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W Korea breast cancer awareness party draws backlash to K-pop idols; magazine issues apology
With idols dressed to the nines, free-flowing alcohol and happy dancing, it did not look like an event about a serious disease
A controversial breast cancer awareness event in South Korea this week led to a flurry of backlash online, as celebrity guests and the organisers were criticised for making light of an important issue. As the outrage heightened, W Korea has issued an apology for the event.
Tone-deaf?
W Korea magazine holds an annual party for its breast cancer awareness campaign. This year the event — called 'Love Your W 2025' — featured many marquee names such as RM, J-Hope and V from BTS, aespa, actor Byeon Woo Seok, and more.
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When the magazine started uploading videos from its event on social media, at first there was some confusion among fans online. With idols dressed to the nines, free-flowing alcohol and happy dancing, this did not look like an event about a serious disease. In fact, some people said that they didn't even realise that this was not just a celebrity party for the magazine.
It did not take long for the outrage to spread. The backlash began pouring in, even from longtime fans who otherwise would defend their beloved idols no matter what. It was not just the atmosphere of general merriment, which seemed tone-deaf in itself. Fans were quick to point out that only three idols — Rei from IVE and Minju and Wonhee from illit — actually spoke about breast cancer.
Money raised
Some fans defended idols such as Bang Chan and Seungmin from Stray Kids since they donated to the cause. However, this did not go far with critics, who pointed out that only 1.1 billion won (Dh2.8 million) has been raised by W Korea for breast cancer in the last 20 years (a number that was revealed by the magazine itself).
This amount, when weighed with the opulence at the party and the number of millionaires in the room, has caused a fresh wave of anger online. Many said that it would have been more helpful for the money spent on the event to have been donated.
Controversial performance
The individual artist who received the most backlash is without a doubt Jay Park. Already a controversial figure known to push boundaries in his lyrics and perfomances, Park decided to perform a famous song of his called Mommae (Body). The song outright objectifies the female body, and even makes a suggestive reference to breasts.
“If any cancer patients were offended by my performance, I sincerely apologise,” Park reportedly wrote in an Instagram story after the event.
W Korea's apology
The magazine finally released a statement on Sunday, apologising for the event. After reiterating that the event has been held for the last 20 years with the aim of increasing breast cancer awareness, W Korea acknowledged the criticism, saying that they were "taking (it) seriously".
"Above all else, we would like to deeply apologize for having caused discomfort and pain by failing to carefully consider the perspective of breast cancer patients and their families," the statement ready.
The magazine also apologised to the celebrities who participated in the event, saying that the controversy has 'inconvenienced" those who attended the party "with good intentions because they empathised with the campaign’s purpose."
All photos and videos from the event have been deleted from W Korea's social media pages, but the Internet never forgets. The tides are changing in the K-pop world — fans now hold their idols accountable for their actions.
No other celebrities have spoken out about the event yet.
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