Winwin Leaves SM Entertainment and Ends NCT Activities

Winwin is officially leaving SM Entertainment and will conclude all activities with NCT, closing a major chapter in one of K-pop’s most globally structured idol projects.

According to a July 9 report from KpopStarz, SM Entertainment announced through NCT’s official Weverse community that Winwin’s exclusive contract would expire on July 9, 2026. The agency said the decision followed discussions with the artist and confirmed that his NCT activities would come to an end alongside the contract.

The announcement is significant because Winwin has been connected to SM for more than a decade, including his trainee years. He debuted in 2016 as part of NCT 127 and later appeared through NCT U before becoming a member of WayV, the China-based NCT unit launched in 2019.

A Formal End To His NCT Chapter

SM’s statement thanked Winwin for his years with the company and expressed support for his next steps. The agency did not announce a new management arrangement or specify where he will sign next, leaving the immediate details of his post-SM career open.

The clearest point is that this is not only an agency departure. Unlike some idols who leave a company but remain attached to group activities through separate agreements, Winwin’s exit includes the end of his official NCT participation. That makes the announcement a definitive turning point for fans who followed his work across multiple NCT units.

Winwin’s role in the NCT system has always been linked to the group’s cross-border ambition. As a performer who moved between NCT 127, NCT U, and WayV, he became part of the project’s effort to build flexible units with different markets, languages, and musical identities.

For many fans, that is why the news feels larger than a routine contract update. Winwin was not simply a member attached to one lineup; he represented a period when NCT’s expansion strategy was still taking shape and when WayV became a key bridge between K-pop and Chinese entertainment audiences.

A Career Already Moving Toward Acting

In recent years, Winwin has spent more time developing acting work in China. KpopStarz noted that his drama activity expanded after the 2023 series Sweet Games, with additional leading roles helping shift public attention toward his acting career.

That context makes the contract decision less surprising, even if the finality of the NCT departure is still emotional for fans. His schedule had already suggested a career path increasingly centered outside the regular comeback and promotion cycle of a large K-pop group.

SM did not provide further details about upcoming projects, but its wording framed the departure as the beginning of a new professional stage. For Winwin, the immediate question is whether he will continue to focus primarily on the Chinese drama market, pursue music independently, or combine several entertainment fields under a new arrangement.

The move also arrives during a year of wider contract changes around NCT. The KpopStarz report cited other member contract developments, including Mark ending his SM contract and Ten concluding his exclusive contract while continuing NCT activities. Winwin’s case stands apart because it officially closes his group involvement.

From the group’s perspective, NCT has long been built around change, unit movement, and evolving member configurations. Even so, departures still reshape how fans understand the group’s history. Winwin’s exit removes a familiar name from NCT’s official roster and marks the end of his formal connection to WayV promotions under SM.

For supporters, the response is likely to mix sadness with recognition that his career had already begun moving in a different direction. His departure does not erase his contributions to NCT 127, NCT U, or WayV, but it does turn them into a completed chapter rather than an ongoing possibility.

Winwin’s next step will now be watched closely by both K-pop fans and viewers of Chinese entertainment. Whether he continues building his acting profile or returns to music in another format, the July 9 announcement makes clear that his future will unfold outside SM Entertainment and outside NCT’s official activities.