If you’re a fellow K-pop fan, then you’ve probably seen what feels like constant departure announcements from some of the most beloved K-pop idols. It seems like every day a different idol is leaving, and a different fandom is reeling from the sudden loss. It makes you wonder if the K-pop genre as we know it is coming to an end.
With the latest departures of idols like Enhypen’s Heeseung, NCT’s Mark Lee, and NCT and WayV’s Ten (the latter of whom ended his exclusive solo contract with SM Entertainment but plans to stay in his groups), I’ve been reflecting on what it means to watch your faves move on to the next phase of their career. The longer I’ve thought about it, the more I realize that, at the end of the day, I’m actually OK with it. Don’t get me wrong: Reading statements dropped by some of the biggest labels in South Korea announcing an idol’s departure from a group is rarely fun. It’s a very disorienting way to wake up. However, there’s a silver lining to be found, even if you’re a grieving fan.
When SM Entertainment revealed on April 3 that Mark Lee would no longer be a part of NCT 127 and NCT Dream and would be leaving the company, I was utterly stunned. To be clear, Mark is my Zayn (1D fans, IYKYK). I’m incredibly devastated about his decision to leave — I can’t even listen to a snippet of an NCT 127 song without immediately thinking about how we’ll never have another verse from him again. But the thing is, I understand why he left. In his decade-long career, Mark Lee has released over 40 albums and worked across four groups (remember SuperM?). He is beyond successful, but he was also beyond busy. It takes a Herculean effort to promote with two to three groups a year while balancing solo music. So, while I’m heartbroken that this is the end of the road for Mark and NCT, I know that Mark has more than earned this.
Funnily enough, my reaction to Ten’s announcement on April 6 — which was to remain in NCT and WayV but to not renew his exclusive solo contract with SM — was a complete 180 from my reaction to Mark’s. The reason is simple: I saw it coming. I’ve been a fan of Ten’s for years. Quietly, I’ve been hoping for this decision, and I smiled when it came. Sometimes, the label and the artist have different visions. In those situations, it’s actually healthy to sit down and recognize where paths may diverge and make a clean break. It doesn’t mean that there isn’t some sadness to it — Ten is SM Entertainment’s first Thai idol, and he’s spent a decade working with the company — but one door closing always means another opens.
Although I’m not quite as knowledgeable about Enhypen, I was watching everything unfold following Heeseung’s March 10 announcement that he would be leaving the group to focus on his solo career. It was super sudden to fans and non-fans alike. After all, Enhypen is currently on tour! To everyone, it seemed to come out of nowhere, but for Heeseung, it’s clear he had been thinking about it for some time. He’s not the first member of any group, K-pop or not, to leave to prioritize a solo career, and he won’t be the last. Heeseung is ready to show the world another side of himself. As much as it hurts knowing that he won’t be part of Enhypen anymore, there are several good, exciting things on the horizon for the now-six member group and Heeseung alike.
As fans, we need to remind ourselves that every member of every K-pop group has their own unique musical identity that they have to balance with that of their group’s. It’s perfectly natural and perfectly OK if an idol decides to move on. It’s actually to be expected, considering this isn’t a new phenomenon: In 2024, Taemin and Onew left SM but remain members of the legendary group SHINee. In 2023, EXO’s D.O. did the same. Wonho remains on good terms with Monsta X despite his sudden 2019 departure, and is finding his groove as a solo act. So many other K-pop artists have experienced success as solo acts and still interact positively with their original groups whenever they can.
It doesn’t mean that they didn’t treasure their time as members of the group or label. It certainly doesn’t mean that they secretly hate their fans or the K-pop genre is going away. All it means is that they are ready for a new chapter. We can’t know what the future holds for our faves or ourselves as fans, but we can make the choice to embrace the excitement over the grief.