Mark Lee — a K-pop star who was, up until recently, a member of NCT — has come under fire for photos that show him wearing a Confederate flag T-shirt, something his Upper Room label has now apologized for in a statement.
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Posted on Tuesday (June 23), a block of text on the company’s Instagram Story began, “We would like to extend our sincere apologies for the concern, discomfort, and disappointment caused by the vintage T-shirt that appeared in a recently shared photograph.”
“The garment was selected solely as a vintage wardrobe item,” it continued. “However, upon recognizing the historical significance and sensitivity associated with the symbol displayed on the T-shirt, we took measures to ensure that it would not be visible in any official content. Despite these efforts, the image was subsequently shared externally.”
Acknowledging that the intention behind Lee’s shirt didn’t erase the harm it may have caused, the statement continued by recognizing that “this matter should have been handled with greater diligence and care.”
“We take full responsibility for this oversight,” it added. “Upper Room and the artist unequivocally reject and do not tolerate racism, hate, discrimination, or any form of intolerance. We are also grateful to those who brought this matter to our attention. In response, we will strengthen our internal review procedures for wardrobe selection and content approval to help prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.”
Based on fan reports online, the photos of Lee wearing a shirt emblazoned with the flag — which the Anti-Defamation League classifies as a hate symbol due to its historic association with white supremacy — were taken at a fan event. It also appears that Upper Room was the original source of the pictures, posting them on social media before quickly taking them down.
Billboard has reached out to the label for more information.
Lee founded Upper Room earlier in June after departing NCT 127 and NCT DREAM in April. At the time, SM Entertainment stated that his departure was based on a “mutual agreement” between the artist and company, while Lee said in a message to fans, “I’m truly and always thinking about you guys … and I’ll really be working very very hard to make it all make sense.”
In April 2025, Lee dropped his first solo album, The Firstfruit, topping Billboard‘s year-end list of the best K-pop albums of 2025.
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