#WelcomeBackLucas: Fans celebrate NCT member’s first Instagram update after hiatus

On February 9, NCT’s Lucas posted a black-and-white photo of the sea and sunset on his official Instagram account, signifying his return to the group’s official activities. SM Entertainment announced his hiatus on August 25 last year, after the idol was caught in a notorious scandal.

After nearly five and a half months, Lucas performed public and official activity on Instagram, letting fans know about his comeback. Fans eagerly awaiting his return soon started trending #WelcomeBackLucas to show their unlimited support.

NCT’s Lucas posts an update on Instagram marking his return to group activities

The fandom is in utter joy as a surprise update from NCT's Lucas signifying his comeback has left them exhilarated. The last activity of the idol was a handwritten apology letter for his "past behavior" regarding the ex-girlfriend's scandal.

Lucas uploaded a black-and-white photo without any caption. The post currently has 537,650+ comments, and most of them are filled with "Miss you," crying, and heart emojis. Fans also wrote heartfelt letters expressing their support for the idol.

The idol created quite a buzz on social media, especially Twitter and the Chinese app Weibo. 'Huang Xuxi Instagram update' overtook the 2022 Beijing Olympics update and ranked No. 1 on the Weibo search results. Huang Xuxi is one of the two Chinese names of Lucas. #LUCAS ranks No. 1 and 'OUR SUNSHINE IS BACK' No. 11 on worldwide Twitter trends charts.

Lucas, a member of SuperM and NCT’s Chinese sub-unit WayV, was about to release a song with member Hendery titled Jalapeño before his scandal broke out.

The song’s release was put on hold, and Lucas was given an indefinite hiatus. The concept photos for Jalapeño, posted before his apology, are filled with ‘come back’ and ‘we miss you’ messages, too, now.

Due to the hiatus, the idol was absent from multiple merchandise and album releases of NCT. The 2022 Season's Greetings, SM's Halloween party, a full-group merchandise drop, and Universe, an album where all subunits come together under one release, did not include a single trace of Lucas.

With each release came the wrath of fans demanding a clear statement regarding his ex-girlfriends' scandal and a definite period of hiatus.

NCT Lucas’ ex-girlfriend scandal

On August 23, a Twitterati, claiming to be Lucas’ ex-girlfriend, alleged that the idol gaslit her and used her for her money. Another netizen claimed to be his ex-girlfriend and alleged that he leeched her off too. A third and final alleged ex-girlfriend claimed he cheated on her with someone else after being intimate with her.

The controversy took place in a matter of days and divided the fandom in half. Some believed the many proofs the alleged ex-girlfriends posted, while others “debunked” them on their own. SM Entertainment halted Lucas’ activities after the scandal without any detailed announcement.

About the author

Afreen has been a K-Pop Content Specialist at Sportskeeda since 2021. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, along with a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication. Afreen has over 4+ years of working in various positions including being an entertainment content writer with Pinkvilla’s K-pop division Hallyutalk and CineDope, and as a copywriter at Flying Cursor.

As per Afreen, she loves her work because she gets to write about the things she is obsessed with. Her thorough research and following the two-genuine-source rule of journalism helps her produce the most accurate content, along with helping her be up-to-date with the industry.

Afreen has had the privilege to interview The Rose's frontrunner, WOOSUNG, and LIONESSES, K-pop's first openly LGBTQ+ group. She is a big fan of SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, BTS, and The Rose for their hard work, sincerity, and the comic relief their shows provide.

When she is off her shift, Afreen explores the streets of Nottingham in the UK, cooks, and listens to new music.

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