Mark Personally Addresses Fans Following His Departure From NCT

“Hello, this is Mark.
Hi, Czennies…

In 2016, around April, I was introduced as a member of NCT, and now it’s already been about 10 years since I’ve been living as Mark. Over those 10 years, I’ve met so many people, experienced many things, and received so much love and support. I’m truly grateful. I’ve liked being an artist and being on stage since I was young, and I’ve always enjoyed expressing myself, so I think I was able to endure and come this far.
It feels like just yesterday that I debuted, but before I knew it, 10 years have passed. I think I’ve lived while constantly running forward. Now, at this point, I’ve been seriously thinking about my new challenges and a new chapter in my life.

I know this may come as a bit of a sudden and surprising message to everyone… but ever since I was young, I’ve had a dream that I’ve kept in my heart. Carrying a guitar, riding the subway, writing songs, and traveling around. I liked imagining that kind of life. But I didn’t want to give up this dream lightly, and as someone who loves music and the stage, after watching performances about 10 years ago, I first seriously began thinking about becoming an artist.

Because I started as an artist at SM Entertainment, I was able to learn more about myself and grow. I’m truly grateful. Through being an artist, I’ve experienced so many “firsts”— firsts in happiness, sadness, stages, and everything else. For 10 years, I’ve seen and experienced the world for the first time, and through those firsts, I’ve come to naturally think deeply about what my ultimate dream is, what kind of person Mark wants to become, and what kind of goals I want to achieve.

Since this is a time that wraps up those 10 years, I think I’ve gathered all the emotions I’ve kept in my heart and spent a long time thinking deeply, and finally decided to take on this new dream. I became curious about what a fully realized version of that dream would look like, and I wanted to challenge myself properly and dive into it. I want to truly find what my music is, what it means to me, and how I can share it with the world… and achieve it.

As I talked a lot with each member about this, even though it wasn’t an easy decision, all the members supported me and respected my choice. I’m always sorry and grateful to them. To the fans who have always looked at me warmly and believed in me, I want to sincerely say thank you again.

To the members who listened to my thoughts most closely, understood my heart, thought deeply with me, gave me advice, and had many heartfelt conversations with me, I’m so thankful and I love you. We’ve been on the same ship for the past 10 years, achieving so many firsts together. As someone who has always loved being in the water, I now want to learn how to swim, and the members are the ones cheering on my deep dive.
I will continue to support and love you all as well.

In 2012, I was selected through a global audition, and from the training team to all the teachers, company staff, managers, directors, executives, and every department—I will be grateful for the rest of my life for raising me into who I am today. My beginning was SM, NCT, and Czennies. No matter what kind of music I start and create moving forward, I will always be Mark who never forgets where I started.

But… no matter how big of a decision I’ve made, I fully understand that framing this as me taking on a big challenge on my own doesn’t take away everyone’s worries, concerns, or pain. By announcing this major decision for a new chapter in my life, I know this change may come as a great shock, and perhaps it even hurts Czennies who have loved me as NCT’s Mark, to Markfs and to the general public, and I also know that a single handwritten letter cannot ease all of that. Because of that, my heart feels incredibly heavy. I spent a very long time thinking deeply about what the most mature choice and the right way to approach this would be. I’m truly sorry that the result of all that thought has led to something that may still feel lacking, and it weighs heavily on my heart.

To the Czennies I’m most grateful for, I believed the best thing I could do in this situation was to share my honest, genuine feelings. And when I looked into my heart, more than anything else, what I wanted most was to express my gratitude. To all Czennies, and to everyone who has known me and supported me until now, I want to say thank you above all else. Truly, truly, thank you—for allowing me to live as such a happy person over these past 10 years. For helping me grow the dream of becoming a singer, which once quietly lived inside my heart, into something much bigger—and for helping me actually achieve that dream. Because you gave me such precious and invaluable love and support, and because of those love-filled memories, I was able to become who I am today. Thank you, truly, for allowing me to live as someone who is so grateful. I will carry this gratitude toward SM, the NCT members, and Czennies with me for the rest of my life.

That said, I’m going to work hard and do my absolute best so that when I see you all again on my new journey, you’ll get to see an even better version of Mark. Once again, thank you so much.”

— Mark