NCT’s Mark Lee is the most famous prodigy in the K-pop industry. As a member of all three NCT subunits – U, Dream and 127 – everyone knows that the idol possesses not only talent and charm, but also an unparalleled work ethic.
In a rare (and well-deserved) moment of sincerity, the rapper, in the single “Fraktsiya ft. Lee Young Ji” for his solo album, scheduled for release in February 2025, rebelled against his label, SM Entertainment, for having worked too much. him.
Lurching through swagger-filled verses that showcase everything from his accomplishments to his looks to his apathetic and quirky attitude, Mark threw a punch at SM seemingly from left field, like someone known to never complain.
“Yeah, how many shows in a day? (Honey, listen)
My airline miles launch the honeymoon out of space
SM has to wait
The phone is working, photo shoot with young Ji
I said, wait
Name someone who can juggle three teams
Come again with the best solo album
At the same time, without rest”
While the NCT member has rarely spoken about MS’s treatment of him, the code paints a clear picture of his endless travel itineraries (accumulating enough miles to take him to the moon, evidently) and his jam-packed schedules. As one of two NCT members who dominate across all three subunits (his groupmate Haechan is second), it seems like Mark has earned himself a legitimate place to voice concerns that have likely been building for years.
The track sparked an uproar within the NCT fandom, causing speculation as to why SM Entertainment greenlit it despite the fierce recall. Some pointed out that the label probably had no choice but to let the criticism slide, given how the idol built himself into such a valuable asset to the company.
blatantly dissembling SM and they have no choice but to post it and give Mark what he wants because they too know they hit the jackpot with this guy pic.twitter.com/6g4AhdPpZ9
— keeks ✘ fraktsiya! (@dprjuta) December 16, 2024
The singer has released two singles from the album so far, including the single “200.” In an interview with The Hollywood journalistMark confessed that he is dedicating all his energies to solo activity.
“I’m putting every ounce of my soul into this album, it’s no joke,” he said.
“Not a day goes by that I don’t work on this album or think about this album. It’s going to be an album that I won’t have any regrets about, but I’m really happy, working really hard on it,” he added.
