Yushi Profile: Age, Height, Career, Facts & More
As the center of NCT WISH, Yushi brought genuine seniority to the group’s formation — years of prior Japanese idol training under Stardust Promotion before he ever joined SM Entertainment, giving him enough experience to serve as a teaching assistant during the very survival show that determined his own group’s lineup.
This complete profile breaks down everything fans want to know about Yushi — his age, height, career, personality, and the fun facts that keep circulating through the fandom.
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Quick Facts About Yushi
- Real Name: Tokuno Yushi (得能勇志)
- Stage Name: Yushi (유우시)
- Birth Date: April 5, 2004
- Zodiac Sign: Aries
- Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
- Position: Center, Vocalist, Dancer
- Blood Type: A
- Nationality: Japanese
- Agency: SM Entertainment
- Group: NCT, NCT WISH
- MBTI: INFJ
- Nicknames: Toku, Ushi
- Official Emoji: ⭐ (Star)
Early Life and Background
Yushi was born Tokuno Yushi on April 5, 2004, in Tokyo, Japan, and has a younger brother named Jiu. Years before joining SM Entertainment, he was already active in Japanese idol entertainment: in January 2016, he was revealed as a member of EDAMAME BEANS, a Japanese idol unit under Stardust Promotion, performing as an opening act for Satori Shonen Dan that same month.
He continued with the group for roughly two years, and as of his 14th birthday on April 5, 2018, he made his final known appearance connected to that project, stepping away to focus on both soccer and school.
On June 28, 2023, Yushi was revealed as the newest addition to SM Rookies alongside fellow future NCT WISH member Sion, formally beginning his path toward NCT.
Career Highlights
NCT Universe: LASTART and NCT WISH’s Formation Thanks to his years of prior training, Yushi appeared as a teaching assistant when the survival show NCT Universe: LASTART began airing on July 27, 2023 — a notable distinction that reflected just how much more performance experience he already carried compared to many of his fellow contestants.
Following the show’s conclusion on September 7, 2023, he officially joined the group then known as NCT New Team, which adopted the permanent name NCT WISH on January 17–18, 2024.
Debut and Early Releases NCT WISH officially debuted on February 21, 2024, performing their debut single “WISH” live at SMTOWN LIVE 2024: SMCU PALACE at the Tokyo Dome in Japan — a fittingly large-scale debut stage held in Yushi’s home country.
The group followed with their second single album, Songbird, released July 1, 2024, continuing to build their catalog as one of SM Entertainment’s newest sub-units.
Early Recognition NCT WISH’s rapid rise earned early recognition when the group won the Best New Artist award at the 1st Asia Star Entertainer Awards, a significant honor for a group still in its first year of activity.
As center, Yushi’s presence has remained a visual and performance anchor across the group’s growing discography, which went on to achieve million-seller status with its 2025 releases.
Personality and Public Image
Yushi shares an especially close bond with fellow member Sion, having spent so much of their lives training together — first independently in Japan, then jointly through SM Rookies and NCT Universe: LASTART — that the two are described as relying on each other almost instinctively on stage.
He’s known for a well-documented love of spicy food, a passion he celebrated as early as his 12th birthday with a fiery bowl of geki-kara ramen, and despite his lean build, he’s recognized among fellow members as a big eater when recharging after a show, once finishing multiple servings of taco rice and two hamburgers following a single concert.
Fun Facts and Trivia
- Yushi was a member of the Japanese idol unit EDAMAME BEANS under Stardust Promotion before joining SM Entertainment.
- He served as a teaching assistant on NCT Universe: LASTART, thanks to his years of prior training.
- He shares an exceptionally close, almost instinctive bond with fellow member Sion.
- He has a well-known love for spicy food, including geki-kara ramen.
- Despite his lean build, he’s known as a big eater after performances.
- His solo fandom name, “Yuufan,” was created by him personally.
- His official emoji is a star.
- He’s recently started enjoying listening to music through headphones as a personal hobby, a small but telling detail about his quieter, reflective side that contrasts with his commanding presence as the group’s center on stage.
Social Media and Where to Follow
His large-scale debut stage at the Tokyo Dome, performed in his home country, remains a particularly meaningful milestone that fans often revisit when discussing his journey from a teenage Japanese idol trainee to NCT WISH’s center.
Yushi is active across NCT WISH’s official group platforms, including Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and YouTube, where his performances as center and his close friendship with fellow member Sion continue to draw significant fan engagement.
His years of prior Japanese idol experience remain a frequently discussed part of his story among fans who appreciate the depth of training he brought into NCT WISH’s formation.
As NCT WISH continues building on its million-selling 2025 releases, Yushi’s role as center continues to anchor the group’s visual and performance identity on stage.
Conclusion
From a Tokyo-born Japanese idol trainee under Stardust Promotion to the center of NCT WISH, Yushi’s career reflects a rare combination of early experience and genuine leadership on stage.
Whether fans are drawn in by his central role in the group’s formations, his years of prior training that made him a mentor figure even before debut, his close bond with Sion, or his well-known love of spicy food, Yushi continues to prove why he’s regarded as one of the most experienced and grounded members of his generation.
As NCT WISH’s global reach continues to grow, all eyes remain on Yushi to see what he’ll perform next, both as the group’s visual anchor and as a steady, experienced presence his younger groupmates continue to lean on.
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