K-pop artist Mark Lee has officially parted ways with SM Entertainment, ending his exclusive contract on Apr. 8, 2026, and concluding his membership in NCT, NCT 127, and NCT Dream after a decade with the company.
SM Entertainment broke the news on Apr. 3, 2026, through a statement posted on Weverse. The agency said the decision was reached "after a long period of in-depth discussions with Mark regarding the direction of his future activities and following adequate conversations between both parties." The label confirmed that the contract conclusion was mutual.
As a result of the departure, NCT 127 will continue as a seven-member group consisting of Johnny, Taeyong, Yuta, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Jungwoo, and Haechan. NCT Dream will move forward as a six-member group with Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, and Jisung, according to Allkpop.
The announcement came days after NCT Dream wrapped up the final leg of their fourth world tour, The Dream Show 4: Dream the Future, which concluded in Seoul on Mar. 29, 2026. The tour, which began in July 2025, covered major venues across Asia. Fans who attended the final shows described emotional scenes, with members reportedly in tears during the closing concert.
In response to SM Entertainment's statement, Mark posted a handwritten letter on Instagram addressed to fans and fellow members. He wrote that while his time with NCT gave him some of the best experiences of his life, he had decided to pursue a personal dream of traveling the world and performing music with his acoustic guitar.
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He thanked the members, saying they supported his decision "wholeheartedly," and told fans: "You have made me the happiest person for the past 10 years," the Korea Times reported.
Mark, whose full name is Mark Lee, was born on Aug. 2, 1999, in Toronto, Canada. He joined SM Entertainment as a trainee in 2012 after passing the SM Global Audition in Vancouver. He debuted as a member of NCT U on Apr. 9, 2016, with the single "The 7th Sense," before joining NCT 127 and NCT Dream later that same year.
Over his 10-year career, Mark was also a member of the SM supergroup SuperM, which debuted in 2019. He released his first solo studio album, The Firstfruit, on Apr. 7, 2025, which debuted at No. 1 on Korea's Circle Album Chart, sold over 500,000 copies, and earned a Platinum certification.
SM Entertainment closed its statement by expressing full support for Mark's future: "We are truly grateful for the time he spent with us, and we wholeheartedly support him as he begins a new chapter in his journey," as per GMA Network.
