Semiconductor memory device, memory system including the semiconductor memory device, and operating method thereof

A method of operating a memory system, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a controller, a host command and program data corresponding to a program operation from a host;
• generating and queuing a command to control a semiconductor memory device in response to the host command and grouping a plurality of program states corresponding to the program data into two or more program groups to generate grouping information;
• transferring the command, the program data and the grouping information to the semiconductor memory device;
• and
• programming the program data in response to the command and sequentially performing program operations corresponding to the two or more program groups, respectively, on the basis of the grouping information.