K-pop star with Vancouver roots slammed over Confederate flag shirt
Mark Lee, former NCT member with nearly 13 million Instagram followers, faced backlash after label posted photo of him in controversial vintage garment.
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K-pop star Mark Lee faced backlash after being photographed in a shirt bearing the Confederate flag, sparking criticism and questions about the artist's awareness of historical symbols.
Lee, a former member of group NCT with nearly 13 million Instagram followers, was pictured holding two thumbs up in front of the flag in a photo posted by his newly established label, Upper Room. The shirt's sleeve reads "Virginia," a Confederate state during the American Civil War.
Upper Room apologized in an Instagram story, saying the garment was selected as a vintage wardrobe item. "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," the label said. The label stated it rejects racism, discrimination, and intolerance.
Lee partially grew up in Vancouver and attended middle school there, as he explained in a YouTube video last year. He said he learned to play guitar in Vancouver and credited the city with shaping who he is. A Vancouver teacher once told him he was a gifted writer, an observation that stayed with him. Despite his deep Canadian and Vancouver ties, commenters on social media questioned how Lee could be unaware of the flag's meaning. Some fans gave him a pass, saying everyone makes mistakes. Others were harsher, with one commenter writing: "Honestly, Mark has no business acting shocked after wearing the shirt. He knows what it means and is aware of the consequences."
