Recently on October 25, W Korea held an event called “Love Your W 2025” to raise awareness for breast cancer. A big number of popular K-pop idols and celebrities attended this event, making it widely known. It has been held every year since 2006, and this year marks it’s 20th event. This event sparked confusion, with netizens stating that it didn’t look like a breast cancer awareness event. The photos posted by W Korea showed idols partying and dancing to music. They started questioning more, and eventually discovered that Over the 20 years that the event has been held, it has only raised around $764,000. Netizens say that is not enough money for the time that was spent fundraising. This particular year has sparked a lot of backlash onto the event organizers and the idols who attended this event. The symbol for breast cancer is a pink ribbon, or just the color pink. In the event photos released by W Korea, there was little to no pink worn. The photos also showed idols partying with alcohol, which is the most common cause of breast cancer. Almost no one at the event spoke out about breast cancer, which was the whole point of the event. Some netizens started picking at individual idols, criticizing them for wearing clothes that aren’t modest enough around the chest. Victims of breast cancer often have mastectomies, which is a surgical procedure that removes the breast(s). 

One of the biggest controversies was when Singer Jay Park performed a song on stage at this event. He sang his song “Mommae”, which has explicit lyrics. One of the lyrics directly sexualized breasts, which netizens deemed highly offensive and inappropriate for this event. He made a public apology on Instagram, stating that he was sorry for offending cancer patients. 

W Korea made an apology, posted on their official instagram 10/19/25. They apologized for “failing to carefully consider the perspective of breast cancer patients and their families”. They claim that ever since 2006, their goal was to raise awareness about early detection of breast cancer. The apology recognized that the actions and execution of the event were inappropriate. They have also deleted all evidence of this event on their social media, including photos and videos. 

W Korea sparked a lot of confusion and backlash for their “Love your W 2025” Breast cancer awareness event. Idols were seen partying and drinking, which offended victims of breast cancer. Event organizers, the event and individual idols apologized on social media, but discussion about this event still arises.