Former AOA Member Kwon Mina Criticizes W Korea's Breast Cancer Event, Sharing Personal Family Struggles

Amidst growing controversy surrounding W Korea's breast cancer awareness event, former AOA member Kwon Mina has shared her deeply personal experiences as a family member of cancer patients, criticizing the event's approach.

On the 19th, Kwon Mina posted a lengthy message on her social media account. She revealed that her father passed away from pancreatic cancer, and her sister is currently battling stage 3 breast cancer, enduring immense hardship.

Kwon Mina described her sister's arduous journey: "(My sister's breast cancer) was discovered at stage 3, requiring extensive surgery. She lost her hair due to chemotherapy, gained weight from side effects, and the treatment costs were astronomical." She added, "If they had truly been concerned about breast cancer patients and considered the feelings of their families, such a drinking party would never have been held," expressing her belief that the event's celebratory nature was insensitive.

While respecting the charitable intentions of W Korea, she emphasized that even small actions can be hurtful to cancer patients and their families who are already suffering. The W Korea event has indeed generated significant backlash for its lack of clear campaign messaging, its promotion of content downplaying the link between alcohol and breast cancer, and the seemingly party-like atmosphere among attendees. The situation was further exacerbated when a celebrity was reportedly barred from the red carpet due to clothing size issues, leaving many stunned.

Adding to the complexity, some netizens shifted criticism towards participating celebrities, focusing on female stars' attire and appearance. Jay Park's performance, featuring provocative lyrics about 'chest,' also drew criticism, and his 'unpaid performance' defense only further ignited public anger. W Korea's ambiguous stance and the subsequent privatization of their editor-in-chief's social media account have only intensified the controversy.

Netizens expressed a range of opinions, with some stating, "A sincere apology regarding the event's format is needed," while others acknowledged, "It's not easy to continue a breast cancer awareness campaign for 20 years." Many agreed that while the event format was problematic, it did bring attention to breast cancer.