Def Jam Recordings CEO’s social media follow, studio sightings with Genia fuel speculation over K-pop singer’s next move
Mark, formerly of NCT (SM Entertainment)
Former NCT member Mark may be preparing to relaunch his music career in the US as a solo artist, just one month after departing both the boy band and SM Entertainment.
Speculation grew after Tunji Balogun, chairman and CEO of Def Jam Recordings, followed Mark on social media shortly after the singer ended his exclusive contract with SM Entertainment on April 8.
Balogun is regarded as one of the music industry’s leading executives, having previously worked at RCA Records, where he helped develop artists including Khalid, SZA and Bryson Tiller before joining Def Jam Recordings.
Within the K-pop industry, executives from major labels following high-profile artists on social media are often viewed as a possible signal of future collaboration or partnership discussions rather than casual interest.
Def Jam Recordings is widely known for its focus on hip-hop and R&B, genres closely aligned with Mark’s musical direction. As a Canadian artist and English speaker, Mark is considered well-positioned to pursue activities in the North American market.
The singer hinted at a new direction in a handwritten letter posted to social media on April 3, where he spoke about beginning a new chapter and reflected on his longtime interest in busking with an acoustic guitar and writing in English.
Mark was also spotted in a video uploaded April 23 by rising pop artist Genia. The singer captioned the clip, “Genia x Mark Lee !! When KPop & POP Meet,” seemingly suggesting the two were working together in an unknown recording studio. Genia joined Def Jam Recordings in 2024. She released the single “Doomsday” in April.
Mark already launched his solo career under SM Entertainment with the full-length album “The Firstfruit” in April 2025. The album recorded more than 540,000 first-week sales, setting a first-week sales record among solo SM Entertainment artists and demonstrating his individual commercial potential.
Mark has yet to officially announce a new agency, with attention growing over whether he may sign with a major US label for the next chapter in his journey.
jaaykim@heraldcorp.com