Former NCT member Mark Lee has found himself at the center of controversy after photos of him wearing a T-shirt featuring the Confederate flag surfaced online.
What happened with Mark’s confederate flag T-shirt
Former NCT member Mark’s new label has apologized after posting photos of the singer wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the Confederate flag.
On June 23, Mark came under fire when his newly established label Upper Room posted photos of him wearing the T-shirt.
Photos of Mark wearing the T-shirt prominently displaying the Confederate flag spread online, fueling the controversy.
This comes after Mark left both NCT and SM Entertainment in April and announced he was establishing his own label, Upper Room, earlier this month, according to Soompi.
But what does The Confederate flag mean, during the American Civil War, the Confederate States fought to keep slavery alive and used several flags during the war. The most well-known one, the Confederate Battle Flag, had a blue cross with white trim and 13 stars on a red background.
Even after the war ended, this flag remained the most recognized symbol of the Confederacy. Starting in the late 1900s, many groups challenged flying the flag at public buildings like state capitols. Some said it stood for Southern heritage, while others saw it as a symbol of racism and slavery that shouldn’t be displayed officially, according to Britannica.
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How fans reacted online
The controversy sparked strong reactions from fans on social media. One user wrote, “WHAT. THE. ACTUAL F–K IS WRONG WITH YOU MARK LEE??? WHAT IS THIS? EXPLAIN THIS TO ME HOLY SHIT????”
Another user offered context, writing, “I think Mark grew up in Korea and Koreans never learn world history..they only learn about their own historical struggles. That can be an issue. And even his heritage is korea so maybe his parents too never cared about canadian history while being in Canada.”
While one wrote, “Y’all are mad over a shirt if a normal person is wearing it, y’all would walk right past by them without saying anything, holy f—–g double standards.”
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Upper Room’s apology
Shortly after the photos went up, Upper Room took to Instagram Stories to share an apology in English.
The agency stated through its official SNS, “We sincerely apologize for causing concern, discomfort, and disappointment due to the vintage T-shirt shared in recent photos,”
It added, “The outfit was chosen solely as a vintage styling item. However, after recognizing the historical significance and sensitivity of the symbol on the T-shirt, we took measures to ensure the design was not visible in official content. Nevertheless, the image was shared externally, revealing the symbol, and we understand that this could have caused significant concern among the public.”
Upper Room continued, “Regardless of intent, this matter should have been handled with greater caution and care. We will take full responsibility for this incident.”
The agency further emphasized, “Upper Room and the artist firmly oppose and do not tolerate any form of racism, hatred, discrimination, or bigotry. We sincerely apologize to everyone who felt hurt, offended, or disappointed by this incident.”
The agency explained that the outfit was merely a vintage item without any specific intended meaning but apologized for failing to fully consider the historical and social context of the symbol.