- Mark Lee from SM Entertainment’s NCT is leaving the group for a solo career.
- The news was confirmed on April 3, although the process will be undertaken on April 8.
- As Mark ventures out in a self-governed space, NCT will continue as a group with the remaining members in the lineup.
The K-pop sector’s most scalable group is going through a radical shift. After a decade of multi-unit participation, Mark Lee leaves SM Entertainment, marking a clear break from both his group(/s) and SM Entertainment, his long-time agency. The NCT Mark departure update was confirmed on April 3, with the official exit process set to happen on April 8, post what SM described as “long and in-depth discussions.”
The news spread via Instagram first, where the 26-year-old artist described in a letter about his next phase as “a quest” he admittedly fears. The news might come as a shock, however, Mark clarified that it remains a deliberate choice for good rather than being an impulsive decision. This Mark NCT exit news comes at a time when NCT Dream’s Seoul concert just ended, showcasing an angle of retrospective finality.
When did Mark debut with NCT?
Looking back at the NCT member Mark's history with the agency, his career depicts what SM expects from their fully-trained artist. After entering the trainee system in 2012, he made his official debut with NCT in 2026. Since then, he has been the vital bridge between the brand’s dual revenue engines: NCT and NCT Dream. The latter is a physical sales powerhouse that moved 4.6 million units of ISTJ globally and sold 3M copies in its first week, with NCT collectively surpassing 45M album sales, thereby earning a place amongst the highest-selling acts in the industry. NCT’s full-group releases also garnered heavy sales numbers, with Resonance crossing 2.6M copies, while Universe exceeded 1.8M sales, followed by a solid pre-order stream. As Mark’s contract with SM Entertainment ends, the units will continue to perform with their remaining members, while also testing the resilience of NCT’s modular commercial framework.
Are other NCT members leaving SM Entertainment?
None of the NCT members are reported to be leaving except for Mark. As stated earlier, the group(s) will continue to run with the remaining members as Mark steps into a new territory.
Despite the weight of this SM Entertainment artist departure, the internal moves showcase a rare action of alignment rather than a fracture. Group member Doyoung publicly intervened to put a stop to growing speculations regarding member relationships tied to Mark’s exit.
In a long Instagram story, Doyoung said that such narratives cause “unbearable sadness” and urged fans to respect their 10-year bond, highlighting the fact that the members knew beforehand about his departure and that they offered unconditional support. It indicates that although the NCT star leaves SM after 10 years, presently, there is no signal of a broader exodus. However, the departure has challenged the industry’s traditional continuity model by emphasizing full autonomy over half extensions.
DOYOUNG Instagram Story Update (MARK's Departure from NCT)
What will Mark do after leaving SM Entertainment?
As NCT member Mark leaves the agency to pursue a creative path, shifting away from the high-output idol exosystem, he has already indicated this move with his 2025’s The Firstfruit, his own album. The project initiated the next phase of his career that involved acoustic-led, self-directed performance. This move toward a self-governed career showcases an expanding trend among top-tier idols who view professional risk as a requirement for artistic longevity. Even though for SM, it is a high-value exit without a legal dispute; but for Mark, as he said, the risk is the point.
