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NCT Hollywood

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NCT (Korean: 엔시티) is a South Korean boy group formed by SM Entertainment. NCT stands for Neo Culture Technology. The group is divided into multiple sub-units. Since the group's initial introduction by their native label's founder in January 2016, the group consists of 23 members as of April 2021, ranging from their late-teens to mid-twenties and participating in a total of four different sub-units.

SM Entertainment is teaming up with MGM Television Worldwide Group and Digital to create an all new K-Pop competition show to form the first K-Pop boy group that will be based in the U.S.⁣

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The group will be joining NCT 127, NCT U, NCT DREAM, and WayV as NCT Hollywood, a new NCT subunit. The competition will be scouting young men between 13 and 25 years old. The show will be taking place in Seoul, where contestants will compete and train, and be mentored by SM Entertainment’s founder Lee Sooman and a few NCT members.⁣

A couple of days back, SM Entertainment, home to groups like NCT, EXO and SHINee teamed up with MGM Worldwide Television Group to create a K-pop audition program in the United States. The program’s goal is to launch a K-pop boy group that will focus its promotions in the United States. The new sub-unit will be called NCT-Hollywood and the audition program will recruit American males aged between 13 to 25 years of age. The contestants will be tested out in areas of singing, dancing, performance and presentation in a 'boot-style' camp at SM's headquarters in Seoul. The current NCT members will participate as judges and mentors.

Stan twitter launched into a collective meltdown as NCT dominated top Twitter trends! Fans aren't exactly happy with SM Entertainment's plans to launch NCT Hollywood, and their concerns are valid. It is obvious that SM Entertainment is taking this step, considering SuperM members are either busy pursuing solo ventures or are serving in the military. SM Entertainment wants one foot in America and NCT is their best bet. But, we personally believe it is not the wisest decision and here's why.

1. Too many cooks spoil the broth

NCT already has 23 members in their main group and if more members are added it will create unnecessary chaos and commotion. The main leader of NCT is Taeyong, who might have to deal with the extra burden of dealing with new joinees in their team, and frankly, it is unfair to him. Also, as the popular adage goes, too many cooks spoil the broth.

2. Loss of identity

New fans, who are unfamiliar with K-pop are apprehensive about getting into K-pop because they get overwhelmed with the mammoth sizes of K-pop groups. Unlike, western groups which have roughly 4 to 5 members in one team, however, in K-pop it is perfectly normal to have bigger groups. Adding more members to the current NCT will take away from their core identity as an Asian group.

3. Representation

In a presentation conference, SM Entertainment announced that they were planning to expand NCT across Asia with NCT Thailand, NCT Japan, NCT South East Asia and so on. However, the straight jump to create possibly an all-caucasian group is baffling and ridiculous. Hollywood already has enough representation, they don't need more, and certainly not as a merger with K-pop!

4. Let K-pop be

While we understand the world's fascination with K-pop, audiences forget that it takes years of practice, extensive training, hard work and sacrifices to debut as a K-pop idol! While, there is no problem with companies debuting foreign members in a K-pop group (something like Z-Boys and Z-Girls), creating a group to debut American male artists is unjust! It is important to take K-pop as a whole, instead of conveniently choosing aspects that suit your circumstances.

5. Creativity > Commerce

Elucidating a previously stated point, there is no harm in debuting foreign members, but debut them as a separate group and let the chosen trainees go through the rigours and hardships of K-pop training. It is sad how NCT is used as a tool of experimentation and generating profits, instead of nurturing their current creative strengths.

6. One Asia focus

SM Entertainment should focus on expanding NCT in Asia. Ours is a big continent with enormous untapped potential. It would be nice if they bring NCT Japan, NCT Thailand to fruition and who knows, NCT India someday. We choose that!

Of course, we await more detailed information from this venture and hope for better Asian representation.

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While HYBE (previously known as Big Hit Entertainment) announced in February 2021 their strategic partnership with Universal Music Group to debut a global boy group in 2022, this partnership between SM Entertainment and American company MGM to create a U.S. based K-Pop group is the first of its kind.⁣
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This unprecedented competition show will be joining MGM’s impressive list of shows such as NBC’s The Voice and ABC’s Shark Tank, and be under their same production teams. This move is the first of many, as the globalization of K-Pop gains more momentum.⁣

Reaction To The News:-

Many people disliked this news. Most anticipated for the NCT Japan, which was promised by SM. Few even commented saying, 'You created Super M to reach out the western audience, so why NCT Hollywood.'

Few even in a jocular way commented saying, 'I don't want someone to call Park Jisung, hyung.'

Few even feared of rising koreaboos or anti-asians inside NCT who might potentially bully the main members.

Personally, I agree with everyone commented above. I, strongly, believe this idea shouldn't have started. But let's see how this goes and hoping for a better outcome than expected.

Source: pinkvilla

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-from Kpop house studio-