WinWin, one of the Chinese members of the mega-hit K-pop group NCT, has parted ways with K-pop giant SM Entertainment and is set to suspend group activities from Thursday.
On Wednesday, July 8, in a statement released via Weverse, SM shared that WinWin and the label have decided to mutually terminate the contract, following extensive discussions. sparking a surprising reaction from the artist's fans.
Fans' reaction to WinWin's departure news
Following the announcement, fans of the group and WinWin flooded the social media platforms, expressing their relief over the contract termination of WinWin, who has been on hiatus from group activities since 2021.
SM Entertainment has long been accused of mistreating their non-Korean idols and sabotaging their solo activities, due to which fans welcomed the exit news.
"For his whole 10 years of career under SM, winwin was mistreated, excluded, ignored, and sabotaged. You guys should be relieved he's out of that hell hole of a company," one fan penned under the post reagarding WinWin's departure.
"He deserved so much better. Wishing WinWin nothing but success from here on," a second fan said.
A third user noted, "Unfortunately, those who follow the group already knew this would happen, good luck to him in this new phase."
"SM chased him for years to join the company while he was just a teen only to ended up mistreating and sabotaging his idol career for over a decade. THANK GOD he's thriving as an actor now," a fourth fan wrote.
WinWin breaks silence after exiting NCT
WinWin turned to his personal Instagram account to share a heartfelt letter to his fans after the news.
Reminiscing about his early career days, he penned, "Sometimes I look through old photos from years ago, and every single picture brings back countless memories and the stories behind them."
He expressed his gratitude towards SM Entertainment for giving him an opportunity when he was young and to his fans who have "been by my side throughout this journey".
Who else left NCT in 2026?
WinWin is the third member of NCT to leave the hit boy band in 2026, following the departures of Mark Lee and Lucas in April.
Ten, the only Thai member of the group, also parted ways with SM Entertainment but remained a member of NCT and is set to continue his group activities.
About WinWin
WinWin debuted as a member of NCT's sub-unit, NCT 127, in 2016 before joining the China-based unit WayV in 2019, where he was active primarily.
In early 2021, WinWin moved back to China and established his own private studio, Beijing Zhaoyao Culture Media Studio, to manage his acting career, and took a hiatus from music to focus more on his solo projects.
He made his acting debut, starring in the Chinese romantic drama Sweet Games.
