#xiaojun really wants to join my bias list too

[peppertaemint]

WayV the Rolls Royce of NCT like saaaame lmao i love NCT but WayV like wow.

WayV are definitely the exclusive and "high-end" brand of NCT. If you liken NCT Dream to the BTS/Disney demographic, NCT 127 the more experimental and "adult", WayV are certainly in a category of their own.

Should you watch this fancam? Yes, yes you should.

WayV (WēiShén V) are C-pop, Chinese pop. They're on Label V, the Chinese sub-label of SM. I think one could argue they are a C-pop/K-pop fusion, and that's quite interesting in itself. The active members are Ten, Kun, Winwin, Yangyang, Xiaojun, an Hendery.

Essential song: Take Off (2019)

Their music has a sexy sophistication to it, along with their concepts. Ten's auteur-level dancing often sets the tone for their impressive performances. Album designs also reflect this "special" brand image.

There are two things that make WayV life a little difficult imo. 1) The on-going tensions between SK and Mainland China and b) Lucas-gate.

Popular Korean entertainment, including K-pop (the music), was banned from distribution in Mainland China for six years. It was only in November 2022 that K entertainment started to stream on Tencent once again. The ban was believed to have started due to the US missile defense system installed in SK in 2017. WayV is C-pop, so they circumvented this ban, but their Label is still owned by a Korean company.

There is also a culture of conservative backlash against fandom in Mainland China. This came to a head with the Yi/Zhan Ao3 fanfic debacle, but it had real-world consequences.

Fandom is big business in Mainland China. I'm sure this is why SM is interested in working in this market with a C-pop outfit, given that tensions haven't eased quite enough for K-pop groups to re-enter the market with tours, fan meets, brand ambassadorships, etc.

The culture of fandom backlash is against morals and consumerism in general. I'm not an expert, but my understanding is that there are laws now in place to limit fandom activities and that stars are legally responsible for their fandoms' actions through their studios (even idols need to set up studios as business fronts for their work). Anecdotally, I've heard of things like teachers getting fired for mentioning actors or idols or using them as examples in teaching.

One of the rules that came out of new legislation in the past couple of years is the limitation of "feminine" looks for men. Essentially, the flower boy K-pop look was effectively banned. Traditional masculine aesthetics were expected, and for quite a time, many who used to have flower boy looks reverted to the opposite. I think it's cooled a little bit, but it's still not what it was.

So imagine being WayV amid all of this political and cultural tension. You're a C-pop group whose "parents" (NCT) are K-pop. That's... not gonna make anything easy. I've heard that WayV fans are unsatisfied that the group don't get to do enough Korean content during their comebacks. Yet, I think it's a game of chess for SM and Label V. They want to do enough to make a splash but they don't want to make such a big splash that problems are caused.

The second challenge, and probably the more immediate one despite all of the above, is the Lucas situation. WayV should be further along and have more albums/releases under their belts by now, but the indefinite hiatus of Lucas seems to have extended to WayV in some respect. We don't know what goes on behind the scenes. What we do know is that there is enough evidence that Lucas was shady, and that he probably won't return. WayV have now come back as a 6-person group, so I can't see them reverting.

If you're not sure what happened with Lucas, you can read about it here (just use a translator browser add-in). The allegations were gaslighting and financial exploitation, which are quite serious. In cases where the claims are unfounded, SM has stated such and pursued legal action. That's not what has happened here; instead, both Lucas and the company issued apologies for the wrongdoing, which is indeed admitting wrongdoing.

My bottom line on WayV? They've been dealt some difficult cards, but their music and performance are outstanding, so over time, I think they will continue to attract attention and convert fans. They've just announced a global fan meet tour, which will be a huge treat to all those who have waited so long for them to return.