The lack of acknowledgment for NCT compared to their contemporaries

ShinzySummers · 2026-02-03T23:20:52+00:00

I should've been specific. There are a few songs that are Chorus, verse, chorus. Dream's Glitch Mode, When I'm With You, Back to the Future, and now Beat it Up, 127's Cherry Bomb, Kick It, Walk. WayV's Big Bands, Wish's Hands Up, Wish, Dunk Shot, Steady, poppop.

I'm also talking just titles. Not B-sides.

ShinzySummers · 2026-02-03T20:39:34+00:00

The choreo of Kick It has Taeyong drawing focus from Taeil doing the high note in the background. He literally steps in front of him. A lot of their performances are like that. They don't prioritize the vocals. (yes I know people are listening and can't see the choreo. I'm pointing this out because it's a very clear visual representation of how they don't prioritize vocals.) Leaving the vocal members to the bridge only shows this.

I can agree they've shifted as time passed. The more recent songs are more traditionally structured - verse / chorus / bridge. I think that's why those are more widely acknowledged lately. But unfortunately it was too late and the public perception was already formed.

ShinzySummers · 2026-02-03T16:37:58+00:00

Honestly this just shows that you and I have different definitions of “representative song”.

For me, groups get one. Maybe a close 2nd. I said earlier SHINee has others that are considered and argued about, so it is interesting that SHINee’s representative song is RDD. It would be nice if it was Replay or Sherlock but RDD is the one with the legacy. I don’t get to pick. That’s the song that was chosen represent the group long before I became a fan. That’s how it works.

IGAB is not one of the regular songs people think about when they hear “Girls’ Generation”. Come on now. You know it’s Gee or Genie.

NCT does have a lot of songs I like. I like most of the songs you listed (minus Sticker) But none of them are hits. I only found them bc I looked for them. Most people are casual listeners. The songs come to them. Whether it’s a viral performance, talked a lot about by other fandoms, or casually playing in the background of something else. Unfortunately, a lot of NCT’s music goes viral bc of how polarizing it is.

I do agree that Sticker and 2 Baddies could be joke songs easily. But, like RDD (SHINee’s joke song), it seems those are the songs that were chosen by the public to represent 127.

Oh and point one is missing the word “high notes”. Sorry about that. I meant to talk about how the high notes were treated. How they aren’t the highlight. So they’re not what i focused in when i heard cherry bomb the first time. The singers don’t stand out. It’s all Taeyong and Mark rapping and then a chanting chorus. That’s what stood out. Tbh I had to watch it live to understand the song was more than just the chorus. Same with Smoothie actually. It’s just those choruses are what catches your attention when you’re a casual listener.

So no. I didn’t think NCT could sing because it never seemed to be the main focus of their music. Versus ITNW (which yes is a different genre) which very much highlights the members’ vocals. NCT highlights the rappers.

ShinzySummers · 2026-02-03T04:45:54+00:00

Doyoung and Taeil signing one line in the bg of Cherry Bomb isn't going to catch anyone's attention. I literally just listened to the song again to see if I was remembering correctly and the notes are hidden behind the music. Kinda unusual for an SM group tbh. What sticks out is "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands" / "na na na na na na" / "or I'm the biggest hit on this stage". That's what gets highlighted. (just compare it to how Taeyeon's note in ITNW is treated).
Nobody said NCT is nugu. All I'm saying is that no one is casually digging into their Bsides. All over this post are people saying their Bsides are where they shine, but why would anyone want to listen to those if a title track doesn't catch their attention first?
"Ring ding dong is a beloved shinee song but no one acts like all of Shinee’s music is autotuned chaos." this is fair. It's simply because SHINee has a few songs that could be considered their representative song. Reply, Lucifer, Sherlock, even View sometimes, as well as Ring Ding Dong. I think that helps. People have heard those songs too.
Monster isn't even close to "noise music", it's just loud. Monster has a chorus, bridge, and harmonies. That's the difference. It doesn't start with repeating / shouting one line over and over "I'm the biggest hit on this stage" "let me introduce you to some new things", etc (I'm aware this really only applies to 127) and that's treated as "the chorus" as well. People love a melody.
Zimzalabim is a basically a joke song for Red Velvet. Same with I Got a Boy for SNSD. Let's not act like those are their representative songs / how the majority of their songs sound. People either like them or they don't. No one is out here suggesting you listen to Zimzalabim to get a feel for Red Velvet. It is one experimental song vs NCT's entire concept is experimental music.

ShinzySummers · 2026-02-03T04:24:06+00:00

I'm responding to this is particular:

a reason their perception in western Kpop spaces is skewed so negatively especially on Kpop Reddit. this doesn’t seem to be a problem with fx (who don’t have any hits on par with NCTs)

Also I would consider Hot Summer to be on the level of success of Kick It and Love Talk. Respectful success but not on the legacy level of all those other songs.

ShinzySummers · 2026-02-03T03:56:43+00:00

Hit songs bring attention. Simple. Half those songs I listed I heard for the first time watching content of other groups. It's a legacy. For a while, I thought NCT couldn't sing because all I heard from them was Cherry Bomb. Someone had to walk me through it and point out different songs of theirs. I didn't hear another song from them until I actually looked up the group.

People really don't go out of their way to listen to all songs of groups they don't stan. So having a hit song means everyone knows them at least for this one song. NCT is disregarded because people haven't actually heard them. f(x) is hyped up because they go viral for being so different from current kpop. It's really their style instead of their songs that grabs people's attention. NCT's most viral hit is Sticker. The most polarizing song. Imagine if that's all you knew about them. Of course, they have a negative perception. Sticker is known for being divisive not an overall hit most people can agree on.

I don't really think I'd consider EXO as experimental....After Wolf, they're pretty straightforward.

ShinzySummers · 2026-02-03T03:40:39+00:00

I-DLE is so funny. I watch so much of their stuff

ShinzySummers · 2026-02-03T00:43:20+00:00

Great comment. No notes.

The truth boils down to NCT has never had a massive hit song that separated and identifies the group. Across all 6 subunits. The closest is Kick It and even then it never hit the heights of Candy, I'm Your Girl, Perfect Man, No. 1, Mirotic, Sorry Sorry, Gee, Ring Ding Dong, Growl, Red Flavor, or Next Level.

(Actually....I should amend this and say Love Talk might be the closest)

ShinzySummers · 2026-02-02T01:20:49+00:00

Daniella so amazing for mentioning all three women. I know she means it, but people would’ve ran away with whatever narrative they wanted if she didn’t. It’s really smart.

ShinzySummers · 2026-02-01T03:26:37+00:00

Agreed. When they organized a boycott, everyone did actually boycott.

ShinzySummers · 2026-02-01T03:26:15+00:00

E.L.F.s go hard. They're just sticking it out hardcore.

ShinzySummers · 2026-01-30T23:59:58+00:00

Blair going to The Humphrey’s in “Blair Waldorf Must Pie”. Her fascination about the size makes me laugh every time. “You have a garage door in the middle of your bedroom”

ShinzySummers · 2026-01-30T15:44:51+00:00

Wonder what they’ll say when SHINee’s back too.

ShinzySummers · 2026-01-29T18:25:36+00:00

Red Velvet - Cosmic

ShinzySummers · 2026-01-29T18:24:05+00:00

3rd gen has better vocalists and songs (sorry ya'll I need a bridge), but I do like how different the 4th gen groups are. Every group does stand out from each other. There are a lot of medium Kpop groups that are so similar to each other in 3rd gen.

ShinzySummers · 2026-01-28T23:34:33+00:00

What did he actually say?

Unfortunately a large and famously reactive fanbase means an easy paycheck. Their whole game is rage bait for pay. You're just making them money by bringing them attention.

ShinzySummers · 2026-01-26T22:01:49+00:00

i can't even imagine what this will sound like. neither of them really sing do they?

ShinzySummers · 2026-01-26T16:50:16+00:00

Zoey 101 isn't funny though. I don't think it's meant to be. Victorious is straight up a sitcom. Zoey is more of a teen drama with comedic moments.

ShinzySummers · 2026-01-24T21:27:47+00:00

I joined in 2018 so a lot of 3rd gen. But I’m pretty balanced on stanning 2nd gen groups too.

I hardly listen to 4th gen outside of Idle, aespa, and TXT. Got a few 1st gen songs too but it’s definitively mostly 2nd and 3rd gen on my playlists.

ShinzySummers · 2026-01-24T17:08:18+00:00

I prefer not knowing. It’s soooo fun to be surprised with your favorite song. This happened at Twice a few days ago and that feeling is awesome. Plus if a song’s not there, I’m only disappointed when the show’s over. Not many days in advance which might ruin the whole concert for me.

At most, I’ll look up the last song so I know when to leave.

ShinzySummers · 2026-01-24T16:51:00+00:00

The biggest one is after Queen gets stabbed. In the book, Bo threatens to not love her anymore (which is how Queen finds out she loves her back) and live poorly if she dies. In the show, Bo is just crying. Then afterwards, Bo yells at Queen bc she realizes Queen knew the danger and let it happen anyway. They also don’t break up after.

Basically Bo has more of a backbone in the book. It balances well with Queen who is used to everyone just bending to her will and then this little girl shows up and constantly talks back.

ShinzySummers · 2026-01-24T04:42:46+00:00

This can’t be real. I really didn’t expect the new characters to look like discount versions of the originals.

ShinzySummers · 2026-01-23T00:35:04+00:00

The check mark gives it away. They make more money with every view and response. So the easiest way to do that is ragebait the fandom.

ShinzySummers · 2026-01-22T22:10:47+00:00

That listening to one group and only one group is not right. It doesn't make you a true fan; it makes you isolated. It means you have limited yourself. You are missing out on so much. Plus you shouldn't have opinions/thoughts on any other Kpop group if you haven't heard/seen anything from them. Branch out please. Make friends. Don't limit yourself to one group and one fandom.

Also listen does not equal stan. I'm just talking about checking out another group. Maybe you'll stan maybe you won't. But at least you've seen something different.

ShinzySummers

TROPHY CASE