Jaehwa Bernardo

Mark Lee. Photo from Mark's Instagram account

Article (news)

K-pop star Mark Lee, formerly of NCT, launches label

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1780549246485pacrop.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Mark Lee. <em>Photo from Mark&#x27;s Instagram account</em></span></span></span></div><p>K-pop star Mark Lee has launched his own label following his departure from South Korean entertainment giant SM Entertainment, signaling a potential return to the music scene.</p><p>The 26-year-old rapper-singer shared Wednesday a clip on Instagram to introduce the label Upper Room.</p><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-3" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZIA2SUy4Yd/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A3%2C%22os%22%3A14412696.799999952%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-3" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Mark also added the label&#x27;s Instagram handle, @uprmlabel, to the bio of his personal Instagram account.</p><p>In April, SM announced that Mark would be leaving the company, where he had been an artist for 10 years, primarily as a member of the mega-group NCT.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/music/2026/4/3/k-pop-star-mark-lee-leaves-nct-label-sm-entertainment-1524"><strong>READ: K-pop star Mark Lee leaves NCT, label SM Entertainment<br/></strong></a></div><p>He was a key member of NCT, being one of the first five members introduced with the group&#x27;s 2016 debut single &quot;The 7th Sense.&quot;</p><p>Within NCT, which has more than 20 members performing across various sub-units, Mark was part of the Seoul-based team NCT 127 and the youth concept-focused NCT Dream — both of which he also left upon departing SM.</p><p>He also joined SuperM, a supergroup featuring members from different SM boy bands, before debuting as a solo artist in 2025 with the album &quot;The Firstfruit.&quot; </p>

<p>K-pop star Mark Lee has launched his own label following his departure from South Korean entertainment giant SM Entertainment, signaling a potential return to the music scene.</p>

K-pop star Mark Lee has launched his own label following his departure from South Korean entertainment giant SM Entertainment, signaling a potential return to the music scene.