ℑ𝔱'𝔰 𝔇𝔬𝔳𝔯𝔢𝔤𝔲𝔟𝔟𝔢𝔫

Mark Lee is leaving SM Entertainment and #NCT, including #NCT127 and #NCTDream.

FROM MARK LEE 💌 #MARK #마크 “hello, this is mark. hi, czennies… i debuted with nct u on april 9, 2016, and now that it’s april 2026, ten whole years have already passed. during those ten years, so many things happened, we performed on so many stages, and most of all, i think we made countless memories together. i know there are czennies who have supported me since the sm rookies days, so if i include that time, it’s actually been over ten years. how have the past 10+ years been for you, czennies…? for me, i think i’ve truly, truly been nothing but happy. now that ten years have passed, and since you’ve made me happy every single day without fail throughout that long time, i wanted to personally write and share with you my new decision and the beginning of a new chapter. i know this may feel very sudden to everyone… but actually, since my trainee days maybe even before that i’ve always had a dream in my heart. 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. i was too young to fully understand and clearly picture that dream back then, but because i loved music and performing, i auditioned in canada 14 years ago, and started my musical path at sm, beginning with nct. because my beginning was with sm and nct, i was able to get to know myself more and find the best version of myself. i’m truly just filled with gratitude. through nct, it feels like i’ve experienced the sky, the land, the sea, and the mountains at their fullest. after spending ten years seeing and experiencing the world in the best way, and going on such an incredible journey, i naturally began to think about what the greatest dream i could have is what the greatest purpose and calling i could have as a person named mark. as my 10-year contract comes to an end, i awakened all the senses i had kept inside me and thought deeply for a long time. eventually, i became curious about what the complete and true form of that dream really looks like, and i felt a strong desire to fully dive into it. 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. i talked a lot with each of the members, and it honestly brings me to tears just thinking about it every single one of them told me they support me. i feel endlessly sorry, but more than anything, deeply grateful. to the older members who see me as their cute younger brother, and to the younger ones who see me as a leader, i want to say thank you again, so, so much. to all the members who listened closely to my concerns, understood my heart, thought about me, shared their opinions, and had such meaningful conversations with me, i’m truly thankful and i love you all. we’ve been on the same ship for over ten years and had an incredible journey together. i’ve always loved going underwater, and now that i’m saying i want to swim on my own, the members are supporting even my deep dive with love. i will continue to support and love them as well. since i was selected through a global audition in 2012, i want to sincerely thank all the teachers from the training team, the company staff, managers, directors, executives, and every department, everyone who has raised me to who I am today. my beginning was sm, nct, and czennies. no matter what kind of music i create moving forward, i will never forget where i started. but… no matter how big of a decision i’ve made, i fully understand that it doesn’t ease everyone’s worries, concerns, or pain just because i see this as a personal challenge. by announcing this big decision for a new chapter in my life, i know that for czennies who have loved me as “NCT’s Mark,” for markfs, and for the public, this change can feel like a huge shock and even a source of hurt. i also know that this handwritten letter alone cannot soften all of that.”