Winwin and Mark Lee both left NCT and SM Entertainment in 2026, but the official goodbye posts telling fans that news looked very different. Those contrasting Weverse notices are now the center of a heated fandom debate.
NCTzens are lining up screenshots of the two announcements and asking why Mark received a long, detailed tribute while Winwin’s message was shorter and more generic. For many fans, the gap in tone confirms long running worries about how SM has valued certain members.
Winwin and Mark NCT exit statements, side by side
Mark’s departure was announced first. On April 8, SM posted a multi paragraph notice explaining that after “long discussions,” his exclusive contract would end and he would conclude all activities with NCT, including NCT 127 and NCT DREAM.
The company praised his “exceptional” work in both group and solo activities and laid out concrete next steps, including updated seven member NCT 127 and six member NCT DREAM lineups. The message framed Mark, who debuted with NCT in 2016 and now runs his own label Upper Room, as central to the group’s history and its careful reorganization.
When Winwin’s turn came on July 8, the structure was much more compact. SM’s notice stated that, after discussions, his contract would end on July 9 and he would conclude all activities as an NCT member. It thanked him for more than ten years with the company and said they “wholeheartedly support” his new journey.
Unlike Mark’s post, Winwin’s statement did not mention specific units like NCT 127, NCT U, or WayV, and it did not explain future NCT lineups. On paper both are polite corporate fare, but fans are fixated on what each one chooses to spotlight.
Why fans say the difference feels “brutal”
An X post placing the two Weverse screenshots next to each other went viral, with the caption pointing out “the difference” and claiming “nobody cared” about Winwin’s sendoff. Replies quickly connected the tone to a longer history of frustration.
Supporters of Winwin recall past “Winwin Deserves Better” campaigns about his limited lines, scarce Korean promotions with NCT 127, and the confusing way his activity shifted almost entirely to WayV. For those fans, a shorter, more generic exit note reads as the final proof that SM sidelined him.
Other NCTzens argue that the contrast reflects logistics more than favoritism. Mark was leaving two currently active Korean units, so SM had to spell out how NCT 127 and DREAM would function. Winwin, who had been based in China for years, did not require that same public roadmap.
Goodbyes, protest trucks, and a changing NCT
The anger over wording is landing in an already tense year for the group. Mark’s exit, Ten’s decision to leave SM and set up his own creative company ILLIMNT, and now Winwin’s departure have NCTzens watching every contract move.
Earlier in July, protest trucks appeared outside SM after NCT DREAM’s Jisung mentioned taking a trip with Mark, with messages demanding idols not talk about former members. That incident underlined how fragile the line feels between staying loyal to departed friends and following official narratives.
At the same time, NCT 127 is preparing a seventh full album for August 24, their first comeback since Mark’s withdrawal and with only five members promoting due to enlistments. Forbes has already listed Winwin among several high profile 2026 idol departures, including ENHYPEN’s Heeseung, a reminder that fans across K pop are scrutinizing not just who leaves, but how labels choose to say goodbye.