I've been thinking about the comparison between Mark and Heeseung's announcements. It's not that kpop group departures usually involve more closure — it's that the dreamies, who have faced losing Mark before and have spent a long time fighting to be together as a unit, are handling this in a uniquely transparent and empathetic way. The normal thing is official statements followed by member silence. The silence is a strategic industry standard, to protect everyone. It doesn't tell us anything about how the members feel. It only tells us the company's strategy. While I sincerely wish that Engenes could have had more closure in the way Belift handled Heeseung's departure, what I see in Mark's departure is something unique to NCT, rooted in the history of a fandom that has already faced the graduation system, lengthy periods of hiatus/inactivity, and losing members to both group transfers and scandals. Nctzens have been through a lot — from systems that would have had every member leave Dream, to the subunit performing without 2 key members due to overlap, to internal civil wars between Dream and 127, to learning on a random Wednesday in August that a main vocalist was leaving the senior subunit because he is a criminal. The dreamies and the rest of the neos know this better than anyone. Looking back on SM's history, the credit for the way this announcement is being handled should go to the members. Not the company. What we're seeing is a choice made by those boys against the grain of the industry. The dreamies and the neos made a deliberate choice to be open with their feelings and sensitive to the fans so that Nctzens could go through this transition as gracefully as possible, without the burden of unanswered questions and unacknowledged memories. I think it's really beautiful. They deserve credit for it. I hope it will become a new standard in the industry for situations like this. I wish Engenes could have had this kind of goodbye, but I also know this kind of goodbye is not typical. It's uniquely neo. And I think we can all cherish that.
260406 🐯💬 UPDATE
“y/n hello
i really wanted to tell y/n directly myself first but it wasn’t something that i could do just purely based on my own emotions alone so..
you were really shocked weren’t youㅠ?”
[🐹🫧] 260403 #JISUNG#지성#박지성
“It's a night where I'm worried about Czennies. Seeing you in pain makes me feel really heavy.
Have you eaten 😌
Originally, I wanted to go live today and talk with Czennies a bit, but I was worried that if I spoke during a sensitive and difficult time like this, what I wanted to say might get distorted. So I decided to write instead.
These days, I've been filming a drama
and preparing this and that. I'm eating properly in between, so please don't skip your meals either.
Last week, we had our final concert as seven members. To be honest, I was secretly shedding tears ever since we were practicing in the practice room. But being in front of Czennies made me get even more immersed in the moment.
When we sang My Youth, so many memories came rushing back. I think the reason our lyrics feel special is because they're not only words for Czennies, but also words for Dream, and even for myself. Especially during the concert, our songs sounded completely different than usual.
Even when it wasn't my part, I sang along continuously, cherishing every single second. I tried my best to engrave every moment into my memory—the lights, the stage setups, Czennies, and my members.
I believe everyone has their own precious life, and ultimately, choosing their path and walking it is up to each person. It's the same for me. I think anyone who has a dream encounters moments where they have to walk quietly toward the direction they believe in.
At first, I was upset, but knowing that person, knowing all the hard work he put in, even though I couldn't express it much, I want to cheer on the path of the hyung I truly loved, from afar.
Nothing lasts forever, but just as the wish for something to be eternal is love, I think the feeling of not wanting to let go, yet wanting to let them go, is also love.
Right now, the people who are having the hardest time are probably Czennies.
I'm not writing this expecting you to feel exactly the same way I do. I just wrote this thinking about what might help you feel even a little bit better. I know so well that the love you give is extraordinary and not something to be taken for granted, which makes me worry even more 😭 I hope you always stay healthy and find happiness often.
I am letting go of one of the most beloved moments in my life. I take pride in having spent ten years that were more special and precious than anyone else's.
But even this is not the end, it's just a process. There will be even cooler results later. It might be hard right now, but once things get better, please look back on these days little by little as memories. And please look forward to all the things the members and I still haven't shown you yet. There is so much more to come.
Please wait just a little bit longer for us.
I'm sorry for hurting you deeply.
Czennies, have peaceful dreams tonight.”