Former NCT member Mark Lee launches his own label, Upper Room
He will serve as co-CEO of the label, which will be producing content that integrates music with video, visual art and performance.
Mark, a member of K-Pop group NCT DREAM, poses for photos during the group’s album release presentation for the 5th studio album “Go Back To The Future,” in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
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About two months after one of the most shocking departures in K-pop, former NCT member Mark Lee is returning on his own terms, and he’s starting with his own label, Upper Room.
The announcement came on Thursday (Jun 4) with the launch of a new Instagram page which Lee reposted and shared on his account.
According to local media Korea JoongAng Daily, Lee will serve as co-CEO of the label, which he founded together with colleagues he has worked closely with.
It is also said that the label is “a place where like-minded individuals gather to share ideas and explore new possibilities” that will produce content that integrates music with video, visual art and performance.
Alongside a series of short videos on the Instagram page, Lee also shared a new YouTube channel on his Instagram story with the caption: “If you want to see a new Mark Lee channel…”.
The channel has released one video thus far, entitled Cinematic Prologue. As the video showcases some text over cinematic clips with an old-school feel, it ends with a message in Lee’s voice: “Songs for the future, cities of visions, a room to start, Upper Room.”
The name of the label is steeped in biblical meaning – it’s where the Last Supper took place. Known to be a devout Christian, Lee has often spoken about and referenced his faith.
Fans have welcomed the artiste with open arms, taking to the comments to express their joy. One wrote under the Instagram post: “Miss you so much, thank you for coming back”. Another commented under the YouTube video: “Seeing Mark step up as a founder and CEO makes me so incredibly proud. The future of Upper Room Inc. looks so bright and I genuinely can’t wait to see your music journey unfold!”
Yet another referenced a message in the video: “‘A calling does not descend to pull you out of the world’ has this feeling that your purpose, faith, dreams, or whatever is calling you isn’t meant to separate you from life. It’s meant to bring you deeper into it. And suddenly I was reminded of when Mark told us that life shouldn’t take away that much from you.”
Lee made his debut in 2016 as a member in K-pop boy group NCT, serving as the main rapper of its subunits NCT 127 and NCT Dream. In April 2026, with the conclusion of his 10-year exclusive contract with the music giant SM Entertainment, Lee made his departure from the group and its subunits.
In his handwritten letter to fans following news of his exit, he wrote: “After 10 years, I want to dive into a more concrete version of myself.”
He added: “I will always root for and love NCT.”
Source: CNA/ba
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