NCT Dream News

Mark Lee has left SM and NCT and released "My Friend" under his new company Upper Room, debuting a stripped-back solo sound that topped several real-time charts. He says he plans to pursue "kids pop"—quality pop for children—building a new artistic identity around kindness and sincerity

Mark Lee, who departed NCT in April, released his first single under his label Upper Room titled "My Friend," showcasing a stripped-down singer-songwriter sound and launching new direct fan channels as he navigates recent controversy

Mark, the former NCT member, will release his first solo single “My Friend” on Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. KST — his first new music in 17 months and his first public appearance as a solo act since leaving NCT 127 and NCT Dream in April — after founding his new agency Upper Room, where he serves as co-CEO

NCT will stage a monthlong, citywide festival across Seoul in September to mark its 10th anniversary, headlined by Banpo Han River’s Moonlight Rainbow Fountain shows choreographed to hits by NCT 127, NCT Dream, WayV, NCT Wish and NCT U. The program includes a stage-costume exhibition and a curated runway tied to Seoul Fashion Week at Lotte World Tower with a fashion show and a flea market of members' stage outfits and personal items, a massive floating art balloon at Seokchon Lake (Sept. 3–27) with evening lighting bathing the waterfront in the group’s neon-green “Pearl Neo Champagne” color, and an immersive NEO DIMENSION retrospective opening Sept. 18

NCT will mark its 10th anniversary with a citywide takeover of Seoul: Han River fountains will perform to songs from NCT 127, NCT Dream, WayV, NCT Wish and NCT U, Seokchon Lake lights will glow in a pearly champagne hue, costumes will feature at Seoul Fashion Week, and a 'Neo Dimension' exhibition opens Sept. 18 at Lotte World Adventure

SM Entertainment and Tencent Music launched Beijing-based joint venture STE, formed after a memorandum of understanding in May, to develop and manage Chinese artists. Super Junior-M’s Zhoumi was named CEO; STE plans to debut a new Chinese idol group within two to three years—running auditions and overseeing the group’s local management in China after debut—while also supporting Chinese-speaking SM artists including NCT Dream’s Renjun and WayV’s Yangyang and Xiaojun

TUIDE, HYBE’s first girl group from the new ABD label, debuted Aug. 24 with the EP Tune & Play and groove-heavy lead single “Sun Kiss,” marking HYBE’s first girl-group debut in two years since U.S.-based Katseye. The seven members — Seohee, Seoyeon (younger sister of TWICE’s Jihyo), Elena, Jia, Saki, Seah and Yi Hani — describe their sound as “soultronic”; the five-track EP mixes soul, R&B, house and electronic touches, and the members (born 2006–2011) come from South Korea, the United States, Britain and Japan

NCT 127 released its seventh full-length album Blingy to mark its 10th anniversary, saying the group will return to its roots; five of seven members attended a press conference while Jungwoo and Doyoung are absent for military service and former member Mark has departed

BLACKPINK's Jennie will release her new EP Fallen Angel digitally this Thursday at 1 p.m., a three-track set featuring the title song "Fallen Angel" plus "Less than a Lover" and "Heaven." A later physical edition will add three fan-selected bonus tracks — "Sweettooth," "Lockitdown" and "Face" — and Jennie said she is "so happy" the songs are finally being released and hopes fans will listen soon

KATSEYE’s third EP Wild debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 with 170,000 equivalent album units and also opened at a career-best No. 2 on the UK Official Albums Chart after its Aug. 14 release, a sharp rise from the No. 55 peak of their previous EP Beautiful Chaos; three songs from the record entered the Official Singles Chart (Animal No. 12, Hootie Frutti No. 16, Bel Air No. 97). The EP credits include contributions from HYBE chairman Bang Si-hyuk, Ed Sheeran and producers Omer Fedi and Blake Slatkin