More fallout for W Korea as influencer posts 'breast cancer party' invites from event

It was recently revealed that the invitation for fashion magazine company W Korea's event to raise awareness about breast cancer referred to the event as a “breast cancer party,” drawing yet more backlash due to its inappropriate language.

A screen capture showing text from the invitation of W Korea's breast cancer awareness event. The invitation described the occasion as ″breast cancer party.″ [SCREEN CAPTURE]

It was recently revealed that the invitation for fashion magazine company W Korea's event to raise awareness about breast cancer referred to the event as a “breast cancer party,” drawing yet more backlash due to its inappropriate language. This came after W Korea was already embroiled in controversy for turning the benefit into a drinking gathering for celebrities rather than a charitable event.

On Thursday, a social media influencer, identified by his Instagram handle, sinu.shinwoo, shared an image of the event invitation. He said he questioned himself whether it was really right after seeing the jarring phrase “breast cancer party” on the invite.

The invitation describes the event as a “breast cancer party that has drawn attention among A-listers and top celebrities.” It also promoted the occasion as a “limited opportunity” where guests could “watch celebrity performances up close and enjoy the party in the same space.”

W Korea appeared to have invited not only famous celebrities, but also YouTubers and social media influencers to boost online visibility.

Pictures from fashion magazine W Korea's controversial “Love Your W” breast cancer awareness event, which took place on Oct. 15 [SCREEN CAPTURE]

However, the apparent lack of any genuine concern about breast cancer has sparked widespread criticism, which was further amplified by singer Jay Park's seemingly inappropriate performance of a song that explicitly praised women's breasts in a sexualized manner.

W Korea’s intention for hosting the event has also come under scrutiny. The magazine reportedly invited celebrities to the event free of charge under the pretext of supporting breast cancer awareness, while leveraging their fame to secure sponsorships — receiving 30 million won (around $20,840) from a fashion brand and 50 million won (around $34,770) from a jewelry brand.

After the controversy erupted, W Korea defended itself by claiming that it had donated a total of 1.1 billion won ($765,000) over the past 20 years to breast cancer causes. However, the discrepancy between that figure, which would come to approximately $38,250 per year, and public expectations of higher levels of fund-raising and donation given the venue and celebrities involved, served to instead intensify criticism. Celebrities who attended the event were also reportedly upset after realizing their participation may have negatively affected their reputation.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY KIM CHUL-WOONG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]