K-pop star with deep Vancouver ties ripped over 'vintage' shirt
A K-pop star who has deep ties to Vancouver was slammed after being seen in a controversial shirt that some would call hateful.
Mark Lee, who has nearly 13 million followers on Instagram, was seen wearing a shirt bearing the Confederate flag. Lee is a former member of the group NCT.
Photos were posted by his newly established label, Upper Room. Lee can be seen holding two thumbs up in front of the flag. The sleeve reads, “Virginia,” which was a Confederate state during the American Civil War.
Upper Room
Upper Room later apologized for it in an Instagram story.
“The garment was selected 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,” Upper Room said.
Upper Room said that the concern the shirt led to was “understandable,” and that the label and artist reject and do not tolerate racism, discrimination, or any form of intolerance.
Some Reddit users questioned the supposed ignorance on behalf of Lee, who has deep ties to Canada and Vancouver.
Lee’s Vancouver ties
Lee actually partially grew up in Vancouver and went to middle school here, as he explains in a YouTube video posted last year. He said that he learned how to play guitar in Vancouver, and that it is one of the cities that made him who he is.
Lee shared how a Vancouver teacher told him he was a gifted writer, which stuck with him all these years. He also mentioned his rap influences.
“I always thought that rap was like natural for me.”
Unfortunately for Lee, many are still calling him out on the shirt on his socials.
Someone commented on an unrelated Instagram post, “where’s the Confederate flag post?”
“Everyone was so happy to support you, man, why’d you have to f**k it up lol,” another follower said.
“Honestly, Mark has no business acting shocked after wearing the shirt. He knows what it means and is aware of the consequences. I hope this is not just a cheap trick to keep the buzz alive,” another commenter said.
Some of his other fans are giving him a pass and saying everyone makes mistakes.
Upper Room concluded its post by saying, “We sincerely apologize to everyone who was hurt, offended, or disappointed by this situation.”