NCT’s Ten to leave SM Entertainment but will remain in NCT and WayV

NCT member Ten will leave South Korean label SM Entertainment as his contract concludes on Apr 8. However, he will remain a member of NCT and Chinese sub-unit WayV.

The announcement came via fan communication platform Weverse on Monday (Apr 6), where the label wrote, “Following careful and extensive discussions regarding Ten’s future direction, we have reached a mutual understanding to conclude his exclusive contract with SM Entertainment, effective April 8.”

They added: “Moving forward, we will continue to stay in close communication to explore opportunities for Ten to participate in WayV and NCT activities, where possible.”

The Thai-born K-pop singer addressed fans in a letter posted on his Instagram story on Monday in Korean, English and Thai. 

He wrote in English, “As I approach my 10th anniversary, I’ve found myself wanting to take on new challenges, explore new possibilities, and discover new versions of myself.”

He shared that the decision came “after a lot of thought and many heartfelt discussions with the members and the staff at SM”.

As he thanked the label, his fellow members and fans for their support on his journey, he affirmed that he “will continue [his] activities as Ten of NCT and WayV” while he prepares to showcase “new sides of ‘Ten’ and to evolve in new ways as a solo artiste in this next chapter”.

Ten, whose real name is Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul, debuted in 2016 as a member of NCT U, a sub-unit of NCT, as the first Thai artiste to debut under the label. He is also a member of WayV, the China-based sub-unit of the K-pop group that debuted in 2019.

On Apr 3, SM Entertainment announced that NCT's Mark will leave both the K-pop group and the label, sending shockwaves across the fandom and K-pop community.