NCT's Ten drops 'OUTWEST,' first release under his own creative company Illiment
Ten releases 'OUTWEST' on September 4, the first project he oversaw end-to-end after co-founding creative company Illiment following his SM Entertainment departure.
Ten steps out on his own terms
NCT's Ten (Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul, 29) dropped OUTWEST on September 4, his first release since co-founding creative company Illiment after parting ways with SM Entertainment earlier this year. He controlled every part of it.
Illiment spans music, visual art, fashion, and original content. Projects are in development across Korea, Thailand, China, and the United States. The single arrived shortly after Ten wrapped a 10th anniversary concert in Thailand.
A solo run built on chart wins
Ten debuted with NCT U's digital single The 7th Sense in 2016. He's from Bangkok and works across English, Thai, Korean, and Chinese. His solo work picked up speed with mini album TEN in 2024, then STUNNER in March 2025—that one earned him his first music broadcast No. 1 on both cable and terrestrial TV, with two music broadcast wins combined.
A Japanese mini album, Humanity, followed in May 2025. Three solo releases in roughly 18 months. Most soloists don't move that fast.
OUTWEST is what comes next under a structure he now controls directly.
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