I hope he takes a break. He needs to take a vacation. Slow down and not work. I feel like he has not had a proper break in his whole career as an idol. He was either busy with NCT or SuperM.
llamacana on
jaemins comment was so sweet. i hope mark and the rest of the group are doing alright, they all have my support going forward ♡
thr1ftskull0 on
I happy Mark took this big step for himself and made the best decision for HIM!!! I will definitely support whatever he does next🫶🏽‼️
iBunty on
*Yeah, I don’t know how to make eggs But that I do not stress Know I won’t ever go hungry*
Rest well king, and whenever it is, hope you come back stronger than ever
whimsigod on
Good luck Mark, I’ll always be a fan. I hope he’ll have a much more manageable schedule now.
Desire-Untold on
Can you post his letter on Bubble too? It’s also a goodbye letter and it’s honestly beautiful
Edit: Someone posted in the comments!
velleneo on
I wouldn’t have been surprised if he had left SM but it’s so sad and bittersweet to see him leave NCT too 😭 will miss him dearly
laviyu on
Good luck to him whatever he does. A true ace that was loved by everyone
>I debuted as NCT U on April 9, 2016, and now that it’s already April 2026, a full 10 years have truly passed… So much has happened over those 10 years—I’ve performed on so many stages, and above all, I feel like I’vemade so many memories. I know very well that there are Czennies who have liked me since the SM Rookies days, so if you include that time, it has actually been more than 10 years. How have the past ten-plus years been for you, Czennies…? I think I’ve truly, truly been nothing but happy. Now that 10 years have passed, I want to personally share with Czennies—who have made me happy every single day without fail for such a long time—my new decision and the new chapter ahead, by writing it out myself by hand.
>I know this may feel very sudden to everyone… But in fact, ever since my trainee days—or maybe even before that—I’ve always carried a dream in my heart. I dreamed of traveling 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 to fully understand that dream clearly or picture it perfectly in my head, but because I loved music and the stage, I auditioned in Canada 14 years ago, and at SM, I began my musical journey for the first time as part of NCT.
>Because my “firsts” began at SM and with NCT, I was able to come to know myself more and to find the very best version of myself. All I feel is gratitude. Through NCT, it feels like I’ve been able to experience the sky, the land, the sea, and the mountains all in the greatest way. After spending 10 years seeing and experiencing the world at its fullest and going on the best journey, I think I naturally began to wonder: what is the best dream I can possibly dream? What is the greatest work and purpose I can have, living my life as a person named Mark? And since this is the time when my 10-year contract is coming to an end, I awakened every sense I’d been carrying in my heart and thought about it for a long time. In the end, I found myself truly curious about what the exact, fully realized shape of that dream might be—and I wanted to dive in and devote myself to it properly. I think I’ve come to truly want to find, clearly and for real, what my music—or my “fruit”—will be and how I can bring it into fruition in this world and to make that happen no matter what.
>As I talked a lot with each and every member, it got to the point where just thinking about it makes me tear up—because in the end, every single member, without exception, told me they support me. I’ll feel sorry for the rest of my life, and more than anything, I’m grateful. I want to say once again a huge, huge thank you—to the older members who see me as their cute little brother and to the younger members who see me as a leader. To all the members who, in making this decision, listened most closely to my worries, heard my heart out, thought about me, shared their opinions, and gave me nothing but meaningful, wonderful conversations: thank you so much, and I love you. With the members I boarded the same ship with, we’ve made the best voyage over the past ten-plus years. And as someone who has always loved going into the water, now that I’m saying I want to swim, these are the members who are cheering on my deep dive—with love, no less. I will also keep on supporting and loving you from here on out.
>After being chosen through a global audition in 2012, I want to thank everyone for a lifetime—from the training team to every instructor, everyone at the company, the managers, the directors, the executives, and staff in every department—for having raised me and helped me grow into who I am today.
>But… no matter how big a decision I’ve made, I truly understand that it doesn’t automatically ease everyone’s worries, concerns, and hardship just because it’s “a big challenge” that I’m taking on alone. I know that announcing a major decision for a new chapter in my life cannot soften—through this one handwritten letter alone—the change that could come as a huge shock and hurt to Czennies who have loved me as “NCT’s Mark,” to Mark fans, and to the general public. That’s why my heart feels so heavy. I think I spent an extremely long time worrying and thinking, over and over again, about what the most mature choice and the best way to go about it would be. I’m so sorry that the result of all those long deliberations has ultimately led to this situation, which may seem so inadequate, and my heart feels very heavy.
>I thought that what I can do in this situation—especially for you, Czennies, whom I’m most grateful to—is to convey my genuine, sincere feelings. And when I looked into my heart, I realized that at the end of that sincerity, more than anything else, what I most wanted to express was my gratitude. To every Czennie, and to everyone who has known me and supported me up until now, I want to say as strongly as I can: thank you. Truly, truly, thank you. Thank you for letting me live as the happiest person for the past 10 years. For helping me hold a bigger dream of becoming a singer—something I used to keep timidly tucked away only inside my heart—and for helping me actually achieve that dream in reality, too. Because you sent me so much precious and invaluable love and support, it’s truly thanks to that love and those memories that I was able to become the Mark I am today. Thank you, sincerely, for letting me live as someone who knows gratitude.
>I will carry a grateful heart for SM, the NCT members, and Czennies for the rest of my life.
>So that when I greet you again in the future with a new side of myself, I can be a Mark you can be proud of, I will do my absolute best—beyond my best—and work as hard as I can. Once again, thank you so much.
asuka_is_my_co-pilot on
i love you can tell he wrote this 100% himself hahah
mincuca on
his handwritten letter is so mature, it must be so painful and heartbreaking to say goodbye to the biggest part of his life.. but seriously, living this idol life, especially one as intense and crazy as mark’s, for over a decade is not sustainable… i applaud him for taking the step back and choosing what is best for him. i hope this next chapter gives him more freedom, peace, and privacy to do what he wants. i hope he takes a loonnnng well deserved break.
AfraidInspection2894 on
Reading the letter made me cry. NCT won’t be the same without him.
It sounds like Mark is making the best choice for him and his future and I wish him nothing but the best.
buckpineapple on
Oh mark, 😭 what do you mean? Wherever you are and whatever you do I will always be proudest of you! My heart is SHATTERED 😭😭😭😭
chat_luneeee on
I just woke up and wow… I’m wishing him the best in his future endeavours. :0
Dry-Place-2986 on
i am a mess lol i’m gonna miss him in nct so much. they have been such a huge part of my teenage years and my transition into adulthood. there is a little bit of solace in knowing he is leaving on good terms.
saranghaja on
This might be the single best written statement I’ve ever read by an idol. It’s in his own voice, reads as sincere, and shuts down gossip or speculation by clearly explaining his intentions and reinforcing his positive relationships with the NCT members. It’s very refreshing to see.
I remember Mark mentioning that he wanted to write a book in the past, and I hope he does someday. I’ve seen people say that they don’t like how he speaks because he can come off kind of goofy, but I’ve always liked how he expresses himself. And god knows he’d have a lot of unique experiences to draw from.
BetsyPurple on
I wish him well in all his future endeavors!!
whaIien52 on
well i’m crying
zakuropan on
my life is over
NoobieChan on
Best wishes to Mark on his new journey!! What a beautiful goodbye letter. Sending strength to all NCTzens reeling from the news.
Minimum_Macaron_7095 on
It’s sad he left but ngl being overworked since your teens, leaving a huge impact on the industry, doing work outside kpop, then bailing out without any injuries or serious health problems(that we know of) or any scandals, ngl pretty smart move.
I hope he gets a well deserved rest. I hope he also does not get pestered by “those fans”.
mymeloplush on
love you so so so so much mark
green-rain5 on
I am both shocked and sad. To me he is integral part of both group and he is like the face of NCT, it really won’t be the same without him.
I wish him well on all his future endeavors.
dunkphoria on
what an end of an era, indeed. not rlly a dreamzen (wishzen actually if we’re talking about me liking any nct subunits) but nct dream’s [unknown](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgVPGQMLP5s) helped me a lot when i first started college back then ☹️ i hope dreamies’ comfort songs can also, in a way, encourage mark in his new journey and endeavors 🤍 all the best, spidermark!
Select_Ant1242 on
I wish him the best, he’s a talented person.
When you look at other veteran groups and how companies handle solo careers, especially SM, it’s just impossible to fully develop your solo career, esp if you have big or different ambitions. You still have to divide your time between group and individual schedules, the company doesn’t usually give you full freedom to create the music you want and they might not promote you the way you’d like.
So it makes sense that many of them want to get out of these big companies if they have the desire to build a solo career.
BeomBum on
Aw, this is such a sweet letter. Good luck to him~~~freedom to do what he wants will feel really good.
Purple_Winter14 on
Now I understand why they were crying so much during the concert 😭 this man has been working since he was a teenager. He deserves every break he could get but man, this breaks my heart. NCT will never be the same without this ace. I’ll always cherish how happy I was when I saw him perform for the first time. 🥺💚
Foxwood2212 on
Mark we will miss you we know it’s not your fault SM is always shit you did your best
Time_Combination_316 on
Genuinely had to google the date because I had to make sure it’s not April 1st anymore.
I am in shock. I wonder if he’s leaving the industry altogether
lilfreaks on
it’s gonna take me a while to process this considering the fact that not only is Mark such an integral part of NCT, but also because The 7th Sense got me into kpop all those years ago, therefore he was an integral part of that too..
at the same time this makes me very excited for his new chapter and I’m so glad he prioritised himself. there’s only so much your mind and body can take after over a decade of being extremely overworked.
I loved reading his letters, and I love how so much of his personality is shown through his writing. now give my man a long ass ~~ride~~ vacation!!!
coreofsoul on
I’m a bit emotional over this bc I followed his entire journey from trainee to now. But I always fully support idols who started as kids trying something new in life. It’s honestly so courageous and inspiring to me
jedto on
Really beautiful letter 💚 after all his work as a nct member under so many units, he will finally be able to focus on his own career and have time to rest, I wish him the best!!
jackieisbored on
I’m so shocked but I’m wishing Mark the absolute best. 🥺
bimpossibIe on
Best of luck, Mark! Please take a long vacation and enjoy the fruits of your labor before dipping your toes into work again. You deserve to rest too. Be happy! 💚
35 Comments
I hope he takes a break. He needs to take a vacation. Slow down and not work. I feel like he has not had a proper break in his whole career as an idol. He was either busy with NCT or SuperM.
jaemins comment was so sweet. i hope mark and the rest of the group are doing alright, they all have my support going forward ♡
I happy Mark took this big step for himself and made the best decision for HIM!!! I will definitely support whatever he does next🫶🏽‼️
*Yeah, I don’t know how to make eggs But that I do not stress Know I won’t ever go hungry*
Rest well king, and whenever it is, hope you come back stronger than ever
Good luck Mark, I’ll always be a fan. I hope he’ll have a much more manageable schedule now.
Can you post his letter on Bubble too? It’s also a goodbye letter and it’s honestly beautiful
Edit: Someone posted in the comments!
I wouldn’t have been surprised if he had left SM but it’s so sad and bittersweet to see him leave NCT too 😭 will miss him dearly
Good luck to him whatever he does. A true ace that was loved by everyone
There is a much longer handwritten letter in Korean. [A translation from Soompi:](https://www.soompi.com/article/1830005wpp/breaking-mark-leaves-nct-and-sm-entertainment)
>Hello, this is Mark.
>Hello, Czennies…
>I debuted as NCT U on April 9, 2016, and now that it’s already April 2026, a full 10 years have truly passed… So much has happened over those 10 years—I’ve performed on so many stages, and above all, I feel like I’vemade so many memories. I know very well that there are Czennies who have liked me since the SM Rookies days, so if you include that time, it has actually been more than 10 years. How have the past ten-plus years been for you, Czennies…? I think I’ve truly, truly been nothing but happy. Now that 10 years have passed, I want to personally share with Czennies—who have made me happy every single day without fail for such a long time—my new decision and the new chapter ahead, by writing it out myself by hand.
>I know this may feel very sudden to everyone… But in fact, ever since my trainee days—or maybe even before that—I’ve always carried a dream in my heart. I dreamed of traveling 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 to fully understand that dream clearly or picture it perfectly in my head, but because I loved music and the stage, I auditioned in Canada 14 years ago, and at SM, I began my musical journey for the first time as part of NCT.
>Because my “firsts” began at SM and with NCT, I was able to come to know myself more and to find the very best version of myself. All I feel is gratitude. Through NCT, it feels like I’ve been able to experience the sky, the land, the sea, and the mountains all in the greatest way. After spending 10 years seeing and experiencing the world at its fullest and going on the best journey, I think I naturally began to wonder: what is the best dream I can possibly dream? What is the greatest work and purpose I can have, living my life as a person named Mark? And since this is the time when my 10-year contract is coming to an end, I awakened every sense I’d been carrying in my heart and thought about it for a long time. In the end, I found myself truly curious about what the exact, fully realized shape of that dream might be—and I wanted to dive in and devote myself to it properly. I think I’ve come to truly want to find, clearly and for real, what my music—or my “fruit”—will be and how I can bring it into fruition in this world and to make that happen no matter what.
>As I talked a lot with each and every member, it got to the point where just thinking about it makes me tear up—because in the end, every single member, without exception, told me they support me. I’ll feel sorry for the rest of my life, and more than anything, I’m grateful. I want to say once again a huge, huge thank you—to the older members who see me as their cute little brother and to the younger members who see me as a leader. To all the members who, in making this decision, listened most closely to my worries, heard my heart out, thought about me, shared their opinions, and gave me nothing but meaningful, wonderful conversations: thank you so much, and I love you. With the members I boarded the same ship with, we’ve made the best voyage over the past ten-plus years. And as someone who has always loved going into the water, now that I’m saying I want to swim, these are the members who are cheering on my deep dive—with love, no less. I will also keep on supporting and loving you from here on out.
>After being chosen through a global audition in 2012, I want to thank everyone for a lifetime—from the training team to every instructor, everyone at the company, the managers, the directors, the executives, and staff in every department—for having raised me and helped me grow into who I am today.
>But… no matter how big a decision I’ve made, I truly understand that it doesn’t automatically ease everyone’s worries, concerns, and hardship just because it’s “a big challenge” that I’m taking on alone. I know that announcing a major decision for a new chapter in my life cannot soften—through this one handwritten letter alone—the change that could come as a huge shock and hurt to Czennies who have loved me as “NCT’s Mark,” to Mark fans, and to the general public. That’s why my heart feels so heavy. I think I spent an extremely long time worrying and thinking, over and over again, about what the most mature choice and the best way to go about it would be. I’m so sorry that the result of all those long deliberations has ultimately led to this situation, which may seem so inadequate, and my heart feels very heavy.
>I thought that what I can do in this situation—especially for you, Czennies, whom I’m most grateful to—is to convey my genuine, sincere feelings. And when I looked into my heart, I realized that at the end of that sincerity, more than anything else, what I most wanted to express was my gratitude. To every Czennie, and to everyone who has known me and supported me up until now, I want to say as strongly as I can: thank you. Truly, truly, thank you. Thank you for letting me live as the happiest person for the past 10 years. For helping me hold a bigger dream of becoming a singer—something I used to keep timidly tucked away only inside my heart—and for helping me actually achieve that dream in reality, too. Because you sent me so much precious and invaluable love and support, it’s truly thanks to that love and those memories that I was able to become the Mark I am today. Thank you, sincerely, for letting me live as someone who knows gratitude.
>I will carry a grateful heart for SM, the NCT members, and Czennies for the rest of my life.
>So that when I greet you again in the future with a new side of myself, I can be a Mark you can be proud of, I will do my absolute best—beyond my best—and work as hard as I can. Once again, thank you so much.
i love you can tell he wrote this 100% himself hahah
his handwritten letter is so mature, it must be so painful and heartbreaking to say goodbye to the biggest part of his life.. but seriously, living this idol life, especially one as intense and crazy as mark’s, for over a decade is not sustainable… i applaud him for taking the step back and choosing what is best for him. i hope this next chapter gives him more freedom, peace, and privacy to do what he wants. i hope he takes a loonnnng well deserved break.
Reading the letter made me cry. NCT won’t be the same without him.
It sounds like Mark is making the best choice for him and his future and I wish him nothing but the best.
Oh mark, 😭 what do you mean? Wherever you are and whatever you do I will always be proudest of you! My heart is SHATTERED 😭😭😭😭
I just woke up and wow… I’m wishing him the best in his future endeavours. :0
i am a mess lol i’m gonna miss him in nct so much. they have been such a huge part of my teenage years and my transition into adulthood. there is a little bit of solace in knowing he is leaving on good terms.
This might be the single best written statement I’ve ever read by an idol. It’s in his own voice, reads as sincere, and shuts down gossip or speculation by clearly explaining his intentions and reinforcing his positive relationships with the NCT members. It’s very refreshing to see.
I remember Mark mentioning that he wanted to write a book in the past, and I hope he does someday. I’ve seen people say that they don’t like how he speaks because he can come off kind of goofy, but I’ve always liked how he expresses himself. And god knows he’d have a lot of unique experiences to draw from.
I wish him well in all his future endeavors!!
well i’m crying
my life is over
Best wishes to Mark on his new journey!! What a beautiful goodbye letter. Sending strength to all NCTzens reeling from the news.
It’s sad he left but ngl being overworked since your teens, leaving a huge impact on the industry, doing work outside kpop, then bailing out without any injuries or serious health problems(that we know of) or any scandals, ngl pretty smart move.
I hope he gets a well deserved rest. I hope he also does not get pestered by “those fans”.
love you so so so so much mark
I am both shocked and sad. To me he is integral part of both group and he is like the face of NCT, it really won’t be the same without him.
I wish him well on all his future endeavors.
what an end of an era, indeed. not rlly a dreamzen (wishzen actually if we’re talking about me liking any nct subunits) but nct dream’s [unknown](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgVPGQMLP5s) helped me a lot when i first started college back then ☹️ i hope dreamies’ comfort songs can also, in a way, encourage mark in his new journey and endeavors 🤍 all the best, spidermark!
I wish him the best, he’s a talented person.
When you look at other veteran groups and how companies handle solo careers, especially SM, it’s just impossible to fully develop your solo career, esp if you have big or different ambitions. You still have to divide your time between group and individual schedules, the company doesn’t usually give you full freedom to create the music you want and they might not promote you the way you’d like.
So it makes sense that many of them want to get out of these big companies if they have the desire to build a solo career.
Aw, this is such a sweet letter. Good luck to him~~~freedom to do what he wants will feel really good.
Now I understand why they were crying so much during the concert 😭 this man has been working since he was a teenager. He deserves every break he could get but man, this breaks my heart. NCT will never be the same without this ace. I’ll always cherish how happy I was when I saw him perform for the first time. 🥺💚
Mark we will miss you we know it’s not your fault SM is always shit you did your best
Genuinely had to google the date because I had to make sure it’s not April 1st anymore.
I am in shock. I wonder if he’s leaving the industry altogether
it’s gonna take me a while to process this considering the fact that not only is Mark such an integral part of NCT, but also because The 7th Sense got me into kpop all those years ago, therefore he was an integral part of that too..
at the same time this makes me very excited for his new chapter and I’m so glad he prioritised himself. there’s only so much your mind and body can take after over a decade of being extremely overworked.
I loved reading his letters, and I love how so much of his personality is shown through his writing. now give my man a long ass ~~ride~~ vacation!!!
I’m a bit emotional over this bc I followed his entire journey from trainee to now. But I always fully support idols who started as kids trying something new in life. It’s honestly so courageous and inspiring to me
Really beautiful letter 💚 after all his work as a nct member under so many units, he will finally be able to focus on his own career and have time to rest, I wish him the best!!
I’m so shocked but I’m wishing Mark the absolute best. 🥺
Best of luck, Mark! Please take a long vacation and enjoy the fruits of your labor before dipping your toes into work again. You deserve to rest too. Be happy! 💚
My baby 😭😭😭😭