6 Random Facts About NCT And SuperM's Multi-Talented Mark That Everyone Should Know

Mark debuted in NCT U when they came out with “The 7th Sense”, and since then, he’s been known as the K-Pop idol that has debuted in the most groups total: Not just NCT U, but NCT Dream, NCT 127, and, most recently, SuperM as well. Given how naturally talented and charismatic he is as a performer, it’s not surprising that he would be put into so many groups, but it’s amazing that he can keep up with all of them!

He’s rightfully labeled as one of the most talented and promising idols of the modern age of K-Pop, and he has a lot of fans because of it! Whether you’re already a fan of Mark or just want to learn more about him, hopefully you will find these 6 facts about him interesting!

1. He has a Korean name, though it’s not legally recognized.

Mark’s full name is Mark Lee. He’s the son of two Korean parents who moved to Canada, where he grew up. His family and friends actually called him “Lee Minhyung”, but this name was never actually registered so it’s not legally recognized!

2. His musical talent comes naturally.

Even though Mark focused on his academics when he was younger and didn’t plan on pursuing music, he was practically born into it! His father specialized in vocal music, while his mother plays jazz, so it’s no wonder he picked up musical skills so easily. He passed the global SM Entertainment auditions on a casual day off of school, and moved to Korea when he was 15 to become a trainee.

3. He worked in multiple groups even before he debuted.

When Mark was still a trainee, the future-NCT rookies were grouped off differently than they are now. At one time, they were divided into “small rookies” and “big rookies” groups, and Mark was included in the latter. There was a small group of these rookies which included Mark, Haechan, Jisung, Jaemin, and Jeno who appeared on The Mickey Mouse Club together. However, he also worked with hyung-line members like fellow English speakers Johnny and Jaehyun. This was just the beginning of his future multi-group career!

4. He’s one of only 6 idols to debut 4 different times.

This is an obvious fact known by most, but it’s still incredible to think about. Mark first debuted in April 2016 with NCT U in “The 7th Sense”, and only a few months later in July, debuted with NCT 127 in “Fire Truck”. And then, just a month later in August, he also debuted with NCT Dream in “Chewing Gum”!

It’s incredible to think about how busy he must have been during this time. Of course, most recently, he also had his fourth and final (for now!) debut with SuperM in October 2019 with “Jopping”. Though there are 5 other idols that have debuted 4 or more times — SHINee‘s Taemin, HyunA, Girls’ Generation‘s Taeyeon, WOODZ, and EXO‘s Baekhyun — he’s the only idol whose debuts were all in groups, and didn’t include solo debuts.

5. He’s always been a crazy-hard worker.

Mark is known for the insane time he spends practicing, and it didn’t go unnoticed by his company, either. Due to how much time he spent training as a trainee, each year when SM Entertainment would award one of the trainees the Training King of the Year award, Mark was the one who received it every time.

6. He wasn’t originally a rapper.

Mark actually joined SM Entertainment as a vocalist! He really wanted to become a rapper, though, so he worked hard and even went on High School Rapper to show off his growth in the skill. He managed to make it to the final round, which isn’t surprising, given how great he is at rapping now!