By Taylor Louise Medford-Major | @taylor_louisem
It’s become increasingly normal for NCT members to be seen with a funky manicure. Their manicures have made small cameos in some of their newly released music videos, alongside their performances, promotions, and even social media posts! It’s something fresh and new for NCT, fitting with the group’s concept of ‘neo.’ Of course, the boys can pull off anything and believe us when we say, nail art is no exception, they really can work it.
The first member to exhibit a killer set of claws, and possibly NCT’s nail art pioneer, was Ten. During the Turn Back Time era, Ten showed off his all-black, distressed nails, matching the video concept. His fingertips were visible to all, in both the teasers and the MV, exciting fans with many praising the stylists for taking a new approach to NCT’s beauty. Only Ten could make distressed nails look good and we’re ready to try this trend too!
Just like his hyung, Yangyang also pulled off some fun looks, becoming a recurring member to dabble in rocking nail art. He was first spotted in late September 2020 wearing what looked like a pale shade of neon green, with small details on his thumb. Later on, during NCT 2020’s Resonance era, he wore neon green again, with a small ‘20’ on his ring finger for “Misfit” promotions—possibly dedicated to the much anticipated full group comeback last year.
Likewise, leader Taeyong was spotted with intricate nail designs in the “Misfit” music video. The nail art not only matched the fluorescent lights of the set, but also incorporated elements of each member’s costume—with blue flames to match Johnny’s shirt, and a yellow smiley to match Sungchan’s long sleeve tee. The set was almost a hint to Taeyong’s position as leader, with the designs linking to the members that he cares for and performs with. The nail art sent seasonies wild, with many recreating the designs on press-ons.
Fans alike enjoyed the use of nail art within the MV and promotions, which was why they were so excited to see yet another member with a mani. Yuta, just like Ten, displayed a distressed, black theme on his nails during “Work It.” This time, fans received a detailed shot of the design, with Yuta posting a close up on his Instagram. The set had small faces, painted over a black base, in grey and yellow—matching his jacket and outfit for the video. Fan’s reactions to the post were extremely positive, commenting on how much they loved the design.
Fans alike enjoyed the use of nail art within the MV and promotions, which was why they were so excited to see yet another member with a mani. Yuta, just like Ten, displayed a distressed, black theme on his nails during “Work It.” This time, fans received a detailed shot of the design, with Yuta posting a close up on his Instagram. The set had small faces, painted over a black base, in grey and yellow—matching his jacket and outfit for the video. Fan’s reactions to the post were extremely positive, commenting on how much they loved the design.
Most recently, Johnny posted a less-obvious pic of his fresh paint job. NCTzens don’t miss a trick, and fans were quick to comment on the bright yellow and black polish, calling all attention to his hands, “EVERYONE LOOK AT JOHNNY NAILS.” The picture seems to be placed at the same nail studio that Peniel Shin (@btopenial visits) visits, with Park Eunkyung (@nail_unistella) being the possible mastermind behind Johnny’s amazing nails.
After seeing the Neo’s nail sets, it’s clear to see a few trends cropping up that we think will be very prominent in winter—most evidently, neon green and black color schemes, but also, calligraphy, numbers, and smiley faces. We can’t wait to try these trends ourselves. Don’t forget to show us your NCT inspired nail art by tagging our socials @ncity_mag and using the hashtag #EnVi.
