Mark Lee, a prominent member of K-pop groups NCT Dream and NCT 127, has announced his departure from both subunits after a decade of dedicated activity with SM Entertainment. The 26-year-old Canadian-born rapper and singer shared his decision in a deeply emotional letter addressed to his fans, known as Czennies.

SM Entertainment officially confirmed Mark's exit, stating that his exclusive contract would conclude on April 8. The company's statement highlighted that this decision was reached through a mutual agreement following extensive discussions with Mark regarding his future career direction. SM Entertainment lauded Mark's "outstanding abilities" demonstrated throughout his tenure with the group and as a solo artist, extending their sincere well wishes for his upcoming endeavors.

In light of Mark's departure, SM Entertainment also clarified the revised lineups for the two subunits. NCT 127 will proceed as a seven-member group, consisting of Johnny, Taeyong, Yuta, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Jungwoo, and Haechan. Similarly, NCT Dream will continue with six members: Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle, and Jisung.

Mark's journey with SM Entertainment began in 2012 when he joined as a trainee. He subsequently graduated from the SM Rookies program, debuting with the NCT subunit NCT U in 2016, before quickly joining NCT 127 and NCT Dream. In his heartfelt letter, which was posted in both English and Korean, he expressed profound gratitude to his fans. "Out of all the things my heart wants to say right now, I truly wish to say thank you," he wrote, just days after completing NCT Dream's world tour with a six-show finale in Seoul, South Korea.

He continued, "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." Mark conveyed both hope and a touch of trepidation concerning his next chapter, the specifics of which he chose not to reveal. He promised never to forget the "pieces of love and truth" shared by Czennies, affirming his seriousness about his decisions: "I’m not playing here, and I am for sure not playing with your guys’ hearts." He expressed a desire to be a better person and hoped his life choices would positively impact those watching, assuring fans of his continuous thoughts and hard work.

Mark Lee also launched his debut solo album, titled "The First," in April 2025.