by Isabel Miller
On July 15, SM Entertainment announced that all seven current members of NCT 127 have renewed their contracts with the company.
NCT 127 was first established in 2016 as a sub-unit of NCT, consisting of seven members. As the group comes up on their 10-year anniversary, the line-up has now returned to a new combination of seven, who will continue to promote together beyond the milestone: JOHNNY, TAEYONG, YUTA, DOYOUNG, JAEHYUN, JUNGWOO, and HAECHAN.
The official statement from SM Entertainment describes the decision as one that “reflects the unwavering teamwork and strong bond the members have built over the years, as well as the mutual trust between the members and the company.”
This trust has been built over several line-up changes and a recent two-year hiatus. Following the departure of former member Taeil and surrounding legal cases, the group has not released any music since their sixth album WALK in 2024. During this time, leader TAEYONG and JAEHYUN completed their military service requirements, while members DOYOUNG and JUNGWOO are currently part-way through theirs. Further, more permanent changes have also been announced recently, with MARK leaving NCT 127 alongside other NCT activities in April and confirmation over WINWIN’s departure from SM Entertainment received in early July.
Also in early July, SM Entertainment revealed to Dispatch that NCT 127 will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of NCT 127 with the release of their seventh studio album on August 26, 2026. A fifth tour was confirmed last week, titled ‘NEO CITY : THE REDLINE,’ and will begin with three consecutive nights in Seoul beginning September 18 before visiting a further five cities across Asia. Both did not detail which members would be involved.
The announcement of contract renewals for seven members of NCT 127 answers this question and indicates that the group will remain a substantial, concrete fixture in the industry, with the promise of further activities to come upon the return of DOYOUNG and JUNGWOO in 2027.