Before the solo albums, before Loewe, before TyongF had a name — there was NCT 127. Taeyong has been the group’s leader, main rapper, and main dancer since day one. This page covers his role, the group’s history, and the moments that defined their run together.
What is NCT 127?
NCT 127 is the Seoul-based sub-unit of SM Entertainment’s NCT (Neo Culture Technology) system — a rotating, multi-unit collective with no fixed membership ceiling. Of all NCT’s sub-units, 127 is the flagship: the group that headlines world tours, appears on international TV, and leads the brand globally. The name comes from Seoul’s longitude, 127 degrees east.
The group debuted on 7 July 2016 with the extended play NCT #127 and the single “Fire Truck”. The original lineup had seven members. It grew over time, and Taeyong has been at the centre of every iteration.
Taeyong’s Role
He holds three positions in NCT 127: leader, main rapper, and main dancer. That combination is rare. Most groups divide the leadership role across the more stable, senior members — the rapper or vocalist who keeps things running backstage while someone else carries the performance. Taeyong does both.
His dance ability is what gets discussed first, because it’s the most visible. He had no prior dance training when he was signed by SM in 2012. His coaches had doubts. He trained until those doubts went away. By the time NCT 127 debuted, he was the one other members looked to on stage for cues. He’s since contributed choreography to several NCT 127 songs, not just performed it.
As a rapper, he writes. That’s not a given in K-pop. Across NCT 127’s catalogue, he has credits on a significant portion of their tracks — drafting lyrics, shaping melodies, pushing the group’s sound toward something more personal. In September 2020, SM Entertainment formally confirmed him as leader not just of NCT 127, but of the entire NCT collective.
NCT 127 Timeline
2016 — Debut
NCT 127 launched with NCT #127 in July 2016. Taeyong co-wrote three songs on the EP. The group won Best New Artist at the Mnet Asian Music Awards, the Golden Disk Awards, and the Seoul Music Awards before the year was out — an unusual clean sweep for a debut act. Doyoung and Johnny joined in December ahead of the second EP, Limitless.
2017 — Cherry Bomb & Critical Recognition
Limitless arrived in January 2017, topping the Gaon Album Chart and reaching number one on the Billboard World Albums Chart. Taeyong had writing credits on four songs. Cherry Bomb followed in June, with Taeyong co-writing virtually the entire album. Billboard and Idolator both named “Cherry Bomb” one of the best K-pop songs of the year. The track’s aggressive production and deliberately uncomfortable choreography set a template the group would return to repeatedly.
2018 — First Studio Album
Jungwoo was introduced to the lineup in September 2018. October brought Regular-Irregular, NCT 127’s first full studio album. It debuted at number one on the Circle Chart and charted at number 86 on the Billboard 200 — their first entry on that chart. The repackage, Regulate, followed in November.
2019 — Going Global
The We Are Superhuman EP landed in May, debuting at number 11 on the Billboard 200 and selling over 400,000 copies in South Korea. More significantly, 2019 was the year NCT 127 went on their first world tour: Neo City – The Origin. It opened in Seoul in January and ran through North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia before closing in Singapore. The group performed in Newark, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and beyond.
2020 — Neo Zone & The Houston Moment
Neo Zone arrived in March 2020 as NCT 127’s second Korean studio album. It debuted at number 5 on the Billboard 200 — their highest at that point — and became their first album to surpass one million copies sold in South Korea. The lead single “Kick It” reached the top 10 on the Billboard K-pop Hot 100, their first entry at that position.
Earlier that month, on 10 March 2020, NCT 127 performed at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo — the first K-pop act ever to do so. The significance wasn’t just symbolic. The Houston Rodeo draws hundreds of thousands of people annually. It marked NCT 127 operating in spaces no Korean group had reached before.
On the choreography side: “Kick It” contains a moment where Taeyong lies on the floor and Mark jumps off his knee. That wasn’t in the original routine. Taeyong added it himself because he felt the sequence needed a climax. The move became one of the most replicated moments in K-pop fan cover culture that year.
2021 — Sticker & Records
September 2021. Sticker. NCT 127’s third Korean studio album debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200, their highest-ever placement. It sold over 2.15 million copies in its first week and became the longest-charting K-pop album of the year on the Billboard 200, spending 13 consecutive weeks on the chart. Combined with the repackage Favorite, the era moved 3.58 million copies total — breaking the record for the best-selling album ever released by an act under SM Entertainment.
At the 31st Seoul Music Awards, NCT 127 won the Daesang — the top prize. Taeyong co-wrote the title track. The choreography for sub-track “Bring The Noize” was shaped by Taeyong, with members crediting him specifically: “He knows us best.”
2022 — 2 Baddies & The Link Tour
2 Baddies arrived in September 2022, debuting at number 3 on the Billboard 200 and selling nearly two million copies in South Korea. The lead single “Ay-Yo” became the group’s first single to top the Circle Digital Chart. NCT 127’s second world tour, Neo City – The Link, included sold-out shows in Los Angeles and New York.
2023 — Fact Check
October 2023 brought Fact Check, the fifth studio album, debuting at number 16 on the Billboard 200. The title track went to number one on the Circle Chart. The year also saw NCT 127 launch Neo City – The Unity, their third world tour, opening with six nights at the KSPO Dome in Seoul.
2024 — Walk & Taeyong’s Enlistment
Walk, the sixth studio album, was released on 15 July 2024. The Neo City – The Unity tour concluded in Tokyo in March. Taeyong had enlisted in April, making him absent from the latter stages of the Walk promotion cycle. NCT 127 continued activities with the remaining members through the rest of 2024.
2025 — The Momentum Tour
NCT 127 launched their fourth world tour, Neo City – The Momentum, on 18 January 2025 with two nights at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul. The tour expanded across Asia and North America through the year. Taeyong was discharged in December 2025 and is set to return to full NCT 127 activities in 2026.
His Songwriting
Taeyong’s writing credits span the group’s entire catalogue. He contributed to three tracks on the debut EP, four on Limitless, and co-wrote most of Cherry Bomb — including the title track. He has credits on Sticker, 2 Baddies, Fact Check, and Walk. His writing tends to push the group toward harder edges: the tougher tempos, the sharper imagery, the tracks that challenge rather than comfort.
He’s also contributed to tracks outside the main album campaigns — unit songs, OSTs, SM Station releases — maintaining a writing practice that runs parallel to his performance career.
His Choreography
Several NCT 127 tracks carry Taeyong’s fingerprints on the movement, not just the music. “Bring The Noize” is the clearest documented example — he developed choreography for the track during the Sticker era, and the group noted publicly that his familiarity with each member’s capabilities is what made the result work. “Kick It” saw him intervene mid-process to add the floor sequence with Mark, which the original choreographer has since credited him for. He also worked on the choreography for “Zoo”, a collaborative SM Station release with other artists.
This side of his creative work is less documented than his songwriting, because choreography credits in K-pop aren’t always formally listed. But it’s consistent enough across the group’s history to be a genuine part of what he contributes — not a side note.
Leader of NCT
In September 2020, SM Entertainment confirmed Taeyong as leader of the wider NCT collective — not just NCT 127. That’s a substantial role in a group system that, at peak, included over 20 members across multiple sub-units. He manages the interpersonal side of the group, speaks on behalf of members in interviews, and sets the tone for how NCT presents itself publicly. Members from different units have spoken about his influence even in contexts where he’s not their immediate group leader.
It’s a title that comes with real weight, and by most accounts — from interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and what his groupmates have said on record — he carries it without making it about himself.
The Full Picture
NCT 127 are eight years into their career. They’ve sold millions of records, toured every major continent, performed at the Houston Rodeo and the Tokyo Dome, and broken multiple K-pop chart records in the United States. Taeyong has been at the front of every stage they’ve stood on.
For his solo work alongside all of this, visit the Solo Discography page. For the full NCT 127 album catalogue, see the Discography. For the latest on what’s coming in 2026, head to News.