# Ten (เตนล์) (singer)
**Ten** (เตนล์; born 1996), legal name Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul (ชิตพล ลี้ชัยพรกุล), is a Thai singer and dancer at the South Korean agency [SM Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/sm-entertainment), active as a member of NCT U, WayV, and the supergroup SuperM, and since 2017 as a solo artist.[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html) • [2](https://www.sanook.com/music/2434453/) Thai media describe him as the only Thai artist under SM Entertainment.[2](https://www.sanook.com/music/2434453/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul (ชิตพล ลี้ชัยพรกุล); nickname Ten (เตนล์), stage names Ten and 李永欽 (Li Yong Qin)[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html) |
| Born | 1996, Bangkok, Thailand; nationality Thai[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html) |
| Group membership | NCT, NCT U, WayV, SuperM[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html) |
| NCT debut | 'The 7th Sense' with NCT U, 9 April 2016[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html) |
| WayV debut | 'Regular' from the digital single 'The Vision', 17 January 2019[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html) |
| Solo mini albums | 'TEN - The 1st Mini Album' (2024); 'STUNNER - The 2nd Mini Album' (2025)[3](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ten/1515958292) |
| Positions listed | Main Dancer, Main Vocal, Lead Rapper; height 172 cm[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html) |
## Name and background
The nickname Ten comes from the Thai word for kingfisher, นกกระเต็น; the Thai spelling เตนล์ is read "tten" with a middle tone.[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html) His profile lists fluency in Thai, English, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese, and he graduated from Shrewsbury International School.[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html)
His first appearance in entertainment came early: in 2011, at age 15, he competed in the show Teen Super Star under the name "TNT", won, and was offered a contract with [Starship Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/starship-entertainment), which his family declined; he had earlier passed a [YG Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/yg-entertainment) audition in 2010 that the family also turned down on age grounds.[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html)
## SM Entertainment, NCT, and WayV
Ten passed his SM Entertainment audition and signed in 2013, and was introduced on 23 December 2013 as a member of [SM Rookies](https://www.edgepedia.org/sm-rookies), the company's pre-debut trainee group.[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html) His full debut came on 9 April 2016 as one of the first members of NCT's first unit, NCT U, with the song 'The 7th Sense'; he later recorded the duo track 'Baby Don't Stop' with Taeyong.[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html) • [2](https://www.sanook.com/music/2434453/)
In 2019 SM formed a China-focused NCT unit that, unlike other NCT subunits, promotes under its own name, [WayV](https://www.edgepedia.org/wayv).[4](https://ir-ithesis.swu.ac.th/bitstreams/c3ad17fe-8fa5-4236-977e-4bba912195c4/download) Ten debuted in WayV on 17 January 2019 with 'Regular', from the digital single 'The Vision', under Label V, SM's Chinese branch.[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html)
WayV's choreography has circulated back into Korean media. In the Chinese competition show [Youth With You](https://www.edgepedia.org/youth-with-you), mentor [Lisa](https://www.edgepedia.org/lisa-rapper) of BLACKPINK taught trainees the choreography of WayV's 'Kick Back', which Ten, as the original artist, had performed with her on Instagram; the two had also danced together on stage at the 2016 SBS Gayo Daejun.[5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5W6MABuB6U)
## SuperM and solo career
SuperM, a K-pop supergroup assembled by SM Entertainment with Capitol Music Group from existing SM artists, debuted with the song 'Jopping' on 4 October 2019, with Ten among its members.[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html) A Time profile of the group, which reached the top of the [Billboard charts](https://www.edgepedia.org/billboard-charts), noted Ten performing his solo songs 'Dream in a Dream' and 'New Heroes' and described the supergroup as containing dancers widely acknowledged as among the best in K-pop, each with a distinct execution of choreography.[6](https://time.com/5766631/superm-kpop/)
His solo catalog runs through SM's Station project and beyond: 'Dream in a Dream' (7 April 2017, his first solo song), 'New Heroes' (2018), 'Paint Me Naked' (2021), and 'Birthday' (2022) via [SM Station](https://www.edgepedia.org/sm-station): NCT LAB.[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html) • [3](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ten/1515958292) Of 'Paint Me Naked', his third Station solo, he told Sanook Music that it was a fun pop rock song different from his earlier solos, and that he had contributed to the choreography, clothes, and the music itself.[2](https://www.sanook.com/music/2434453/)
His two mini albums followed: 'TEN - The 1st Mini Album' in 2024, containing 'Nightwalker' and 'Water' among its tracks, and 'STUNNER - The 2nd Mini Album' in 2025, containing 'STUNNER' and 'BAMBOLA'.[3](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ten/1515958292)
## Style and other work
Thai coverage emphasizes his dual roles as main dancer and main vocalist, crediting intensive, continuous practice for his rapid development; he has also served as a dance mentor to trainees and junior artists.[7](https://www.sanook.com/music/2471973/) A vocal-analysis site characterizes his singing profile by R&B phrasing, breath-led movement, and an upper-register lift suited to dance performance.[8](https://www.bloomvocal.site/en/blog/how-to-sing-like-ten)
Beyond music, his art practice led to his first fashion collaboration, a clothing collection with the brand REPRESENT that sold out; in a 2021 interview he said he would like to design again, mentioning jewelry and casualwear as directions.[2](https://www.sanook.com/music/2434453/) In 2017 he underwent knee surgery for an injury from intense dancing and spent the year recovering.[1](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html)
## References
1. [TEN's Biography and Profile, tenlee1001.com](https://www.tenlee1001.com/pages/profile.html)
2. [[TH/EN] Interview with "Ten" (TEN) on his new solo song and words from Thai fans, Sanook Music (2021)](https://www.sanook.com/music/2434453/)
3. [TEN on Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ten/1515958292)
4. [Formation of the WayV unit under SM Entertainment (Thai academic thesis)](https://ir-ithesis.swu.ac.th/bitstreams/c3ad17fe-8fa5-4236-977e-4bba912195c4/download)
5. [Ten and Lisa teaching 'Kick Back' on Youth With You (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5W6MABuB6U)
6. [Meet SuperM, the K-Pop Supergroup That Skyrocketed to the Top of the Billboard Charts, Time](https://time.com/5766631/superm-kpop/)
7. [Profile of Ten of NCT and WayV at SM, Sanook Music](https://www.sanook.com/music/2471973/)
8. [How to Sing Like Ten: Vocal Range, R&B phrasing and the Technique Behind It, Bloom Vocal](https://www.bloomvocal.site/en/blog/how-to-sing-like-ten)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music scenes › East and Southeast Asian pop scenes › K-pop and the Korean popular music scene › Artists, groups, and people: K-pop and the Korean popular music scene › Third-generation idol groups › Surnames T to Z*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license