NCT : MARK prepares for a new chapter by leaving SM and NCT

The member MARK of the group NCT is leaving SM ENTERTAINMENT.

SM ENTERTAINMENT (hereinafter SM) stated on April 3: “We have discussed in depth with MARK for a long time regarding the direction of his future activities and, after sufficient dialogue between both parties, we agreed to terminate the exclusive contract as of April 8”.

As a result, MARK is ending all his activities within NCT, including NCT 127 and NCT DREAM.

In the future, NCT 127 will be reorganized into a 7-member group with JOHNNY, TAEYONG, YUTA, DOYOUNG, JAEHYUN, JUNGWOO, and HAECHAN, while NCT DREAM will become a 6-member group with RENJUN, JENO, HAECHAN, JAEMIN, CHENLE, and JISUNG.

SM conveyed: “Since his debut with the group NCT in 2016, MARK has shown magnificent activities over the last 10 years by demonstrating exceptional abilities not only in group activities but also as a solo artist. We express our gratitude for the precious time traveled together, and we will sincerely support the future of MARK who leaves the team to begin a new flight”.

MARK greeted fans directly through a handwritten letter. He stated: “During these 10 years, there were really many scenes and memories” and “I naturally came to reflect on the most beautiful dream I could have and what would be the best task and the best goal I could have living as a person named MARK”.

He then confided: “I discussed this decision a lot with the members, and without exception, everyone supported me. I am so grateful that tears come to my eyes just thinking about it, and I feel sorry for a lifetime” and “I am so grateful and I love the members who shared the best of navigations on the same boat”.

In particular, MARK stated to the fans: “I sincerely thank the Czennie who made me happy every day without exception for 10 years” and “It is thanks to this love and these memories that the me of today could exist”.

Finally, MARK promised: “I will become a MARK who never forgets his beginnings” and “I will do my best and work hard to be able to become a MARK who shows a good image in the future”.

Here is the translation of the handwritten letter in Korean from MARK:

“Hello. This is MARK.

Hi Czennies…

I debuted with NCT U on April 9, 2016, and it is now April 9, 2026, so ten years have already passed. During these ten years, so many things happened, I did many stages, and I especially shared many memories with fans. As I know there are Czennies who have loved me since the SMROOKIES era, it has actually been more than ten years if counting from there. How were these last ten years for you, Czennies…? For my part, I think I have only been really, really happy. After ten years, I wish to address the Czennies directly, who made me happy every day without exception during this long period, to share with you my new decision and my new chapter through this handwritten letter.

I know this will seem very sudden to everyone~ In reality, I had a dream that I always carried in my heart since my trainee days, and maybe even before that. I loved the idea of walking around doing buskings in the street with a single acoustic guitar, and I loved writing in English so much that I wanted to become a writer. I was too young to draw and perfectly understand this dream in my head, but with my love for music and the stage, I took an audition in Canada 14 years ago, and I started my musical path for the first time at SM with NCT.

Because I made my debut at SM and as a member of NCT, I was able to learn to know myself better and to find the best of myself. I have nothing but gratitude. Through NCT, I feel like I have had the best experiences possible, whether it be the sky, the earth, the sea, or the mountain. By seeing and experiencing the world in the best of ways for ten years, and by living this exceptional journey, I think I naturally came to reflect on what would be the greatest dream I could have, and what would be the highest mission and goal I could have living as the person named MARK. As it is the moment when my ten-year contract ends, I awakened all my senses that were in my heart and, after thinking for a long time, I finally became curious to know what exactly the accomplished form of this dream would look like, and I wanted to dive in to fully dedicate myself to it. I think I wanted to find and realize what my music or my fruits would be, and how I could carry them into this world…

By discussing a lot with each member one by one, they all told me, without exception, that they supported me, to the point that tears rise just thinking about it. It is a feeling of eternal regret and especially of gratitude. I want to say thank you once again infinitely to the big brothers who see me as a cute little brother and to the younger ones who see me as a leader. I am so grateful and I love all the members who listened to my concerns more closely for this decision, who listened to my heart, who thought of me, who gave me their opinion, and with whom I had only wonderful conversations. These are members who, after having accomplished the best of navigations on the same boat during these last ten years, support with love my deep dive while I, who always loved entering the water, now say that I want to swim. I too will certainly continue to support you and love you in the future.

Elected during a global audition in 2012, I thank infinitely the training team, all the teachers, the people of the agency, the managers, the directors and up to the CEOs for having raised me until now. My beginning was SM, it was NCT, and it was the Czennies. No matter what music I start to create in the future, I will without fail be a MARK who never forgets his beginning.

But… I am truly aware of the fact that, even if I took an important decision, the worries, concerns and difficulties of everyone do not subside only by the meaning of a great challenge that I take on alone. By announcing that I have taken a major decision for a new chapter of my life, I know that this single handwritten letter cannot lessen this change which can be a great shock and a wound for the Czennies, for the fans, and for the public who loved me as MARK of NCT until now, and I therefore have a really, really heavy heart. I think I reflected enormously and for a very long time on what would be the most mature choice and method. I am so sorry because the result of these reflections, which is the current situation, seems very insufficient, and I have a very heavy heart.

I thought that the best I could do in this situation for the Czennies toward whom I am most grateful, would be to convey my sincere sincerity. And looking at my heart, I wanted to convey, at the end of this sincerity, an expression of gratitude more than anything else. I want to say an immense thank you to all the Czennies and to all those who have known and supported me until now. Thank you really, really. For allowing me to live as the happiest person for ten years. For allowing me to have a greater dream of being a singer, which was only shyly inside my heart, and for making sure that this dream actually came true. Because you sent me so much precious and dear love and support, and because it is truly thanks to this love and these memories that I was able to become the MARK of today… thank you really. Thank you really for allowing me to live as a grateful person.

I will live my whole life keeping in my heart my gratitude toward SM, the members of NCT and the Czennies.

In the future, when I come to greet you with a new image, I will do my best and work hard to be an exemplary MARK. Once again, thank you really.”