WayV (威神V)

WayV, pronounced wei-vee and stylized as 威神V in Mandarin, is a Chinese-based unit of the South Korean group NCT, formed by SM Entertainment and its Chinese sub-label Label V. Debuting in January 2019, the group was built to promote in the Chinese market while its members retain the flexibility of NCT's expandable, unit-based structure. Original members Kun, Ten, WinWin, Xiaojun, Hendery, and Yangyang carried backgrounds spanning other NCT units and, for several members, prior training and promotion experience in Korea before shifting focus to WayV.

Musically, WayV blends pop, R&B, and electronic production with bilingual releases in both Mandarin and English, reflecting SM's approach of tailoring content to different regional audiences while keeping members connected to the broader NCT universe. Songs like «Love Talk», «Turn Back Time», and «Bad Alive» showcase a sleek, contemporary K-pop-adjacent sound adapted for Chinese-language markets, and members have also taken part in NCT-wide projects such as NCT 2020.

The group underwent a lineup change when Lucas, who had promoted with WayV following earlier NCT unit activity, departed in 2023. WayV remains one of the clearest examples of SM Entertainment's strategy of regional sub-units under one expansive artist brand, occupying a distinct space at the intersection of Chinese pop and the wider K-pop industry.