Mark Lee, who left the group NCT to pursue a solo career, has spoken out 4 months following his departure.
On August 14th, Mark uploaded a video titled “Stories So Far And Dreams Ahead” on his personal YouTube channel Mark Lee, where he shared his feelings after leaving NCT and his new musical goals.
In the video, Mark referenced the handwritten letter he had shared in April announcing the end of his exclusive contract with SM Entertainment and his departure from NCT.
He said, “At the time, I really struggled with how to write it and even prayed about it,” adding, “Thanks to all of you, the past ten years were happy, and I tried my best to express that the person I am now is here because of you. I believed that conveying sincerity was the best I could do, so I wrote it over two days.”
He also opened up about his honest feelings amid the many speculations that followed the letter’s release. Mark shared, “After posting the letter, I didn’t even go home. My mom was honestly very scared,” explaining, “There were questions like ‘Are you retiring?,’ ‘Are you going busking?,’ ‘Are you diving?’ at that time.”
He continued, “I wasn’t retiring, but fans didn’t know that. I also learned more about the fans’ perspective then,” emphasizing, “I was absolutely certain I needed to come out with music first.” Although he left NCT and SM, he made it clear that he is not stopping his music career or retiring from the entertainment industry.
Mark also revealed the kind of music and life direction he wants to pursue moving forward. He said, “I wanted to be a cool guy like Brad Pitt,” and spoke about what “cool” means to him: “Isn’t it possible to be kind, hot, and stylish at the same time?”
He added, “A dream came to me to show that kind of good coolness to the world,” and “I now have a clear dream to ultimately show that music to the next generation.”
Mark debuted in 2016 with NCT U and has been active in NCT 127, NCT DREAM, and SuperM. In April last year, he released his first solo full-length album, “The Firstfruit,” proving his capabilities as a solo artist.
However, Mark announced his contract termination with SM Entertainment and his departure from NCT in April this year.