Boy band NCT Wish celebrated its first anniversary by expressing pride in its swift growth and assured fans it would continue to improve, according to SM Entertainment on Friday.

“As we have run together toward the same dreams and goals, our team has grown stronger and more united throughout our first year as NCT Wish,” said member Riku in a press release.

"I'm excited for our team to flourish even more this year."


“Our performances are becoming more diverse, and our friendship is deepening, making this journey truly meaningful,” said Jaehee. “Personally, I’ve noticed that I’m getting faster at taking direction during recordings, and seeing my own growth makes me feel proud.”

NCT Wish made a record-breaking debut in 2024, surpassing 800,000 copies in both preorders and album sales with its first EP “Steady,” released in September last year, according to SM Entertainment. The group won numerous rookie awards at various major music awards ceremonies.

“We sincerely thank all the Czennies [NCT Wish’s fandom] who have loved and supported us over the past year, as well as everyone who has helped us along the way,” said Riku. “We hope to create many more fun and happy memories together with our members and Czennies.”

“This year, we want to share more of NCT Wish’s unique emotions through high-quality music and performances,” said Sion. “We’ll do our best to showcase our distinct characters to a wider audience and make 2025 a year where even more people can join us on this journey.”

Known as Gen Z icons, NCT Wish has actively engaged with fans through social media content and short videos since its debut.

“We love searching for videos that suit us or brainstorming content ideas we want to try,” said Yushi.

“We genuinely enjoy the process, and that happiness naturally comes through in our videos.”

“Even though it’s only been a year since our debut, it feels like we’re gradually establishing our own identity, and I’m grateful for that,” said Jaehee. “I sincerely thank all the Czennies for loving us just as we are.”

NCT Wish is the final subunit of NCT. The group debuted with its first single, “Wish,” released digitally in both Japan and Korea on Feb. 28 last year. It consists of four Japanese members — Riku, Yushi, Ryo and Sakuya — and two Korean members, Sion and Jaehee.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [yoon.seungjin@joongang.co.kr]