10s Across The Board!

Ten Lee is stepping into an even bigger spotlight. The K-pop superstar opens up about going solo and growing into his many facets.

There are not many people who can claim to be a veteran of their field at just 28 years old. But the Thailandborn, K-pop sensation Ten Lee—known popularly by his first name only—is not like most people. He made his debut as part of the chart-topping boyband NCT in 2016—which is a very long time ago in K-pop years. In 2019, he became part of both WayV, the Chinese sub-group of NCT, and SuperM, an Avengers-style team-up of members from SM Entertainment’s biggest bands. Ten has also been periodically releasing solo music since 2017 with one-off singles.

It is in those latter works that the singer and dancer has demonstrated a taste for experimentation and reinvention. While 2021’s “Paint Me Naked” saw Ten giving upbeat dance-pop, 2022’s “Birthday” found him in sultry R&B mode. But this past February, the fullest expression of his versatility came to fruition with the release of TEN—The 1st Mini Album, a six-track project that showcased his range as a solo artist. On it, he glides effortlessly between sounds and personas. The dark, pulsating synths of “Nightwalker” give way to echoes of Latin influences in “Water”; “Dangerous” is all R&Bpop slickness, “On Ten” features hip-hop stylings, while “Lie With You” is an electro-pop banger. Here, Ten tells us in an exclusive chat about his personal and professional growth, and his constant quest for newness.

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