Mark | |
|---|---|
 Mark in October 2024 | |
| Born | Mark Lee (1999-08-02)August 2, 1999 (age 26)[1] |
| Alma mater | School of Performing Arts Seoul |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | South Korea |
| Genres | |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Labels | |
| Member of | |
| Formerly of | SM Rookies |
Musical artist | |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 이민형 [3] |
| RR | I Minhyeong |
| MR | I Minhyŏng |
| Stage name | |
| Hangul | 마크 |
| RR | Makeu |
| MR | Mak'ŭ |
Mark Lee (born August 2, 1999), knownmononymously asMark, is a Canadian rapper and singer based in South Korea. He is a member of the South Korean boy bandNCT and its fixed sub-unitsNCT 127 andNCT Dream, as well as the South KoreansupergroupSuperM.
In 2012, Mark joinedSM Entertainment as a trainee after passing the SM Global Audition inVancouver, Canada. On December 16, 2013, he was introduced as a member ofSM Rookies, a pre-debut team of trainees under SM Entertainment.[4] As a part of the SM Rookies program, in October 2014, he and several of his co-members appeared on theMnet-producedExo 90:2014, a show starring labelmatesExo – where they perform dances to K-pop songs from the 1990s.[5]
In 2015, Mark and other SM Rookies members starred as Mouseketeers in a Korean revival ofThe Mickey Mouse Club, which aired onDisney Channel Korea. The show included musical performances, games, and skits, similar to the original American show.[6] It aired from July 23 to December 17, 2015, hosted byLeeteuk ofSuper Junior.[7]
In April 2016, SM Entertainment confirmed that Mark and four other members of SM Rookies—Taeyong,Doyoung,Ten andJaehyun—would debut as members ofNCT's first sub-unit,NCT U. They released their first digital single on April 9, titled "The 7th Sense", in which he and Taeyong participated in songwriting.[8] Three months later, SM Entertainment announced that Mark would become a member of NCT's second sub-unit,NCT 127, along with Taeyong,Taeil,Yuta, Jaehyun, Winwin andHaechan. NCT 127 made their official debut with the extended playNCT #127 and title track "Fire Truck" on July 10, 2016.[9]
Mark also joined NCT's third sub-unit,NCT Dream, which consisted of members Renjun,Jeno,Haechan,Jaemin,Chenle andJisung. The group officially debuted on August 24, 2016, with the single "Chewing Gum". The following month, Mark featured onHenry Lau's "Going Through Your Heart", an original soundtrack for theKBS drama,Sweet Stranger and Me.[10] This marked his first solo endeavour since his debut in NCT.
In January 2017, Mark joinedHigh School Rapper, a survival hip hop reality TV show that aired onMnet.[11] He advanced to the finals and performed an original song, "Drop" featuring labelmateSeulgi ofRed Velvet, and placed seventh overall.[12] In July 2017, Mark collaborated with Exo'sXiumin on single "Young & Free". It was released throughSeason 2 of SM Entertainment's digital music projectSM Station.[13] The same month, Mark appeared in the first season of the music variety showSnowball Project. He teamed up withParc Jae-jung to release "Lemonade Love" on July 21, also through SM Station, which was produced by former labelmate Henry Lau andYoon Jong-shin.[14]
Beginning in February 2018, Mark served as one of the main hosts of the music programShow! Music Core, leaving in January 2019 to focus on his activities with NCT 127.[15] In May 2018, he became a regular cast member on theMBC reality TV showIt's Dangerous Beyond The Blankets.[16] In October 2018, Mark released the song "Dream Me" with Red Velvet'sJoy for the soundtrack of the KBS dramaThe Ghost Detective. Mark was the first member to officially graduate from NCT Dream on December 31, 2018.[17]
On August 7, 2019, Mark was confirmed as a member ofSuperM – a supergroup created by SM Entertainment in collaboration withCapitol Records. The group began promoting in October of that year in the American music market.[18][19] SuperM'sself-titled debut EP was released on October 4, 2019, led by the single "Jopping".[20] Mark continued to promote with SuperM throughout 2020, through the release the group's first studio album,Super One. On April 14, SM Entertainment announced through an official statement that Mark would be rejoining NCT Dream, thus abolishing their original age-based graduation system.[21][22][23] His return was affirmed through his participation in the NCT Dream song "Déjà Vu" on the group-wide studio albumNCT 2020 Resonance.[24]
On January 28, 2022, it was announced that Mark would release his first single, "Child". Specifically, it was set to be released on February 4, as part ofNCT Lab.[25] "Child", described as an emotional hip-hop track, was commended for its lyrics.[26]
On March 30, 2023, it was announced that Mark would release his new solo song and second single, "Golden Hour", on April 7, as part ofNCT Lab.[27]"Golden Hour" described as a hip-hop genre song that combines impactful guitar and drum sounds and flashy rapping and also a self-produced song. The song featured lyrics referencing a highlymemed Twitter review from thecelebrity chefGordon Ramsay for fried eggs he made onIt's Dangerous Beyond the Blanket.[28]
On May 16, 2024, Mark announced the start of his solo album, set to be released in February 2025, with a digital single titled "200." The new song "200" is a drum & bass track based on rock sounds, featuring a captivating blend of early 2000s electric guitar sounds and lyrical melodies. The lyrics convey the meaning of love, describing how two people make each other shine brighter and how their relationship becomes more perfect when they are together.[29]
On December 11, 2024, it was confirmed that Mark would release his new single, "Fraktsiya", featuringLee Young-ji, along with a music video. The single "Fraktsiya" is a hip-hop track defined by its powerful 808 bass and highly repetitive synthesizer sounds over a house-style chord progression. 'Fraktsiya,' which means 'spy' in Russian, is referenced in the lyrics to describe Mark and Lee Young-ji's experiences navigating between K-pop and hip-hop. The comparison highlights their ability to move between the two genres like 'spies,' showcasing their confidence and skill in delivering impressive performances across both fields.[30] Subsequently, the release of his solo album, originally scheduled for February 2025, was postponed to April 2025, with SM Entertainment stating that the delay was to 'ensure better quality'.[31]
Mark's debut studio album,The Firstfruit, was released on April 7, 2025.[32] The album featured the lead single titled "1999".[33]
In October 2022,Polo Ralph Lauren selected Mark as the Korean ambassador of the brand.[34]
In February 2025, Mark was selected as ambassador of cosmetics brandEspoir.[35] In March, French high jewelry maisonBoucheron welcomes Mark as a Friend of the Maison.[36] In April, Mark was announced as a brand ambassador ofTim Hortons Korea.[37] In October, Mark was announced as the new brand model of the skincare brand COSRX.[38]
In February 2023, Mark donated ₩150 million to the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association to help victims of the2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake[39] and ₩10 million to theCommunity Chest of Korea along withGenie Music.[40]
In March 2025, Mark donated ₩100 million to the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association to help aiding the recovery of areas affected bywildfires in the Ulsan, Gyeongbuk, and Gyeongnam regions.[41]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | High School Rapper | Contestant | [11] | |
| Snowball Project | Cast member | [14] | ||
| 2018–2019 | Show! Music Core | Co-host | [15] | |
| 2018 | It's Dangerous Beyond The Blankets | Cast member | Ep. 8–10 (Season 2) | [16] |
| Title | Year | Director(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Young & Free"(withXiumin) | 2017 | Unknown | — |
| "Lemonade Love"(withParc Jae-jung) | |||
| "Child" | 2022 | ||
| "Golden Hour" | 2023 | Eehosoo (cpbeq) | [42][43] |
| "200" | 2024 | ||
| "Fraktsiya (feat. Lee Young-ji) | Giseong Jun (ES4X) | [44] | |
| "+82 Pressin'" (feat. Haechan) | 2025 | Cheol-ho Park | [45] |
| "1999" | Vin Kim (Kepler Lab) | [46] |
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asian Pop Music Awards[A] | 2022 | Top 20 Song of the Year (Overseas) | "Child" | Won | [48] |
| Jupiter Music Awards | 2025 | Album of the Year | The Firstfruit | Won | [49] |
| Korea Grand Music Awards | 2025 | Best Music 10 | Won | [50] | |
| MAMA Awards | 2025 | Artist of the Year | Mark | Nominated | [51] |
| Song of the Year | "1999" | Nominated | |||
| "Fraktsiya"(feat.Lee Young-ji) | Nominated | ||||
| Best Male Artist | Mark | Nominated | |||
| Best Dance Performance Male Solo | "1999" | Nominated | |||
| Best Collaboration | "Fraktsiya"(feat.Lee Young-ji) | Nominated | |||
| MBC Entertainment Awards | 2018 | Rookie Award in Music / Talk Show – Male | Show! Music Core | Nominated | [52][53] |
| Music Awards Japan | 2025 | Album of the Year | The Firstfruit | Nominated | [54] |
| Best K-Pop Artist | Mark | Nominated |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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