SM Entertainment's Latest "NCT" Copyrights Raise Questions

NCT NEW TEAM hasn’t debuted just yet, but the six-membered group is quite active in pushing pre-debut promotions. As NCT’s final expansion, this “Japan Team” has forever been building anticipation…

…with its official team name rumored to be “NCT Tokyo.”

SM Entertainment‘s latest copyrighting applications, however, hint otherwise—and K-Pop fans are confused about the name being registered.

On October 4, NCT NEW TEAM launched their “official” social media accounts as “NCT NEW TEAM.”

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A post shared by NCT NEW TEAM (@nctnewteam)

But, based on the applications filed back in September, SM Entertainment has copyrighted “NCT ZONE.”

Because the social media accounts came after “NCT ZONE” was registered, K-Pop fans believe SM Entertainment is in its final stages of preparing the group for debut, as NCT ZONE.

The copyrighted name has since sparked some reactions from Koreans. While, at large, the name isn’t receiving a tremendous amount of love, some believe it’s hard to tell—and so it’s too early to criticize. In fact, some believe that it could be “the name of a pop-up event or something,” based on the word “Zone.”

“Should’ve gone with NCT Z or something. WTF is zone? I hope it’s not NCT Zone… Or is it some sort of a pop-up? In which case, thank goodness.”
“I think it’s the name of the pop-up. SM Entertainment is so extra with their pop-ups, so… Haha.”
“I wouldn’t mind ONE without the Z… Like NCT ONE? I guess it doesn’t matter if it’s a pop-up name, though. That’s fine, then.”
“I HOPE NOT.”
“Please let it be a pop-up name. If it’s a pop-up, I’ll go.”
“I don’t think that’s going to be the group’s debut name.”
“Is NCT NEW TEAM the same team as NCT Tokyo?”
“Doesn’t matter if it’s the pop-up name or the group name, because it’s cringe either way…”

“Make it stop.”
“Reminds me of the Japanese group Sexy Zone.”
“Wait, what? Another NCT?! Wowza…”
“IDK, isn’t NCT Tokyo or NCT NEW TEAM a lot better?”
“Are they trying to be the next Sexy Zone?”
“I’d rather them stay NCT NEW TEAM. I don’t really like Tokyo, but Zone is… It just sounds wrong.”

Overall, the level of interest in the final NCT group remains high.

As for other NCT groups, NCT 127 has had their music video release postponed again. NCTzens are expressing dissatisfaction with the management for “never keeping their promises.” Read more about it here: