different places for these projects nowadays... it would be crazy.

    Oh I absolutely the GO MV for its aesthetics as well. It has a 90s throwback feel to it, but still pretty modern.


    It was quite frustrating when 127 had to cancel their in-person concerts in Japan a couple weeks ago. It'd be meaningful for Yuta to perform his solo in his home country. This pandemic is really putting a lot of their projects on hold.


    And that's what gives the MV for Beautiful a very meaningful aspect. It was nice to see all of them outside.

  • AllKill VIP

    Neozone for sure, the song did a little buzz among the kpop community

    and it was release before the whole quarantine, and i know a lot of people who liked Kick it and use the quarantine to watch some NCT content on their channel


    they were already a million seller with neozone before resonance

    resonance just confirm the fact that NCT was rising really fast

    I think Kick It was really the perfect storm - everyone was locking down and it was getting anxious and here came this wildly colorful, eye-catching and fun video and song to provide a mental break in a difficult moment. Stack onto that boredom-anxiety a LOT of silly and engaging content and I think you have a definite recipe for growth on an already interested fanbase.


    I think Resonance really solidified that growth - it was built up as an EVENT and I think the profile that Kick It elevated only got increased. There are people who came in during Resonance, yes, but I think what Resonance really did was lock in those people who came floating in from Kick It or Ridin or Turn Back Time or even SuperM. The biggest challenge a brand has is sustaining that interest after the initial interest. How do you keep people engaged?


    The fact that NCT social content builds on other social content feeds that relationship between brand and consumer: “you listen to me.” They are in on the joke and participating: look no further than a whole web series about members not knowing each other well. ^^

    ..............................................................................................................perfume

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    Quote from CITY

    Still trying to figure out how to subtly get my brother to check out Kick It and think it was his idea :sehunthinking:

    I already told you to condition him while he's asleep and then one day he'll be like "what's that song that goes bukubuku bowbow??"

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