Converse has removed a sneaker advertisement that sparked widespread online criticism for imagery critics compared to Ku Klux Klan robes and a lynching.

The ad, part of a campaign promoting the Chuck 70 X sneaker that launched internationally at the end of August, featured South Korean singer Karina of the K-pop group Aespa. One image showed her standing under a star-shaped spotlight while wearing a long white skirt and holding a pair of black high-top sneakers. Social media users claimed the lighting created a triangular shape resembling a pointed Klan hood and that the dangling shoes evoked the feet of a lynching victim.

A separate image from the campaign, showing shoes hanging from a tree branch, also resurfaced amid the controversy.

Converse issued an apology on Friday, stating: “We’re sorry. We understand why this image is deeply upsetting and recognize that we got this wrong. We removed it from our channels and are working to remove it everywhere it appeared. This should not have happened and we will do better.”

The company, owned by Nike, confirmed the ad had been taken down from its social media accounts and other platforms. Chief Executive Officer Aaron Cain sent a memo to employees on Sunday pledging a review of internal processes, according to Bloomberg News.

The backlash included calls for a boycott and criticism from figures such as Rep. Troy Carter, D-La., who called the ad “racist, reckless and deeply offensive.”

Converse, founded in Massachusetts in the early 1900s, has not detailed who designed or approved the advertisement or outlined specific changes to its review process beyond the CEO’s statement.