Winwin Leaves SM Entertainment and NCT After 10 Years

Winwin has officially parted ways with SM Entertainment and will also conclude his activities as a member of NCT, closing a major chapter that began with his trainee years and stretched across NCT 127, WayV, and his expanding solo work in China.

SM Entertainment announced on July 8 that the artist’s exclusive contract with the company had come to an end after discussions between the two sides. The agency said the conclusion would take effect on July 9 and confirmed that his departure from the company also means the end of his NCT activities.

The announcement marks a significant roster change for one of K-pop’s most flexible and internationally focused group systems. Winwin debuted through NCT 127 in 2016, became part of WayV in 2019, and has remained closely associated with NCT’s cross-border identity even as his personal schedule increasingly centered on China.

In its statement, SM thanked fans for supporting NCT and expressed gratitude for Winwin’s years with the company, including his time as a trainee. The agency framed the split as a mutual decision and said it would support him as he begins a new path.

A decade-long chapter comes to an end

Winwin’s own response gave the news a more personal frame. In a letter shared through his Instagram, he reflected on the years from 2016 to 2026 and described the decade as one filled with important people, meaningful relationships, difficult stretches, and memories that continued to give him strength.

Rather than presenting the departure as a sudden break, his message emphasized continuity. He thanked SM for giving him the chance to debut, perform around the world, and meet fans who recognized and supported him. He also said the past 10 years would remain one of the most valuable chapters of his life.

For longtime fans, the tone of the letter was likely as important as the contract news itself. K-pop departures can be shaped by uncertainty, but Winwin’s message focused on gratitude and growth, while SM’s statement avoided any suggestion of conflict. That does not erase the emotional weight of the change, but it gives the transition a clear official shape.

Winwin’s NCT history has always carried multiple layers. He first appeared before fans as part of NCT 127, a Seoul-based unit that helped define NCT’s early identity. His later move into WayV connected him more directly to the Chinese-language side of the project, where his profile and public recognition continued to build.

What changes for Winwin and NCT

The departure also reflects a practical reality that has been visible for several years. In 2021, Winwin established his own studio in China, and since then his work has leaned heavily toward individual activities, including acting roles and variety appearances. His path had already been widening beyond standard group promotions before this contract decision made the change official.

For NCT, the news is another reminder that the group’s ambitious structure depends on constant movement. Members have worked across units, countries, and different entertainment formats, which has helped the brand stay expansive but also makes individual career shifts more visible when they happen.

For Winwin, the immediate question is not whether he remains connected to the image he built through NCT, but how he uses that foundation. His fan base knows him as a performer shaped by major stages, global promotions, and a multinational group system. His next phase may put more emphasis on acting, television, and China-based projects, areas where he has already spent considerable time.

The announcement is also likely to spark broader conversation about how K-pop agencies handle artists whose careers become increasingly international and multi-format. Contract endings do not always signal retreat; in many cases, they mark the point where an artist’s management needs no longer match the group-centered system that launched them.

Winwin ended his letter by thanking Czennie, WayZenNi, and other fans who stayed with him throughout the journey. He wrote that he would not forget the dream he had at the beginning and would continue working to become a better version of himself. For supporters, that message may be the clearest sign of what comes next: not a disappearance from entertainment, but a transition into a more independent chapter.