K-pop star Mark Lee has officially left his group NCT after being with them for 10 years. The move means he's also exiting from SM Entertainment.
The organization announced his departure on April 3 and shared on Weverse: "We would like to sincerely thank all fans for your continued love and support for NCT. After a long period of careful and thoughtful discussion with Mark regarding his future activities, we have mutually agreed to conclude his exclusive contract as of April 8. Mark will conclude all activities as a member of NCT, including NCT 127 and NCT DREAM."
© Getty ImagesSM Entertainment's statement
The statement continued: "Moving forward, NCT 127 will continue as a seven-member group consisting of JOHNNY, TAEYONG, YUTA, DOYOUNG, JAEHYUN, JUNGWOO, and HAECHAN. NCT DREAM will continue as a six-member group consisting of RENJUN, JENO, HAECHAN, JAEMIN, CHENLE, and JISUNG."
The company's statement also celebrated Mark's presence in the group and added: "Since his debut with NCT in 2016, Mark has demonstrated exceptional talent and versatility through both group and solo activities and has delivered remarkable performances over the years. 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."
© Getty ImagesMark's statement
Mark took to Instagram to share the announcment with his fans and to thank them for all their support.
He shared: "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 will never forget the pieces of love and truth each and every Czennie (NCT's fanbase) gave me."
The singer continued: "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."
© Getty ImagesFans react
Fans were distraught about the news and took to Reddit to share their thoughts. One person wrote: "NCT without Mark won't be the same. I wish him all the best though."
A second fan added: "He's such an integral part of NCT and I’m going to miss him. I know he has individual goals and aspirations, so now he will have the freedom and time to pursue them. It's bittersweet…the end of an amazing era. Thank you Mark for everything!"
Another fan added: "I'm not trying to be dramatic, but I just had a little cry in my office. NCT 127 is my favorite group. Mark has been the pillar of the group for years now. He's been overworked for over a decade, so I do understand his decision. This is still so bittersweet because change is scary. Mark made the best decision for himself, and I'm so glad that he's accomplished what he set out to do many years ago. He had a dream and achieved it."
© Getty ImagesThe history of NCT
The group NCT, which stands for Neo Culture Technology, was announced by SM Entertainment in January 2016.
The company has a total of 25 members who are split into seven different groups which include NCT U, NCT 127, NCT Dream, WayV, NCT DoJaeJung, NCT Wish and NCT JNJM.
In total, NCT as a whole has sold over 45 million albums in Korea.
