A second NCT member has announced his departure from SM Entertainment.
After Mark, NCT and WayV member Ten is parting ways with SM Entertainment regarding his exclusive management contract. Unlike the recent departure of Mark, he will continue to participate in group activities with NCT and WayV on a flexible basis.
On April 6, SM Entertainment released a statement confirming the departure after extensive discussions with the Thai K-pop artist regarding the direction of his career. His exclusive contract will officially conclude on April 8.
His fellow member Mark has left both the agency and the group entirely. However, Ten’s relationship with the NCT brand is shifting rather than ending. SM Entertainment emphasized that only the management contract is ending. They plan to coordinate with the 30-year-old K-pop star so that he can still join future group schedules for WayV and NCT.
This kind of arrangement is often seen in the K-pop industry, where artists leave the label but remain part of the group. They reunite for specific projects, such as album releases or tours. Popular examples of such groups are BLACKPINK, EXO, SHINee, Red Velvet, and more.
After the news was made public, Ten addressed fans in a heartfelt message on Instagram. He opened up about the difficult decision and reflected on his journey. He debuted with NCT U in 2016 and became the first Thai artist under SM Entertainment. He expressed that as he approaches his 30s and the 10-year mark of his career, he found himself “wanting to take on new challenges.”
“SM will always be my ‘home,’ and I will forever be proud to say that I grew up at SM,” Ten wrote. He acknowledged the agency where he trained and rose to fame as the main dancer of WayV and a key member of SuperM.
He added that he decided to leave the label after “many heartfelt discussions with the members and the staff at SM.” He decided to “explore new possibilities and discover new versions of myself.”
SM Entertainment thanked Ten for his contributions and recognized his “outstanding capabilities” as both a group member and a solo artist. The agency pledged to continue supporting WayV’s activities and thanked fans for their unwavering support.
The announcement comes just days after SM confirmed that Mark would terminate his contract. He withdrew from all NCT activities, including NCT 127 and NCT DREAM, to pursue a new path entirely.
