K-Pop star and former NCT member Mark Lee has been criticized for a photo of him wearing a Confederate flag T-shirt, and his label Upper Room apologized in a statement.
A text block on the company’s Instagram Stories, posted on Tuesday, June 23, began: “We sincerely apologize for the concern, discomfort, and disappointment caused by the vintage t-shirt featured in a recently shared photo.”
“This garment was selected solely as a vintage wardrobe item,” it continued. “However, we recognized the historical significance and sensitivity of the symbol displayed on the T-shirt and took steps to prevent it from appearing in official content. Despite these efforts, the image was subsequently shared externally.”
The statement acknowledged that the intentions behind Lee’s shirt did not erase the harm it may have caused, but went on to recognize that “this matter should have been handled more diligently and sensitively.”
“We take full responsibility for this director,” he added. “Upper Room and Artists unequivocally reject and do not tolerate racism, hatred, discrimination, or any other form of intolerance. We also thank those who brought this issue to our attention. In response, we have strengthened our internal review procedures regarding wardrobe choices and content approvals to help prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.”
A photo of Lee wearing a shirt emblazoned with the flag (classified by the Anti-Defamation League as a symbol of hate because of its historical association with white supremacy) was taken at a fan event, according to online fan reports. It also appears that the original source of the photo was Upper Room, who posted it on social media before quickly deleting it.
Billboard has contacted the label for more information.
Lee established Upper Room in early June after leaving NCT 127 and NCT DREAM in April. At the time, SM Entertainment said his departure was based on a “mutual agreement” between the artist and the company, but Lee said in a message to fans, “I’m really thinking about you all all the time…and I’m going to try really hard to make sure everything makes sense.”
In April 2025, Lee released his first solo album, The Firstfruit, which ranked number one on Billboard’s year-end list of the best K-pop albums of 2025.
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