Lucas's exclusive contract with SM Entertainment ended on April 24. The company expressed gratitude to fans and support for his future.

SM Entertainment posted weaker Q3 results, with sales and operating profit down year on year and net income turning to a loss. It said reduced domestic comeback schedules hurt direct music and concert revenue, while IP-based businesses grew. The company plans major comebacks and global tours from Q4 through next Q1.

Former NCT member Mark shared a glimpse of his everyday life in Tokyo on SNS, posting photos with the message “Thank you Tokyo.” Fans reacted warmly to his natural, unposed look and street style. He also recently hinted at new plans and continues connecting with fans after going solo.

NCT’s Ten personally denied the dating rumors spreading online during a recent concert in the U.S., saying he is “completely single” and not seeing anyone. His agency, ILLIMNT, also said it is monitoring multiple platforms, collecting evidence, and will take strong legal action against false rumors and malicious posts to protect the artist’s rights and reputation.

At his Houston stop on the TEN US SHOWCASE TOUR, NCT’s Ten directly denied recent online dating rumors, saying he is completely single and not seeing anyone. He added that anyone dating him would have to be “Superman” because of how busy his schedule is. The rumors also caused harm to a woman falsely linked to him. Ten debuted with NCT in 2016, left SM Entertainment in April, founded ILLIMNT, and will continue touring across U.S. cities.

NCT’s Taeyong enjoyed free time in Japan with Jaehyun and posted several photos from his stay on social media. He was seen taking a two-shot with Jaehyun, walking around town with an umbrella, eating oden, and enjoying Pokémon-themed taiyaki and card packs. NCT 127 also held a successful concert in Saitama, with a limited-time pop-up event now running in Harajuku to commemorate it.

NCT’s Xiaojun released his first mini album, Hey, Somebody, along with the title track and music video. The mid-tempo song blends drums, piano, nylon guitar, and bass, and its lyrics follow a journey of finding one’s true value. The MV adds meaning through acting and a musical-like story.

A launch event for the brand BARRIE was held on the morning of the 27th at Han Gallery in Seoul’s Gangnam District. Attendees included IVE’s Wonyoung, NCT’s Jaemin, Lee Jae-hyun (THE BOYZ’s Hyunjae), and KickFlip’s Donghwa and Minjae.

Former NCT member Mark met Ryusei Ryo, f(x)’s Krystal, and other celebrities at Ralph Lauren’s opening reception for its Tokyo PoloFest event. Mark appeared in a black jacket, trousers, and tie, creating a chic look. He also recently released his new song “My Friend.”

On the afternoon of the 20th, at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, NCT’s Jisung appeared for the ceremonial first pitch at the 2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League game between the LG Twins and the KIA Tigers.

SM Entertainment announced it is pursuing strong legal action against people who posted defamatory, insulting, threatening, and stalking-related content targeting NCT’s Jisung across platforms like X, YouTube, and SpinSpin. A first-trial court fined one defendant 5 million won, and additional complaints are under police investigation.