Former AOA member Kwon Mina has once again used her voice to speak for those often unheard this time, calling out W Korea over its controversial “Love Your W 2025” breast cancer awareness event.
On October 19, Mina took to Instagram to express her frustration and sorrow after seeing photos from the magazine’s annual charity gala, which was held at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul. She revealed that her older sister has been battling breast cancer for years, while her father passed away from pancreatic cancer.
“My sister’s hair all fell out during chemotherapy. She gained weight from the side effects, and the treatment cost us more than we could imagine,” Mina wrote. “People often think breast cancer is easy to cure if it’s caught early — but watching someone you love go through it is never easy. Seeing a party full of celebrities drinking and laughing under the name of breast cancer awareness was honestly painful.”
Mina’s post quickly went viral, sparking heated debate online. Many netizens agreed that while charity events are meant to raise awareness, turning a cause into a glamorous spectacle can feel insensitive to those actually suffering.
The event — which featured appearances by BTS’s V, RM, and J-Hope, aespa’s Karina, IVE’s Jang Wonyoung, Go Hyun-jung, Lee Young-ae, and Byun Woo-seok — faced intense backlash for its festive atmosphere. Singer Jay Park even performed his song “Body,” leading critics to question whether the campaign’s tone matched its serious message.
Three days later, W Korea issued an official apology, admitting that the event “caused discomfort and hurt to breast cancer patients and their families.” The magazine promised to review all aspects of the campaign moving forward.
However, controversy didn’t end there. Questions about donation transparency soon followed after reports surfaced showing a significant gap between the magazine’s claimed and actual contributions to the Korea Breast Health Foundation.
As public trust wavers, Mina’s heartfelt words remind audiences that awareness isn’t just about branding — it’s about empathy.
Editor’s Insight
Editor’s Insight
The backlash against W Korea’s “Love Your W 2025” gala is a watershed moment for corporate social responsibility in the K-entertainment industry. While the event boasted an unprecedented lineup—including BTS members V, RM, and J-Hope, along with Jang Wonyoung and Byon Woo-seok—the “festive” tone clearly missed the mark. When Jay Park is performing “Body” at an event meant to support women who have often undergone life-altering surgeries like mastectomies, the disconnect between the “spectacle” and the “cause” becomes impossible to ignore.
What makes this controversy particularly damaging is the subsequent hit to donation transparency. In 2026, audiences are hyper-aware of “pinkwashing,” and the reports of a gap between the magazine’s public claims and their actual contributions to the Korea Breast Health Foundation have turned a PR disaster into a potential legal and ethical crisis.
W Korea’s apology is a start, but as Mina pointed out, empathy cannot be manufactured with a red carpet. This incident will likely change how luxury magazines approach charity moving forward—shifting away from “exclusive parties” and toward direct, transparent support. It’s a reminder that in the age of social media, the most powerful voice isn’t the one on the stage; it’s the one speaking the uncomfortable truth from the sidelines.