Former NCT member Mark has left the group, and parts of the fandom are still boiling over.
On July 5, posts titled "NCT fandom sent a truck in front of SM HQ" spread across social media and online communities. The notice read, "We will proceed in front of SM Entertainment on July 5. There are five messages in total. For idols, it is basic common sense not to mention a departed member to the group's fans."
The truck screens displayed messages such as: "If you mention the departed member, fans will unstan," "Don't mention the departed member. Don't like the departed member's posts. Do we really have to spell this out?", and "It's not a Dream graduation, it's a departure. Stop flaunting friendship with the departed member."
Reactions among netizens were sharply divided. Some said, "When a member leaves, it hurts every time we watch old videos—I understand the fans," "Fans go this far because they spend money on idols," and "It makes sense that paying fans do this." Others pushed back, calling it "a bit much," "overreach to police even likes and comments," and "excessive behavior."
Meanwhile, Mark debuted with NCT U in 2016 and was a core member of NCT 127 and NCT Dream. However, he ended his contract with SM Entertainment in April and left the team.