Mark Lee Departs NCT After a Decade — Here's Why
"Out of all the things my heart wants to say right now, I truly wish to say thank you."
Published April 3 2026, 11:47 a.m. ET
In a shocking move, NCT veteran Mark Lee has announced that he is leaving the group and its associated groups. While it's not unusual for the group to have some shifts and shuffles throughout the years, Mark has been with NCT for a decade, making him one of the longest-lasting members.
Unsurprisingly, fan reaction to his departure has been intense, with people shocked that he would walk away from NCT after so many years. Here's what we know about Mark's thoughts on leaving the group, and what NCT has said about their reasons for terminating his contract moving forward.
Why did Mark leave NCT?
On April 3, 2026, SM Entertainment, the company that manages all the NCT groups, released a statement explaining the departure.
They wrote, "We would like to express our sincere gratitude to fans who always send NCT their unwavering support. After a long period of in-depth discussions with Mark regarding the direction of his future activities and following adequate conversations between both parties, we came to a mutual agreement to conclude his exclusive contract as of April 8. Accordingly, Mark will end all NCT activities, including NCT 127 and NCT DREAM" (excerpts via Forbes).
The statement continues, "Since debuting in 2016 as part of NCT, Mark has demonstrated outstanding abilities not only in group promotions but also as a solo artist, showing remarkable activities over the past 10 years. We would like to convey our gratitude for the valuable time we have shared together, and we sincerely cheer on Mark as he leaves the team and begins a new leap forward."
For now, the groups will move forward with these members: NCT 127 will include Johnny, Taeyong, Yuta, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Jungwoo, and Haechan. And NCT DREAM will continue with members Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, and Jisung.
Reading between the lines and with the context that Mark launched a solo album in 2025 that did well, it seems as though the singer is leaving to pursue his own solo career.
Mark has thanked fans for his experience with NCT.
On Instagram, Mark himself addressed the departure, writing, "Out of all the things my heart wants to say right now, I truly wish to say thank you. Thank you for loving, supporting, and shaping me to become who I am today. I truly believe that our hearts have better sight than our eyes, and what my heart sees right now isn't a closing door but rather an opening new one. I hope our next chapter together could be where we are all healthily smiling about the past, welcoming the present, and being excited for what's to come."
He continued, "It's a quest that I myself am scared about, but I know that it's not for the worst. If I had ever done something right to have gained your trust over the last decade, I hope you believe me when I say that I'm not doing this just for fun."
He added, "I will never forget the pieces of love and truth each and every Czennie gave me."
The letter concluded, “I'm not playing here, and I am for sure not playing with your guys' hearts. ... You guys make me want to be a better person, and I hope my decisions in life can only become a positive impact to anyone watching. I'm truly and always thinking about you guys and I'll really be working very, very hard to make it all make sense. Love you all so much. … See you.”
Fans immediately flooded the comments with support and love, with other K-Pop stars stopping in to cheer him on.
While no direct explanation has been offered, it's clear that both SM Entertainment and Mark is committed to this new path forward. At least Mark fans know that they will have his solo career to enjoy, and whatever future collaborations he decides to be involved with. n