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SM Entertainment launches a reality show to select the members of boy band NCT’s newest sub-group.
“NCT Universe: LASTART”, the first reality show from SM Entertainment choose Members of the latest sub-group of boy band NCT, will air July 27 in South Korea, Japan and the United States. The show will debut trainees from SM Entertainment as NCT’s final permanent subgroup, one of three new groups the agency is launching this year.
Twenty-piece boy band NCT are known for their unique sub-group system, in which members are divided into smaller groups groups within the band. The groups are NCT 127, NCT Dream, WayV and the newest, NCT New Team – a working title.
Named after the longitude of Seoul, NCT 127 is the band’s Seoul-based sub-group. WayV is SM Entertainment’s Chinese audience-focused sub-group, while NCT Dream consists of the boy band’s seven youngest members.
LASTART, a portmanteau of LAST and START, marks the end of NCT’s seemingly never-ending expansion and the beginning of a new sub-group. The project will feature the rookie teams featured in the previously released video SM 3.0: New IP 2023 ‘ by SM Entertainment.
Apprentices are selected as debut members after completing missions. Super Junior’s veteran SM Entertainment artists BoA and Eunhyuk will serve as artistic directors, hosting the show and judging the performances. Other artists from the agency will also appear throughout the series.
“The show offers viewers a glimpse into SM Entertainment’s new (idol) group formation process that has never been revealed before, showcasing the make-up of the members, behind-the-scenes practice sessions and the process of forming the final team members,” says the Agency.
The first episode of NCT Universe: LASTART will air on July 27 and is available on Korean cable network ENA, Japan’s Nippon TV and Hulu in the US. More information on availability will follow.