"I'm so happy for them": Netizens react as SM Entertainment gears up to debut new seven-member boy group with former NCT members and SMROOKIES

On July 12, 2023, it was revealed that SM Entertainment is currently gearing up to debut a new seven-member K-pop boy group in September of this year, as per Sports Chosun. The lineup includes former NCT members, Sungchan and Shotaro, and the SMROOKIES, Shohei, Eunseok, and Seunghan, along with two other hidden members, and the news has left fans excited.

The report also stated that the seven members are currently in Los Angeles, U.S., where they are filming the music video for their debut album's title track. While many were concerned about Sungchan and Shotaro's careers after their departure from NCT, they were relieved to hear about their upcoming debut.

"I'm so emotional" - Fans react as SM Entertainment set to debut former NCT members and SMROOKIES together in September

Sungchan and Shotaro were introduced as the new NCT members in 2020, during the group's annual album release with all its 23 members. However, the two were the only members who were not put under a fixed unit (like NCT 127, NCT DREAM, and WayV) and their schedules were rather minimal.

While fans were hoping that the two would be put under a unit soon, they were shocked when news about the two members leaving NCT surfaced online. SM Entertainment stated at the time that instead of NCT, the two members will debut in a separate boy group, which is what they are currently gearing up to do.

The SMROOKIES, Shohei, Eunseok, and Seunghan, who were introduced last year, will also debut along with them.

SM Entertainment always introduces their new artist before revealing the group they will be performing under. SMROOKIES won fans over with their content in variety shows and performances of NCT covers during SMTOWN Live Concert.

Since SMROOKIES and the former NCT members have collaborated on many of their schedules, fans are excited to see them debut together.

SM Entertainment's debut boy groups are called 'SMNBG,' which stands for SM New Boy Group. The agency uses the term to reveal the upcoming debut of their boy groups before the official promotions begin. Several netizens took to social media as the news of the upcoming debut made headlines and expressed their excitement about the same.

Though it's not been revealed yet, many suspect that the two hidden members of SM Entertainment's upcoming boy group will be the newly introduced SMROOKIES. About two weeks ago, Yushi and Sion, were revealed as the newest artists of the company. While an official announcement has not been made yet, fans are excited to see the members finally kickstart their careers as official K-pop idols.

The upcoming debut will mark SM Entertainment's first boy group debut in about seven years. The last boy group that the agency rolled out was the much-loved NCT.

Fans are over the moon about the fact that many familiar faces will finally be making their debut with a permanent group, and are excited to see what they bring to the table this September.

About the author

Aishwarya is a pop culture writer who covers K-drama and K-pop at Sportskeeda. After completing her Bachelor's in English and Communication Skills, she sought a job that allowed her to explore her passion, and being a K-pop and K-drama reporter felt like the ideal fit. Aishwarya has 3 years of experience under her belt and previously took on several internships in the industry that further motivated her in choosing writing as a career.

Aishwarya believes in conducting extensive research and verifying facts with the help of reputable sources to produce accurate articles. She also spends a significant amount of time on Twitter to understand how netizens are reacting to the latest trends in the industry before crafting her content.

She admires SUGA from BTS for his dedication to his work and aspires to immerse herself into the things she loves, just like him. If she could go back in time, she would jump at the opportunity to be part of ""Reply 1988,"" a K-drama set in a time when neighborhood relationships were cherished and interpersonal connections were of utmost importance. Although she loves how technology has advanced, she would also love to experience living in an era before it was invented.

When Aishwarya's not writing and reading about the latest developments in the industry, she spends her time crocheting, sketching, cycling, reading Mangas, and cooking.

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