It has been quite a 24 hours in the NCT fandom. On one hand, fans were melting over NCT leader Taeyong quietly dropping heartfelt comments on his former and current members’ Instagram posts. On the other, former NCT member Mark Lee found himself at the center of a serious controversy after photos of him wearing a Confederate flag T-shirt spread across social media.
Here’s everything that happened.
Taeyong Goes on a Comment Spree And Fans Are Emotional
It started sweetly enough. NCT’s Taeyong who returned from mandatory military service in December 2025 and has since released his debut studio album WYLD was spotted leaving a string of warm, casual comments on his members’ Instagram posts on June 23.
To Mark, who left NCT and SM Entertainment back in April after a decade-long run, Taeyong commented that he was glad to see him doing well a small gesture that hit fans right in the feelings given that the two are no longer officially groupmates.
But he didn’t stop there. He went around to different members and left cute and fun comments, proving their strong relationship. To Yuta, he jokingly asked to be brought back some cool things. To Jaehyun, he called him cute and asked for delicious food. And to Johnny, he simply asked what he was up to that day.
Fans quickly picked up on the warmth of it all. The moment resonated especially because many of the members are on separate schedules some are still completing military service, others are on solo projects yet the group’s bond clearly hasn’t faded.
The post from fan account @joyfularchives highlighting Taeyong’s comment on Mark’s page racked up over 24,000 likes and 617,000 views, with fans calling the interaction a reminder of why they love NCT’s dynamics. Many referred to the Taeyong-Mark friendship by its fan nickname “Markyong,” celebrating the two leaders staying connected even after Mark’s departure from the group.
But Then The Confederate Flag Controversy
What made Taeyong’s comment on Mark’s post even more significant is what came next. Shortly after that wholesome moment made the rounds online, Mark Lee became the subject of a very different kind of attention.
On June 23, Mark came under fire when his newly established label Upper Room posted photos of him wearing a T-shirt with the Confederate flag on it.
The images showed Mark at what appeared to be a board game café, giving thumbs up and signing autographs all while wearing a gray shirt prominently displaying the Confederate battle flag alongside the word “Virginia.”
The backlash was swift.
The Confederate flag is associated with the defense of slavery and is regarded as a symbol of white supremacy and racism. The Confederacy was formed in 1861 by southern U.S. states that seceded from the union in defense of enslaving people, and the flag has remained deeply offensive particularly to Black communities ever since.
What made this especially pointed for many people is Mark’s background. Born in Canada and having lived in the US, Mark owns his own company and has full autonomy over what he chooses to wear a detail many fans on social media were quick to bring up. Others noted the timing: the photos surfaced just days after Juneteenth, the U.S. federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery.
Critics also noted that as someone who spent years touring the United States extensively with NCT and grew up in North America, it is widely taught in schools there the argument that he simply didn’t know what the symbol meant held little water for many.
Upper Room Issues an Apology But Questions Remain
Shortly after the photos surfaced, Upper Room took to Instagram Stories to share an apology.
The label described the shirt as a vintage item selected purely for its aesthetic, and explained that once they recognized the symbol’s significance, they had attempted to keep it out of official content. However, an external share made the image visible to the public.
Upper Room stated that they take full responsibility for the oversight, that the artist and label unequivocally reject racism and discrimination in any form, and that they will be strengthening their internal review procedures going forward.
But the apology itself drew criticism from some fans. Netizens weren’t impressed pointing out that Mark is the head of Upper Room, meaning the label’s statement is effectively his statement, yet he made no personal comment on the matter. He didn’t even share the Upper Room statement on his personal Instagram account, where he has a much wider reach.
As of the time of reporting, Mark has yet to comment publicly on the situation.
A Complicated Moment for a New Chapter
Mark departed from NCT and SM Entertainment in April 2026, after a full decade with the group. He debuted with NCT U back in April 2016, went on to become one of the most active members across NCT 127, NCT Dream, and NCT U, and was widely celebrated as one of the group’s hardest-working artists.
After leaving both NCT and SM Entertainment in April, Mark announced that he was establishing his own label, Upper Room, earlier this month. The Confederate flag incident is now the label’s very first major public controversy and it arrived at a moment when many fans were still watching closely to see what direction Mark’s solo career would take.
The contrast of the day is hard to ignore: the same person Taeyong was quietly checking in on, expressing relief that he looked well, was simultaneously at the center of a storm over a deeply loaded symbol with no personal word from him yet.
Fans remain divided. Some are calling for patience and waiting for Mark to speak directly. Others say the apology from the label, without a personal statement, simply isn’t enough.
For now, Upper Room’s Instagram story stands as the only official response and the conversation is far from over.
VestiWorld covers K-pop, culture, and entertainment news. Follow us for updates.
