Mark Lee (singer)

Mark Lee
Lee in 2023
Born August 2, 1999
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Alma mater School of Performing Arts Seoul
Occupations
  • Singer
  • rapper
  • dancer
  • songwriter
Years active 2013–present
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s) Vocals
Labels
Member of
Formerly of SM Rookies
Website Official website
Korean name
Hangul
이민형
Hanja
李敏亨
Revised Romanization I Minhyeong
McCune–Reischauer Yi Minhyŏng
Stage name
Hangul
마크
Revised Romanization Ma Keu
McCune–Reischauer Ma K'ŭ

Mark Lee (born August 2, 1999), also professionally known as Mark, is a Canadian singer, rapper, dancer and songwriter based in South Korea. He is a member of the South Korean boy band NCT and its fixed sub-units NCT 127 and NCT Dream, as well as the South Korean supergroup SuperM.

Career

2012–2016: Pre-debut

In 2012, Mark joined SM Entertainment as a trainee after passing the SM Global Audition in Vancouver, Canada. On December 16, 2013, he was introduced as a member of SM Rookies, a pre-debut team of trainees under SM Entertainment. As a part of the SM Rookies program, in October 2014, he and several his co-members appeared on the Mnet-produced Exo 90:2014, a show starring labelmates Exo, where they perform dances to K-pop songs from the 1990s.

In 2015, Mark and other SM Rookies members starred as Mouseketeers in a Korean revival of The Mickey Mouse Club, which aired on Disney Channel Korea. The show included musical performances, games, and skits, similar to the original American show. It aired from July 23 to December 17, 2015, hosted by Leeteuk of Super Junior.

2016–2018: NCT and solo endeavors

In April 2016, SM Entertainment confirmed that Mark and four other members of SM Rookies—Taeyong, Doyoung, Ten and Jaehyun—would debut as members of NCT'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. 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 and Haechan. NCT 127 made their official debut with the extended play NCT #127 and title track "Fire Truck" on July 10, 2016.

Mark joined NCT's third sub-unit, NCT Dream, which consisted of members Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle and Jisung. The group officially debuted on August 24, 2016, with the single "Chewing Gum". The following month, Mark featured on Henry Lau's "Going Through Your Heart", an original soundtrack for the KBS drama, Sweet Stranger and Me. This marked his first solo endeavour since his debut in NCT.

In January 2017, Mark joined High School Rapper, a survival hip hop reality TV show that aired on Mnet. He advanced to the finals and performed an original song, "Drop" featuring labelmate Seulgi of Red Velvet, and placed seventh overall. In July 2017, Mark collaborated with Exo's Xiumin on single "Young & Free". It was released through Season 2 of SM Entertainment's digital music project SM Station. The same month, Mark appeared in the first season of the music variety show Snowball Project. He teamed up with Parc Jae-jung to release "Lemonade Love" on July 21, also through SM Station, which was produced by former labelmate Henry Lau and Yoon Jong-shin.

Beginning in February 2018, Mark served as one of the main hosts of the music program Show! Music Core, leaving in January 2019 to focus on activities with NCT 127. In May 2018, he became a regular cast member on the MBC reality TV show It's Dangerous Beyond The Blankets. In October 2018, Mark released the song "Dream Me" with Red Velvet's Joy for the soundtrack of the KBS drama The Ghost Detective. Mark was the first member to officially graduate from NCT Dream on December 31, 2018.

2019–present: SuperM and rejoining NCT Dream

On August 7, 2019, Mark was confirmed as a member of SuperM, a supergroup created by SM Entertainment in collaboration with Capitol Records. The group began promoting in October of that year in the American music market. SuperM's self-titled debut EP was released on October 4, 2019, led by the single "Jopping". 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. His return was affirmed through his participation in the NCT Dream song "Déjà Vu" on the group-wide studio album NCT 2020 Resonance.

On January 28, 2022, it was announced that Mark would release his first single, "Child", on February 4, as part of NCT Lab. "Child", described as an emotional hip-hop track, was commended for its lyrics.

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 of NCT Lab.

Other ventures

Endorsements

In 2022, Polo Ralph Lauren selected Mark as the Korean ambassador of the brand.

Philanthropy

In February 2023, Mark donated ₩150 million to the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association to help victims of the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake and ₩10 million to the Community Chest of Korea along with Genie Music.

Discography

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album
KOR
KOR
Songs

IDN
Songs

MLY
SGP
THL
Songs

US
World

VIE
WW
Excl.
US

"Drop" (두고가)
(featuring Seulgi)
2017 93
  • KOR: 46,443
School Rapper FINAL
"Child" 2022 23 48 9 17 16 25 8 50 132 SM Station: NCT Lab
"Golden Hour" 2023 112 13
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

As featured artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
KOR
DL

"How We Do"
(Xiumin featuring Mark)
2022 47 Brand New
"HO"
(Yesung featuring Mark)
2023 Sensory Flows

Collaborations

Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album
KOR
US
World

"Young & Free"
(with Xiumin)
2017 31
  • KOR: 72,133
SM Station Season 2
"Lemonade Love"
(with Parc Jae-jung)
197 17
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Soundtrack appearances

Title Year Peak chart
positions
Album
KOR
"What to Do" (니 맘에 들어갈래)
(Henry featuring Mark)
2016 Sweet Stranger and Me OST
"Dream Me" (나라는 꿈)
(with Joy)
2018 The Ghost Detective OST
"Lit (prod. Czaer)"
(with Taeyong)
2022 Street Man Fighter Original Vol. 4 (Crew Songs)
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Songwriting credits

All credits are adapted from the Korea Music Copyright Association, unless cited otherwise.

Year Song Artist(s) Album Credits
2016 "The 7th Sense" Taeyong, Doyoung, Ten, Jaehyun & Mark NCT 2018 Empathy Co-writer
"Firetruck" NCT 127 NCT 127
"Mad City" Taeyong, Jaehyun & Mark
"Chewing Gum" NCT Dream The First
"My First and Last"
2017 "Drop" Mark (feat. Seulgi) School Rapper FINAL
"Baby Don't Like It" Taeil, Taeyong, Doyoung, Mark & Haechan Limitless Co-writer, co-producer
"Angel" NCT 127 Co-writer
"Good Thing"
"Cherry Bomb" Cherry Bomb Co-writer
"Running 2 U"
"0 Mile"
"Whiplash" Jaehyun, Mark, Taeyong, Doyoung & Taeil
"Summer 127" NCT 127
"Young & Free" Xiumin & Mark SM Station Season 2
"Lemonade Love" Parc Jae-jung & Mark
"La La Love" NCT Dream We Young
"Walk You Home"
"Trigger The Fever"
"My Page"
"Joy" SM Station Season 2
2018 "Boss" Taeyong, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Winwin, Jungwoo, Lucas & Mark NCT 2018 Empathy
"Yestoday" Taeyong, Doyoung, Lucas & Mark
"Black on Black" Taeyong, Doyoung, Ten, Jaehyun & Mark
"Go" NCT Dream
"We Go Up"

(Korean & Chinese ver.)

We Go Up
"Beautiful Time"
"Drippin"
"Dear Dream"
"City 127" NCT 127 Regular-Irregular
"Regular"
"My Van" Taeyong, Yuta, Jaehyun, Jungwoo & Mark
"Come Back" NCT 127
"Regular"

(English ver.)

"Welcome to My Playground"
"What We Talkin' Bout" NCT 127 (feat. Marteen) Up Next Session: NCT 127
"Candle Light" NCT Dream SM Station Season 3
2019 "Regular" WayV The Vision
"Come Back"
"Lips" NCT 127 Awaken
"Jet Lag" We Are Superhuman
2020 "Pandora's Box" Neo Zone
"Mad Dog" Taeil, Doyoung, Taeyong & Mark
"Love Song" NCT 127
"QTAH" Mark Non-album release Writer
"100" SuperM Super One Co-writer, co-producer
"The Himalayas" Mark & Taeyong Non-album release
"Bad Smell" Mark Writer, co-producer
2021 "Rainbow" NCT Dream Hot Sauce Co-writer
"Sticker" NCT 127 Sticker
"Love On The Floor"
"New Axis" Mark, Taeyong, Yangyang Universe
"Universe (Let's Play Ball)" Doyoung, Jungwoo, Mark, Xiaojun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Yangyang and Shotaro
"Know Now" Johnny, Doyoung, Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Jaemin, Yangyang and Sungchan
"Beautiful" NCT 2021
2022 "Child" Mark SM Station: NCT Lab
"Conextion (Age of Light)" Mark, Haechan, Doyoung
"Glitch Mode" NCT Dream Glitch Mode
"It's Yours"
"Teddy Bear"
"Replay"
"Never Goodbye"
"Time Lapse" NCT 127 2 Baddies
"Designer"
"Lit (Prod. Czaer)" Taeyong, Mark Street Man Fighter Vol.4 (Crew Song)
"How We Do" Xiumin, Mark Brand New
"Take My Breath" NCT Dream Candy
"The Cure" Kangta, BoA, U-Know, Leeteuk, Taeyeon, Onew, Suho, Irene, Taeyong, Mark, Kun, Karina 2022 Winter SM Town: SMCU Palace
2023 "HO" Yesung Sensory Flows
"DJ" NCT 127 Ay-Yo Writer, co-producer
"Skyscraper"
"Best Friend Ever" NCT Dream Best Friend Ever Co-writer
"Golden Hour" Mark SM Station: NCT Lab Co-writer
"Like We Just Met" NCT Dream ISTJ Co-writer, co-producer
"Angel Eyes" NCT 127 Fact Check Co-writer, co-producer
"Love Is A Beauty"
"Misty"
"Marine Turtle" (Korean ver.) Kun, Xiaojun, Renjun, Chenle SM Station: NCT Lab Co-writer
"White Lie" NCT 127 Be There For Me Co-writer, co-producer

Filmography

Television shows

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2017 High School Rapper Contestant
Snowball Project Cast member
2018–2019 Show! Music Core Co-host
2018 It's Dangerous Beyond The Blankets Main cast Ep. 8–10 (Season 2)

Music videos

Title Year
"Young & Free" (with Xiumin) 2017
"Lemonade Love" (with Parc Jae-jung)
"Child" 2022
"Golden Hour" 2023

Awards and nominations

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, award category, nominee(s) of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.
Asian Pop Music Awards 2022 Top 20 Song of the Year (Overseas) "Child" Won
MBC Entertainment Awards 2018 Rookie Award in Music / Talk Show – Male Show! Music Core Nominated