K-pop star Mark Lee has directly addressed racism allegations against him two months after he was seen wearing a Confederate flag T-shirt.
On June 23, photos of Lee wearing a gray and blue T-shirt with the Confederate flag on the chest and the word “Virginia” on the sleeves surfaced online.
The flag is classified as a hate symbol commonly associated with racism and white supremacy, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
After the incident, Upper Room, Mark’s label, which he also owns, issued an apology, stating that the shirt was selected without considering the context behind the symbol.
During a live stream on his Instagram account on Friday, the former member of the K-Pop group NCT 127 said he was “aware” of the pain it caused his fans, and he is willing to educate himself more on that matter.
Fan reactions have been mixed, with one side thankful he directly addressed the issue while the other criticising the timing of the apology.
“Not my intention”
Mark said during his Instagram live that the issue has been on his mind for a while and he felt the need to address it.
“I am aware of the pain that it brought to a lot of people. I am aware of the pain that it brought to a lot of people, especially to my black fans, to the Black community, and I should have, I am very responsible for it,” he said live.
“But I really wanted to directly tell you guys that it really wasn’t my intention, with me knowing the meaning of the flag, the historical significance of it, it really shouldn’t have happened. And it really does not reflect who I am as a person,” he said.
“Seeing so many fans hurt by it really hurt me as well. I had no intention, knowing the meaning of the flag, and I should have, there are no excuses for that. I just wanted to promise you guys that nothing like that will ever happen again,” he added.
The K-Pop artist also promised that he will educate himself more on that matter, and he will “make it up” to the fans if they give him another chance.
“It really breaks my heart to think that maybe the trust has been broken, but I promise that I’ll make it up to you guys. With my actions and with my music, I’ll make sure to make it up to you guys, if you will allow me to have one more chance,” Mark said.
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An accidental choice
Earlier, Upper Room reasoned that they chose the garment “solely 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,” it said.
“Upper Room and the artist unequivocally reject and do not tolerate racism, hate, discrimination, or any form of intolerance. We understand the seriousness of the concerns that have been raised and deeply regret the distress this incident has caused,” it added.
Mixed reactions
Most netizens were sceptical of the apology.
Some felt that the apology was “too little too late,” considering that the issue was first brought up two months ago.
Others felt that the apology was not genuine, with some questioning why no one on Mark’s team did research before wearing the shirt.
On the other hand, some fans praised Mark for addressing the issue and acknowledging the hurt he caused to the Black community.
Netizens also said his live apology is better than him issuing a press release, and an apology two months late is better than none.
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K-pop stars and ‘offensive’ garments
This is not the first time that a K-Pop idol has been involved in controversy over garments bearing offensive or hateful symbols.
In 2017, BTS member Jimin was criticised for wearing a T-shirt with the words “patriotism”, “our history” and “liberation” along with an image of the atomic cloud after the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.
After the A-bomb shirt controversy, netizens dug up a 2015 magazine photo shoot of BTS at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin, in which members Jin, Suga and RM were photographed with the concrete slabs of the memorial in the background.
RM was also seen wearing a cap with the Nazi SS Death Head insignia on it.
In 2021, Sowon of GFriend was seen cuddling with a mannequin wearing Nazi clothing while the girl group was filming a video.
TWICE member Chaeyoung also apologised in 2023 after posting a photo of herself in a shirt displaying Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious wearing a swastika.
Then in May 2026, G-Dragon of BIGBANG was seen wearing a T-shirt with an offensive Dutch phrase and racial slur during his performance at the K-Spark music concert in Macau.
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