Mark of NCT Launches Trailer for First Solo Album ‘The Firstfruit’ Featuring 13 Tracks Across Four Cities
Sharon Jung / Published March 24, 2025 12:53 AM
Sharon Jung
Courtesy of SM Entertainment
Mark, a member of the global K-pop group NCT, has officially entered the countdown for his solo debut. On March 24, SM Entertainment released a teaser video titled 1999, Toronto via NCT’s official social media channels, announcing Mark’s first solo album The Firstfruit set for release on April 7 at 6 PM KST.
The trailer, running approximately 1 minute and 46 seconds, offers a nostalgic and emotionally resonant glimpse into Mark’s formative years. Through a montage of playful imagery and personal symbolism, the video captures the mood of the “Toronto chapter” in his life—a city where the artist spent his early childhood. The trailer also features a portion of the album’s opening track, Toronto’s Window, blending soft instrumentation with Mark’s introspective narration.
The Firstfruit will include a total of 13 tracks, thematically divided into four chapters based on the cities that have shaped Mark’s identity—Toronto, New York, Vancouver, and Seoul. Each section reflects the emotional and artistic growth he experienced in those places, offering listeners a multidimensional portrait of his journey.
The title track 1999 serves as the emotional core of the album, referencing both Mark’s birth year and the introspective tone of the record. According to SM Entertainment, the album will showcase a range of genres and lyrical perspectives, highlighting Mark’s growth not only as a performer but also as a songwriter and storyteller.
This solo debut marks a significant milestone in Mark’s artistic trajectory. Known for his versatile presence across multiple NCT sub-units—including NCT 127, NCT Dream, and SuperM—Mark has steadily built a reputation for his lyrical agility, stage charisma, and global fanbase. The album is widely anticipated as a moment for him to articulate his distinct voice outside the collaborative structure of his group projects.
The title The Firstfruit is a metaphor for personal offering and creative harvest, symbolizing the culmination of Mark’s experiences as a solo artist in bloom. The inclusion of four cities is not merely biographical, but also conceptual, reflecting the layered identity of an artist who straddles cultures, languages, and musical influences.
As anticipation builds, industry insiders point to the album’s narrative cohesion and visual presentation as key differentiators in an increasingly saturated K-pop solo market. With its deeply autobiographical framing and Mark’s established popularity, The Firstfruit is expected to make a strong debut both domestically and internationally.
With this release, Mark not only charts his own artistic path but also contributes to a broader trend of K-pop idols using solo projects as introspective storytelling platforms. Fans and critics alike await April 7 with high expectations for what may be a defining chapter in his career.
Sayart / Sharon Jung, guhuijeong784@gmail.com
Courtesy of SM Entertainment
Mark, a member of the global K-pop group NCT, has officially entered the countdown for his solo debut. On March 24, SM Entertainment released a teaser video titled 1999, Toronto via NCT’s official social media channels, announcing Mark’s first solo album The Firstfruit set for release on April 7 at 6 PM KST.
The trailer, running approximately 1 minute and 46 seconds, offers a nostalgic and emotionally resonant glimpse into Mark’s formative years. Through a montage of playful imagery and personal symbolism, the video captures the mood of the “Toronto chapter” in his life—a city where the artist spent his early childhood. The trailer also features a portion of the album’s opening track, Toronto’s Window, blending soft instrumentation with Mark’s introspective narration.
The Firstfruit will include a total of 13 tracks, thematically divided into four chapters based on the cities that have shaped Mark’s identity—Toronto, New York, Vancouver, and Seoul. Each section reflects the emotional and artistic growth he experienced in those places, offering listeners a multidimensional portrait of his journey.
The title track 1999 serves as the emotional core of the album, referencing both Mark’s birth year and the introspective tone of the record. According to SM Entertainment, the album will showcase a range of genres and lyrical perspectives, highlighting Mark’s growth not only as a performer but also as a songwriter and storyteller.
This solo debut marks a significant milestone in Mark’s artistic trajectory. Known for his versatile presence across multiple NCT sub-units—including NCT 127, NCT Dream, and SuperM—Mark has steadily built a reputation for his lyrical agility, stage charisma, and global fanbase. The album is widely anticipated as a moment for him to articulate his distinct voice outside the collaborative structure of his group projects.
The title The Firstfruit is a metaphor for personal offering and creative harvest, symbolizing the culmination of Mark’s experiences as a solo artist in bloom. The inclusion of four cities is not merely biographical, but also conceptual, reflecting the layered identity of an artist who straddles cultures, languages, and musical influences.
As anticipation builds, industry insiders point to the album’s narrative cohesion and visual presentation as key differentiators in an increasingly saturated K-pop solo market. With its deeply autobiographical framing and Mark’s established popularity, The Firstfruit is expected to make a strong debut both domestically and internationally.
With this release, Mark not only charts his own artistic path but also contributes to a broader trend of K-pop idols using solo projects as introspective storytelling platforms. Fans and critics alike await April 7 with high expectations for what may be a defining chapter in his career.
