Analyzing SM Entertainment’s Boy Groups

Since its founding in 1989, SM Entertainment has debuted a number of boy groups, such as H.O.T, Shinhwa, Fly To The Sky, Black Beat, TVXQ!, Super Junior, SHINee, EXO, NCT, and RIIZE. Below you will find comparisons of these groups in different areas (member lineups, fanclubs, discography, etc.).
Disclaimer: This post was made with zero intentions of creating competition between the groups’ respective fandoms.
Notes:
#1: All of the information below is up-to-date as of November 2025.
#2: The ‘Latest Release’ section is based off Korean releases only.
#3: NCT U has been excluded from the listings as it has a rotational member system.
#4: Considering situations surrounding some former members of some groups, not all groups will have every former members’ name listed (iykyk). Such groups will have a ‘*’ marked next to them in the ‘Former Members’ section.
Group Name in Hangul
H.O.T – 에이치오티
Shinhwa – 신화
Fly To The Sky – 플라이 투 더 스카이
Black Beat – 블랙 비트
TVXQ! – 동방신기
Super Junior – 슈퍼주니어
SHINee – 샤이니
EXO – 엑소
NCT 127 – 엔시티 127
NCT DREAM – 엔시티 드림
WayV – 웨이션브이
RIIZE – 라이즈
NCT WISH – 엔시티 위시
Number of Members
H.O.T – 5
Shinhwa – 6
Fly To The Sky – 2
Black Beat – 5
TVXQ! – 2
Super Junior – 9
SHINee – 4
EXO – 9
NCT 127 – 8
NCT DREAM – 7
WayV – 6
RIIZE – 6
NCT WISH – 6
Former Members
H.O.T – None
Shinhwa – None
Fly To The Sky – None
Black Beat – None
TVXQ! – 3 (Hero Jaejoong, Xiah Junsu)*
Super Junior – 4 (Hangeng, Kibum, Kangin, Sungmin)
SHINee – 1 (Jonghyun – Member for Eternity)
EXO – 3 (Luhan, Z.Tao)*
NCT 127 – 2 (WinWin)*
NCT DREAM – None
WayV – 1 (Lucas)
RIIZE – 1 (XngHan)
NCT WISH – None
Fandom Name
H.O.T – Club H.O.T
Shinhwa – Shinhwa Changjo (신화창조)
Fly To The Sky – Fly High
Black Beat – Soul Black
TVXQ! – Cassiopeia (카시오페아)
Super Junior – E.L.F (엘프)
SHINee – SHINee World (샤이니월드; Shawol)
EXO – EXO-L (엑소엘)
NCT 127 – NCTzen (엔시티즌)
NCT DREAM – NCTzen (엔시티즌)
WayV – WayZenNi
RIIZE – BRIIZE (브리즈)
NCT WISH – NCTzen (엔시티즌)
Fandom Color(s)
H.O.T – White
Shinhwa – Orange
Fly To The Sky – Sky Blue
Black Beat – Pearl Black
TVXQ! – Pearl Red
Super Junior – Pearl Sapphire Blue
SHINee – Pearl Aqua Green
EXO – Cosmic Latte
NCT 127 – Pearl Neo Champagne
NCT DREAM – Pearl Neo Champagne
WayV – Pearl Neo Champagne
RIIZE – Orange
NCT WISH – Pearl Neo Champagne
Official Lightstick
H.O.T – None
Shinhwa – None
Fly To The Sky – None
Black Beat – None
TVXQ! – Photo Link
Super Junior – Photo Link
SHINee – Photo Link
EXO – Photo Link
NCT 127 – Photo Link
NCT DREAM – Photo Link
WayV – Photo Link
RIIZE – Photo Link
NCT WISH – Photo Link
Year(s) Active
H.O.T – 1997-2001; 2018-2019
Shinhwa – 1998-present
Fly to the Sky – 1999-present
Black Beat – 2002-2007
TVXQ! – 2003-present
Super Junior – 2005-present
SHINee – 2008-present
EXO – 2012-present
NCT 127 – 2016-present
NCT DREAM – 2016-present
WayV – 2019-present
RIIZE – 2023-present
NCT WISH – 2024-present
Current Status
H.O.T – Disbanded
Shinhwa – Active (?)
Fly to the Sky – Inactive
Black Beat – Disbanded
TVXQ! – Active
Super Junior – Active
SHINee – Active
EXO – Active
NCT 127 – Active
NCT DREAM – Active
WayV – Active
RIIZE – Active
NCT WISH – Active
Debut Date
H.O.T – September 7, 1996
Shinhwa – March 24, 1998
Fly To The Sky – November 21, 1999
Black Beat – November 3, 2002
TVXQ! – December 26, 2003
Super Junior – November 6, 2005
SHINee – May 25, 2008
EXO – April 8, 2012
NCT 127 – July 7, 2016
NCT DREAM – August 25, 2016
WayV – January 17, 2019
RIIZE – September 4, 2023
NCT WISH – February 21, 2024
Age Range of Members at Debut
H.O.T – 16-18 years old
Shinhwa – 17-19 years old
Fly To The Sky – 17-18 years old
Black Beat – 18-21 years old
TVXQ! – 15-17 years old
Super Junior – 18-22 years old
SHINee – 14-18 years old
EXO – 17-22 years old
NCT 127 – 16-21 years old
NCT DREAM – 14-17 years old
WayV – 18-23 years old
RIIZE – 19-22 years old
NCT WISH – 16-22 years old
Debut Release
H.O.T – We Hate All Kinds of Violence [Full Album]
Shinhwa – Resolver [Full Album]
Fly To The Sky – Day By Day [Full Album]
Black Beat – Volume 1 – Black Beat #2002 – The First Performance #001 [Full Album]
TVXQ! – Hug [Single Album]
Super Junior – Super Junior 05 [Full Album]
SHINee – Replay [Mini Album]
EXO – Mama [Mini Album]
NCT 127 – NCT #127 [Mini Album]
NCT DREAM – Chewing Gum [Digital Single]
WayV – The Vision [Digital EP]
RIIZE – Get a Guitar [Single Album]
NCT WISH – Wish [Single Album]
Latest Release
H.O.T – H.O.T Forever [Live Album; 2001)
Shinhwa – Heart [Special Album; 2018]
Fly To The Sky – Fly High [Full Album; 2019]
Black Beat – Volume 1 – Black Beat #2002 – The First Performance #001 [Full Album; 2002]
TVXQ! – 20&2 [Full Album; 2023]
Super Junior – Super Junior25 [Full Album; 2025]
SHINee – Poet | Artist [Single Album; 2025]
EXO – EXIST [Full Album; 2023]
NCT 127 – Walk [Full Album; 2024]
NCT DREAM – Beat It Up [Mini Album; 2025]
WayV – Big Bands [Mini Album; 2025]
RIIZE – Odyssey [Full Album; 2025]
NCT WISH – Color [Mini Album; 2025]
Number of Original Songs
H.O.T – 74
Shinhwa – 160
Fly to the Sky – 139
Black Beat – 20
TVXQ! – 351
Super Junior – 356
SHINee – 232
EXO -132
NCT 127 – 113
NCT DREAM – 117
WayV – 86
RIIZE – 55
NCT WISH – 42
Number of Concerts/Concert Tours
H.O.T – 8
Shinhwa – 12
Fly to the Sky – 3
Black Beat – None
TVXQ! – 21
Super Junior – 13
SHINee – 14
EXO – 5
NCT 127 – 6
NCT DREAM – 7
WayV – 4
RIIZE – 1
NCT WISH – 3
Eldest Member
H.O.T – Moon Heejun (b. March 14, 1978)
Shinhwa – Eric (b. February 16, 1979)
Fly To The Sky – Brian (b. January 10, 1981)
Black Beat – Lee Somin (b. February 13, 1981)
TVXQ! – U-Know Yunho (b. February 6, 1986)
Super Junior – Leeteuk (b. July 1, 1983)
SHINee – Onew (b. December 14, 1989)
EXO – Xiumin (b. March 26, 1990)
NCT 127 – Johnny (b. February 9, 1995)
NCT DREAM – Mark (b. August 2, 1999)
WayV – Kun (b. January 1, 1996)
RIIZE – Shotaro (b. November 25, 2000)
NCT WISH – Sion (b. May 11, 2002)
Youngest Member (Maknae)
H.O.T – Lee Jaewon (b. April 5, 1980)
Shinhwa – Andy (b. January 21, 1981)
Fly To The Sky – Hwanhee (b. January 17, 1982)
Black Beat – Jang Jinyoung (b. July 1, 1983)
TVXQ! – Max Changmin (b. February 18, 1988)
Super Junior – Kyuhyun (b. February 3, 1988)
SHINee – Taemin (b. July 18, 1993)
EXO – Sehun (b. April 12, 1994)
NCT 127 – Haechan (b. June 6, 2000)
NCT DREAM – Jisung (b. February 5, 2002)
WayV – YangYang (b. October 10, 2000)
RIIZE – Anton (b. March 21, 2004)
NCT WISH – Sakuya (b. November 18, 2007)
Leader
H.O.T – Moon Heejun
Shinhwa – Eric
Fly To The Sky – None
Black Beat – Lee Somin
TVXQ! – U-Know Yunho
Super Junior – Leeteuk
SHINee – Onew
EXO – Suho
NCT 127 – Taeyong
NCT DREAM – Mark
WayV – Kun
RIIZE – None
NCT WISH – Sion
Foreign Member(s)
H.O.T – None
Shinhwa – None
Fly To The Sky – 1 (Brian)
Black Beat – None
TVXQ! – None
Super Junior – None
SHINee – None
EXO – 1 (Lay)
NCT 127 – 2 (Johnny, Mark)
NCT DREAM – 3 (Mark, Renjun, Chenle)
WayV – 6 (All)
RIIZE – 2 (Shotaro, Anton)
NCT WISH – 4 (Riku, Yushi, Ryo, Sakuya)
Main Vocalist(s)
H.O.T – Kangta
Shinhwa – Shin Hyesung
Fly To The Sky – Hwanhee
Black Beat – Jang Jinyoung
TVXQ! – Max Changmin
Super Junior – Yesung, Ryeowook, Kyuhyun
SHINee – Onew
EXO – Baekhyun, Chen, D.O
NCT 127 – Doyoung, Jaehyun, Haechan
NCT DREAM – Renjun, Haechan, Chenle
WayV – Kun, Ten, XiaoJun
RIIZE – Sohee
NCT WISH – Jaehee
Main Rapper(s)
H.O.T – Jang Woohyuk
Shinhwa – Eric
Fly To The Sky – Brian
Black Beat – Hwang Sanghoon
TVXQ! – U-Know Yunho
Super Junior – Eunhyuk
SHINee – Minho
EXO – Chanyeol
NCT 127 – Taeyong, Mark
NCT DREAM – Mark
WayV – YangYang
RIIZE – Sungchan
NCT WISH – Riku
Main Dancer(s)
H.O.T – Jang Woohyuk
Shinhwa – Lee Minwoo
Fly To The Sky – None
Black Beat – Hwang Sanghoon, Jeong Jihoon, Shim Jaewon
TVXQ! – U-Know Yunho
Super Junior – Eunhyuk
SHINee – Taemin
EXO – Lay, Kai
NCT 127 – Taeyong, Mark
NCT DREAM – Mark, Jisung
WayV – Ten, YangYang
RIIZE – Shotaro, Wonbin
NCT WISH – Yushi
Visual(s)
H.O.T – Kangta
Shinhwa – None
Fly To The Sky – None
Black Beat – None
TVXQ! – None
Super Junior – Siwon
SHINee – Minho
EXO – Suho, Chanyeol, Kai, Sehun
NCT 127 – Taeyong, Jaehyun
NCT DREAM – Jeno, Jaemin
WayV – WinWin, Hendery
RIIZE – Eunseok, Wonbin, Anton
NCT WISH – Sion
Center
H.O.T – None
Shinhwa – None
Fly To The Sky – None
Black Beat – None
TVXQ! – None
Super Junior – Siwon
SHINee – None
EXO – Kai
NCT 127 – Taeyong
NCT DREAM – None
WayV – Ten
RIIZE – Wonbin
NCT WISH – None
Made by kisses2themoon
Related:
Analyzing SM Entertainment’s Girl Groups
Are you a fan of any of SM Entertainment’s boy groups? Feel free to comment down below! 🙂
