Mark. Photo: Star Today DB
Looking back on his 10 years of activities with NCT, Mark has shared his heartfelt thoughts.
On the 3rd, SM Entertainment released an official statement saying, "After long and in-depth discussions with Mark, we have agreed to conclude our exclusive contract as of April 8," and added, "We are grateful for the precious time we have walked together with Mark, and we will support his future as he embarks on a new chapter."
In the handwritten letter released alongside the announcement, Mark looked back on the past years and expressed his gratitude to the members, fans, and SM Entertainment. He wrote, "Over these 10 years, there have been so many stages and memories," and continued, "Naturally, I began to think about what the greatest dream I could have would be, and what the best work and purpose I could pursue as a person named Mark might be."
He also shared that the members supported his decision. Mark said, "I had many conversations with the members, and every single one of them, without exception, cheered me on. I am so grateful that I could cry just thinking about it, and I feel sorry for them for the rest of my life," adding, "I am so thankful to the members who shared the same boat and sailed the best journey together with me, and I love them."
Mark spoke in particular to the fans, saying, "I sincerely thank Czennie, who has made me happy every single day for the past 10 years," and, "Thanks to that love and those memories, I have been able to become who I am today." At the same time, he noted, "I know very well that this change can be a huge shock and pain, and that makes my heart heavy," and added, "I felt that the best thing I can do right now is to convey my genuine feelings."
Having spent 10 years filling his life as a member of NCT, Mark has, after long deliberation, opened a new chapter toward a fresh beginning. He pledged, "I will always be Mark who never forgets where I started," and said, "I will live my life forever grateful to SM, the NCT members, and Czennie. I will do my very best and work as hard as I can so that I can be a better Mark going forward."
Mark debuted with NCT in 2016 and has since steadily proven his presence on the global stage through various units, including NCT 127, NCT Dream, and NCT U.
Below is the full text of Mark's handwritten letter.
Hello, this is Mark.
Hi, Czennie...
I debuted as NCT U on April 9, 2016, and now that it is April 2026, somehow a full 10 years have already passed... During those 10 years, so many things happened, I performed on so many stages, and above all, I feel like we made so many memories together. I know there were Czennies who liked me even back in the SM Rookies days, so if I include that time, it has actually been more than 10 years. How were these past 10-plus years for you, Czennie..? For me, I really, truly feel like I was only ever happy. Now that 10 years have gone by, I wanted to personally write this letter by hand to tell you about my new decision and new chapter, to Czennie, who has made me happy every single day for such a long time.
I know this will feel very sudden to everyone.. To be honest, ever since I was a trainee, or maybe even before that, I have always carried a dream in my heart. I dreamed of walking around with just an acoustic guitar, busking on the streets, and I loved writing in English so much that I even wanted to become a writer. I was too young back then to have that dream fully and clearly drawn out in my head, but because I loved music and the stage, I auditioned in Canada 14 years ago, and through SM, I began my musical path for the first time as part of NCT.
Because I had my beginning at SM and with NCT, I was able to get to know myself better and discover the best version of who I could be. I feel nothing but gratitude. Through NCT, I feel as if I have been able to experience the sky, the earth, the sea, and the mountains at their very best. Spending 10 years seeing and experiencing the world in the greatest way, and going on the best journey, I naturally began to think about what the greatest dream I could possibly dream would be, and what the best work and purpose I could have while living as a person named Mark. As the time came to conclude my 10-year contract, I awakened all the senses I had kept in my heart and thought about it for a long time. In the end, I became curious about what the exact, complete form of that dream would look like, and I wanted to fully dive into it and devote myself to it. I really want to find out what my music, or my fruits, will be, and how I can bring them into the world, and I want to make that happen for sure.
As I talked a lot with each and every member, they all, without exception, told me they support me, to the point where I feel like I could cry just thinking about it. I feel sorry for them for life, and above all, I am deeply grateful. To the older members who see me as their cute younger brother, and to the younger members who see me as their leader, I want to say once again how incredibly, incredibly thankful I am. I am so grateful and I love all the members who listened most closely to my worries about this decision, who listened to my heart, thought of me, gave me their opinions, and had only meaningful conversations with me. We were on the same boat together and sailed the best voyage over these past 10-plus years, and now that someone like me, who always loved going into the water, is saying I want to swim on my own, they are supporting my deep dive with love. I will also continue to support and love them always.
I was selected through the global audition in 2012, and from the training team to all the teachers, company staff, managers, directors, the CEO, and every employee in every department, I am forever grateful to everyone who has helped raise me to this point. My beginning was SM, it was NCT, and it was Czennie. No matter what kind of music I start making in this new chapter, I will always be Mark who never forgets where I began.
But... even though I have made such a big decision, I am fully aware that simply taking on a big challenge by myself does not resolve all of your worries, concerns, and pain. By announcing that I have made a major decision for a new chapter in my life, I know that this change can be a huge shock and wound to the Czennies who have loved me as NCT's Mark until now, to Mark’s fans, and to the general public, and I know that this one handwritten letter cannot soften that completely. Because of that, my heart feels truly, truly heavy. I think I spent a very long time agonizing over what the most mature choice and way of doing this would be. The fact that the result of all that thinking is this current situation feels very lacking, and for that I am so sorry, and my heart is very heavy.
To Czennie, whom I am most grateful to, I thought that the best thing I can do in this situation is to share my true, sincere feelings. And when I looked into my heart, at the end of that sincerity, more than anything else, I wanted to express my gratitude. I want to say the biggest thank you to every Czennie and to everyone who has known me and supported me up to now. Thank you so, so much. Thank you for letting me live as the happiest person for 10 years. Thank you for helping me dream bigger about being a singer, a dream I had kept quietly and shyly in my heart, and for helping me actually achieve that dream. Because you sent me such precious and invaluable love and support, because of that love and those memories, I was able to become the Mark I am today. I am truly grateful. Thank you so much for allowing me to live as a grateful person.
I will live the rest of my life with a grateful heart toward SM, the NCT members, and Czennie.
When I greet you again in the future in a new form, I will work as hard as I possibly can so that I can be a better Mark in front of you. Once again, thank you so very much.
[Lee Da-gyeom Star Today]
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
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