K-pop star Mark Lee departing NCT, SM Entertainment

MANILA, Philippines — The Hallyu world was taken on a whirl following the announcement of Korean artist Mark Lee's departure from label SM Entertainment and subsequently the boy band NCT.

The agency confirmed that Mark is terminating his contract after a decade with NCT and its sub-units NCT 127 and NCT Dream.

The decision which takes effect on April 8 came about "after sufficient and deep discussions with Mark for a long time," according to SM in a statement.

SM also praised Mark for his artistry and "demonstrating outstanding abilities both as a group member and as a solo artist," wishing him well in future endeavors.

Mark later posted a handwritten letter on his Instagram, accompanied by typed version, addressed to fans and fellow NCT members.

The artist acknowledged how sudden the decision was while admitting that while his best experiences were with NCT, he's opted to pursue traveling to perform music on his acoustic guitar and write new songs.

His fellow NCT members, to whom Mark said was "tearfully grateful and forever sorry" to "wholeheartedly" supported his decision to leave the group.

"You have made me the happiest person for the past 10 years. Because of you, I was able to dream bigger as a singer and make that dream come true," Mark told fans in Korean, reiterating his thanks to SM and NCT and vowing to become a better version of himself.

Mark also posted on Instagram two briefer letters written in English, which were also filled with gratitude and hopefulness.

"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 opening a new one," he said.

"I hope our next chapter together could be where we are all healthily smiling about the past, welcoming the present, and being excited about what's to come," Mark continued. "It's a quest that I myself am scared about, but I know that it's not for the worst."

The singer credited fans for making him a better person and hopes to be a positive influence going forward.

"I'm truly and always will be thinking about you guys... and I'll really be working very, very hard to make it all make sense. Love you all so much... See you," the latter letter ended.

Mark debuted with NCT in 2016 as a teenager, releasing four albums with the main group. He also released several studio albums and extended plays with the NCT 127 and NCT Dream sub-units.

Last year, Mark released his first solo album "The Firstfirst," which carried the singles "200," "Fraktsiya," "+82 Pressin" and "1999."

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