Singer Mark, a former member of the group NCT, has officially apologized regarding a controversy over his outfit.

Mark's agency, Upper Room, released a statement on its official social media on June 24, stating, "We sincerely apologize to everyone who felt uncomfortable and disappointed due to the outfit Mark recently wore."

Previously, Mark was embroiled in controversy after wearing a vintage T-shirt featuring the Confederate flag in recently released photos.

The Confederate flag was the symbol of the Confederate government, which seceded from the Union during the American Civil War to maintain slavery, and has since been recognized as a hate symbol representing white supremacy and racism. Consequently, domestic and international fans criticized the outfit choice as inappropriate, failing to consider the historical significance of the symbol. Critics also pointed out that Mark, a North American artist of Canadian nationality, may have overlooked the sensitivity of the symbol.

In response, the agency stated, "The outfit in question was worn as a vintage clothing item, but after recognizing the historical significance and sensitivity of the symbol displayed on the T-shirt, we took measures to cover it." They added, "Nevertheless, as the image was shared externally, the symbol was exposed, causing concern to the public. Regardless of our intentions, this matter should have been handled more carefully and thoroughly, and we take full responsibility for it."

They also said, "Upper Room and the artist do not tolerate racism, hate, discrimination, or any form of intolerance. We fully recognize the seriousness of the concerns raised and are deeply reflecting on having disappointed many people through this matter."

The agency added, "To prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future, we plan to further strengthen our outfit selection and content approval processes. We sincerely apologize to everyone who was hurt or offended by this matter. We promise to act with a greater sense of responsibility, awareness, and caution in the future."

Meanwhile, Mark is a Korean-Canadian artist who gained global popularity through his activities in NCT 127, NCT DREAM, and NCT U. He announced this past April that he would conclude his exclusive contract with SM Entertainment and his group activities, stating that he had given serious thought to his future.

The following is the full text of Upper Room's official statement.

Hello. This is Upper Room, the agency of Mark.
We sincerely apologize to everyone who felt uncomfortable and disappointed due to the outfit Mark recently wore.
The outfit in question was worn as a vintage clothing item, but after recognizing the historical significance and sensitivity of the symbol displayed on the T-shirt, we took measures to cover it. Nevertheless, as the image was shared externally, the symbol was exposed, causing concern to the public.
Regardless of our intentions, this matter should have been handled more carefully and thoroughly, and we take full responsibility for it.
Upper Room and the artist do not tolerate racism, hate, discrimination, or any form of intolerance. We fully recognize the seriousness of the concerns raised and are deeply reflecting on having disappointed many people through this matter.
We are also very grateful to those who pointed out this issue. We value and listen to everyone's opinions. Accordingly, we plan to further strengthen our outfit selection and content approval processes to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
We sincerely apologize to everyone who was hurt or offended by this matter. We promise to act with a greater sense of responsibility, awareness, and caution in the future.

 

Reported by Kang Kyung-yoon