W Korea's 'Love Your W' Campaign Under Fire Amid Donation Discrepancies

Fashion magazine W Korea's breast cancer awareness campaign, 'Love Your W', has been embroiled in controversy surrounding its event format and the scale of its donations.

According to data submitted by Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Soo-jin to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, W Korea's cumulative donations to the Korea Breast Cancer Foundation from 2007 to November of this year amounted to approximately 315.69 million won. This figure significantly differs from the 'cumulative donation of 1.1 billion won' that the magazine had promoted on its website and other platforms, raising questions.

W Korea had previously advertised the event as the nation's largest charity event, stating, 'Cumulative donations of 1.1 billion won, providing specialized screening opportunities to about 500 women.' However, the discrepancy between the promoted amount and the disclosed figures has sparked controversy.

Furthermore, the recent 'Love Your W 2025' event, attended by numerous celebrities and influencers, has drawn criticism for deviating from the campaign's original purpose of raising breast cancer awareness. Specifically, a performance by singer Jay Park at the after-party, featuring lyrics that describe female body parts, has been deemed inappropriate.

Currently, W Korea has not released an official statement regarding the donation amount discrepancy or the event's operational methods.

Netizens expressed disappointment, commenting, 'It's disheartening,' and 'The campaign's purpose is overshadowed.' There were also strong criticisms regarding the song choice for the after-party, with many stating, 'The song selection is completely misaligned with a breast cancer awareness campaign.'