Written by Christina Fonti
For a decade, Mark Lee was one of NCT’s most defining constants — the member who threaded together eras, units, and generations. From debuting in 2016 to standing at the center of NCT 127 and NCT DREAM, he became the group’s emotional metronome: steady, sincere, and endlessly hardworking.
On April 3, SM Entertainment confirmed that Mark will conclude his exclusive contract on April 8 and step away from all NCT activities. The company expressed gratitude for his decade of work and wished him well as he begins a new chapter.
Shortly after, Mark posted a handwritten letter to fans — a long, vulnerable reflection on ten years of stages, memories, and the quiet dream he carried even before debut. He wrote about the version of himself that existed before the spotlight: a kid who wanted to travel with an acoustic guitar, busk on street corners, and write in English simply because it felt like breathing.
That dream, he explained, never disappeared. It simply waited.
A Decade That Felt Like a Lifetime
In his letter, Mark described the past ten years as “the best journey,” one that let him experience “the sky, the land, the sea, and the mountains” through music. He thanked every member — older and younger — for supporting his decision, sharing that their encouragement moved him to tears.
He also acknowledged the weight of the news for fans who have known him as “NCT’s Mark” for so long. His message was layered with gratitude, apology, and a kind of brave tenderness: the honesty of someone choosing a path that feels both terrifying and necessary.
Why Now?
Mark explained that as his 10‑year contract came to an end, he began asking himself deeper questions: What is the greatest dream I can dream? What is the work I’m meant to create as simply Mark?
He wrote that he wants to discover the true shape of his music — his “fruit” — and bring it into the world with intention.
This isn’t a departure from music. It’s a return to the root of why he started.
Find the full letter on Mark’s Official Instagram
The Road Ahead
NCT 127 will continue with seven members; NCT DREAM with six.
Mark, meanwhile, steps into a future that is both uncertain and beautifully open — a future shaped by curiosity, craft, and the courage to begin again.
for chasing what we truly love
In the end, Mark’s story reminds us that the bravest thing we can do is listen to the quiet dream that never stopped tapping on the inside of our ribs. The one we carried before the world told us who we should be. Chasing what we truly love isn’t a clean break or a dramatic leap — it’s a slow, steady turning toward ourselves. And sometimes, after ten years of noise, the softest voice is the truest compass.
SINON 