![Mark, international shame immediately after leaving NCT... Wore 'symbol of racism' shirt and gave 'thumbs up' → Public apology [Star Issue] [Full Text] | STARNEWS](https://www.mogazmasr.com/uploads/2026/06/24/mark-lee-77648eb3_800w.webp)
Mark Lee’s new agency, Upper Room, apologized on the 23rd after photos of the 27-year-old showed him wearing a T-shirt featuring the Confederate flag. The statement came as the image drew criticism over a symbol tied to slavery and racism.
The apology was posted in English on Upper Room’s official Instagram story and was the first formal statement released by Mark since he set up the one-person agency earlier this month. In the message, the company said the clothing had been chosen only because it was vintage, but added that it later recognized the historical significance and sensitivity of the symbol and had taken steps to keep the image out of official content.
That explanation did not erase the problem. Upper Room said the image was shared externally, exposing the shirt to a wider audience, and took full responsibility for the oversight. The agency also said Mark and Upper Room reject racism, hate, discrimination and any form of exclusion or narrow-mindedness, while promising stronger review procedures for clothing selection and content approval.
The backlash lands just weeks after Mark left NCT 127 and NCT DREAM in April this year and parted ways with SM Entertainment when his exclusive contract expired. He had only recently launched Upper Room, making the apology his first public test as the head of a one-person agency.
What remains is less about the clothing itself than the chain of judgment around it: a vintage item that was meant to stay off official channels still reached the public, and the agency now has to prove it can keep that from happening again.
