Mark Lee, one of NCT’s core members, is leaving both NCT and SM Entertainment. His final day with the company will be April 8, 2026.
On Friday, April 3, SM Entertainment confirmed the news after “a long period of careful and thoughtful discussions” with Mark about his future direction. Following his departure, NCT 127 will continue as a seven-member group, while NCT DREAM will move forward with six members.
The label praised the Canadian-Korean rapper, saying, “Since his debut with NCT in 2016, Mark has demonstrated exceptional talent and versatility through both group and solo activities and has delivered remarkable performances over the years.”
Mark also shared a deeply personal handwritten letter with fans, saying “my beginning was sm, nct, and czennies.” In it, he opened up about his decision and what comes next.
Mark began by looking back at his debut. “I debuted with NCT U on April 9, 2016, and now that it’s April 2026, ten whole years have already passed,” he writes. “How have the past 10+ years been for you, Czennies? For me, I think I have truly, truly been nothing but happy.”
Beneath the surface, Mark had been carrying a dream since his trainee days, one he never fully explored. “I wanted to walk around busking on the streets with just an acoustic guitar, and I loved writing in English so much that I even dreamed of becoming a writer,” he reveals.
As his 10-year contract came to an end, Mark says he “awakened all the senses” kept inside him. “What will my music be? What kind of fruit will I bear? And how can I bring that into the world? I truly want to find those answers and achieve them.”
Mark says he talked at length with each NCT member about his decision, “It honestly brings me to tears just thinking about it.” He shared, “Every single one of them told me they support me,” adding, “I feel endlessly sorry, but more than anything, deeply grateful.”
He addresses both the older members who see him as a “cute younger brother” and the younger ones who see him as a leader. The 26-year-old K-pop star writes, “I have always loved going underwater, and now that I am saying I want to swim on my own, the members are supporting even my deep dive with love.”
Mark knows the news is shocking and “a source of hurt” for fans who loved him as “NCT’s Mark.”
Despite the sadness, he reassures fans he will never forget where he came from, “No matter what kind of music I create moving forward, I will never forget where I started.”
Mark debuted with NCT U in 2016 and quickly became one of the group’s most hardworking members. He actively promoted multiple sub-units simultaneously including NCT 127 and NCT DREAM. He has amassed over 70 songwriting credits registered with KOMCA and released his first solo studio album, The Firstfruit, in April 2025. The album peaked at number one on Korea’s Circle Album Chart and sold over 500,000 copies.
Mark has not announced specific future plans, but his letter hints at a more intimate, acoustic direction. He will probably be pursuing singer-songwriter work outside the traditional K-pop system. For now, his focus is on gratitude, saying, “I will continue to support and love the members as well.”
He ends the letter simply: “Thank you. Thank you. And thank you again.”