BoA, Mark, Lucas Leave SM Entertainment

BoA, Mark, and Lucas are leaving SM Entertainment. Their departures highlight a trend of seasoned artists no longer staying with a single agency and instead focusing on their personal direction and activities. Notably, BoA is launching her own independent label, 'Unfollow Entertainment,' stepping forward as both an artist and producer.

The most recent example is Lucas. He concluded his exclusive contract with SM on the 24th, announcing a new beginning. Since his debut in 2018, he was active in various units like NCT, WayV, and SuperM, but after past personal controversies, he left the group and continued solo activities. After a long hiatus, he has now ended his journey with SM and is starting a new career.

Mark has also parted ways with SM. Celebrating his 10th debut anniversary, he has concluded all his activities with groups such as NCT 127 and NCT DREAM alongside his contract termination. While this news came as a surprise to fans, Mark stated it was a "​choice to focus on my future direction." As he has long been a central figure in the group, his departure signals a change in the group's identity and future operations.

The iconic figure BoA has also left SM. Having been with SM for approximately 25 years since her debut in 2000, her exclusive contract ended on December 31, 2025. She has since embarked on a solo journey by establishing her independent label, 'Unfollow Entertainment.' The industry is paying close attention as an artist who played a significant role in K-pop's global expansion is now building her own production environment.

While Lucas is re-establishing his career after controversy, Mark is focusing on personal goals, and BoA is securing self-directed creative rights, the fact that leading artists are leaving one after another is drawing significant attention.