Taeyong's WYLD

SM Entertainment

NCT’s Taeyong is set to release his first full-length album, WYLD, on May 18, a defining moment in his solo career. WYLD is a deeply personal project for the K-pop artist as he takes on the leading role in the entire creative process. From writing the lyrics to all 10 tracks to composing nine of them, Taeyong flexes his creative side and gives fans an unfiltered look into his mind. He also shaped the album’s overall production.

Since his solo debut with “SHALALA,” followed by his second mini album TAP, and most recently the single “Rock Solid (Feat. Anderson .Paak)” released on April 17, the South Korean rapper-singer is trying out different genres of music, pushing the boundaries as an artist beyond pop music. “Rock Solid (Feat. Anderson .Paak)” is not part of the new album.

Today, he kicked off the countdown with his album rollout schedule across NCT’s official social media channels. Beginning May 4, fans can expect more posts, including teaser images and mood-sampler videos, showcasing a new visual and sonic direction. The campaign continues on May 13 with a highlight medley, followed by a music video teaser for the title track, “WYLD,” on May 17. With NCT’s 10th anniversary this year, Taeyong is defining his solo artist identity with WYLD, evolving and growing since his 2016 debut (he debuted as a solo artist in 2023).

Best known as the leader of global K-pop supergroup NCT and its popular sub-unit NCT 127 (Also NCT U and SuperM), Taeyong is known for his distinct style and versatile performances. His songs, “Long Flight” (2019) and “Love Theory” (2022, with Wonstein), were in the Top 10 World Digital Song Sales, peaking at No. 6 and No. 8, respectively. In 2024, he performed two back-to-back sold-out solo concerts, 2024 <TY TRACK> TAEYONG CONCERT, at Seoul’s Olympic Hall.

Taeyong is set to appear at KCON Los Angeles this August. NCT-127 is headlining Day 1, Friday’s MC Countdown concert, and Taeyong will perform as “Taeyong of NCT” on Saturday, Day 2, of the KCON concert at the Crypto.com Arena, alongside ZEROBASEONE, ILLIT, and P1Harmony. Fans, known as NCTzen or Czennie, can expect him to play his new album during his solo performance.

Taeyong’s WYLD releases on May 18 on all streaming platforms. Physical copies are available at select retailers.