Winwin Is Leaving NCT. He's the Third Member Out This Year.

Winwin's exclusive contract with SM Entertainment ends July 9, the agency confirmed July 8, closing out a run that started when he joined as a trainee in 2016. He becomes the third NCT member to depart in 2026, following Mark Lee and Ten in April.

"Following careful discussions with WinWin, we have mutually agreed to conclude his exclusive contract, effective July 9," SM said in its statement, thanking fans for their "continued love and unwavering support" and confirming Winwin will end all activities as an NCT member. The agency called him "deeply grateful," citing more than 10 years with the company since his trainee days.

Winwin followed his own letter on Instagram. "From 2016 to 2026 - 10 years have passed by so fast," he wrote, describing the years from trainee to NCT 127 debut to joining the China-focused unit WayV in 2019 as ones he's grateful for.

The departure lands differently than Mark's or Ten's. Winwin has been on an effective hiatus from group activities since 2021, when he relocated to China and founded his own studio, Beijing Zhaoyao Culture Media Studio, to focus on acting. He's since built a career there independent of SM - dramas including "Sweet Games," "Snowfall" and "A Splendid Match," plus the film "Blades of the Guardians" - while his NCT and WayV credits sat mostly dormant. He'll continue that work through his studio and Yuekai Entertainment.

The wider picture is a company managing an unusually compressed run of contract expirations. Mark Lee left both NCT and SM entirely in April. Ten also declined to re-sign but chose to remain in NCT and WayV for group activities only, launching his own company, Illimnt, for solo work. With Winwin's exit, NCT's already-complicated internal structure - a group built from multiple overlapping sub-units rather than one fixed lineup - loses another original member from its China-facing unit specifically.

Several other members' contracts are approaching renewal dates this year, though SM has not commented on any beyond Winwin's. Some Korean members' decisions remain on hold until they complete mandatory military service.

SM has not said whether WayV will continue as a unit or in what form.