Former NCT member Mark Lee is set to release his first solo single, “My Friend,” on September 10, 2026.

Mark’s agency, Upper Room, announced the song’s release alongside a video teaser which sees Mark moving through various areas. From a walkway in the city to a sunset-lit field, each setting is coloured sharply in cold and warm tones for a cinematic feel. As the song marks his first solo venture, the teaser’s constant movement appears to represent his desire to move forward into this new chapter.

In April, Mark Lee chose to leave NCT and the group’s company SM Entertainment after ten years of group activities in favour of solo endeavours. In June, he established his own company Upper Room, taking charge of that shift and gaining greater creative control.

“My Friend” will offer the first clues as to where Mark intends to take his solo career in regards to genre, tone and narrative. While a full comeback and album have not been announced at present, it is possible that the single is a pre-release and connected to a wider project – at minimum, it will mark a new beginning.

Mark has released solo music in the past while a member of NCT, with the studio album The Firstfruit in April 2025. Within that album, a tracklist of 13 songs was divided into four sections representative of the cities he calls home: Toronto, New York, Vancouver, and Seoul. Its narrative was deeply intertwined with Mark’s personal experiences in each city and his emotions, and with the personal pronoun in “My Friend,” it is likely that his artistic identity will continue to develop with this perspective in mind.

The Firstfruit sold 544,470 copies during its first week of release according to the Hanteo Chart, and with it Mark became the first SM Entertainment artist in Hanteo history to surpass 500,000 first-week sales for a solo debut album. Backed by this success, as well as curiosity spurred by Mark’s official separation from NCT, the single will draw attention. The question is whether that attention will equal the success of his work while in the group.

Mark Lee’s “My Friend” will be released on September 10, and more teasers are expected.