Aespa, one of the biggest K-pop groups of 2025, with over 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify and sold-out concerts night after night, has created quite a name for itself. That’s why Aespa’s Giselle stumbling out drunk after W Korea’s breast cancer awareness gala certainly wasn’t a good look. Still, with the rumors surrounding those involved, it’s only the tip of the iceberg.
W Korea is a major South Korean women’s beauty and fashion magazine. Featuring many A-list celebrities, from Jang Won-young of IVE to J-Hope of BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan), it held its 20th annual “Love Your W” gala on October 15, 2025, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul. The event’s primary purpose was to raise awareness for breast cancer, with many popular idol groups attending and donating to the Korea Breast Health Foundation. However, considering the celebrities’ actions at the event, the backlash from K-pop fans and the public was immediate.
The guest list included over 100 celebrities, including, but not limited to, members of BTS, Aespa, Enhypen, Stray Kids, Illit, IVE, TXT, i-dle, and ITZY. The high-profile attendance drew massive worldwide attention, with fans hoping to see their biases speak out in support of the cause. However, the event did not meet those expectations. Many online criticisms, especially on TikTok and Instagram, argued that the event emphasized luxury and partying over raising awareness. Not a single idol was dressed in pink, the signature color for breast cancer awareness, but instead wore high-end clothing provided by their sponsors. The phrase “When I first watched it, I thought it was a fashion show” is a popular sentiment among viewers.
Throughout the night, attendees were seen drinking alcohol, eating lavishly, and posing for photoshoots. The whole event resembled the Met Gala, where celebrities go for exposure rather than to raise awareness. Some idols performed songs that were entirely unrelated and rather inappropriate for the event, such as Jay Park singing “Mommae”, a sexually explicit song. Rumors have circulated that the entire group of Aespa was intoxicated after the event, so much so that some couldn’t walk straight and had to be escorted away.
However, a handful of idols stood up and appeared genuinely engaged with the cause. Illit’s members, in particular, were among the few who delivered speeches. Wonhee, in particular, told the public to be vigilant when checking for breast cancer in screenings, and to try to identify the disease as soon as possible to ensure enough time for prevention measures. Her direct message and her responsibility were commended, and rightfully so, since she was one of the three idols in over 100 to speak out. With all of Illit’s members under 25, their speeches showed more of their character than those of some of their senior idols.
Other groups had their own ways of refusing to participate in unruly activities. BTS’s members RM, J-Hope, and V attended, and, thanks to their fans’ efforts, raised millions of Korean won, and allegedly left early (not confirmed). Some fans still had criticisms about their lack of involvement, but, given their peers’ actions, I think they sufficed. In a similar move to BTS, Stray Kids’ Bang Chan and Seungmin departed early after donating a generous sum.
Criticism of W Korea circulated online almost instantly after the gala. Some sources say the brands sponsoring the idols donated, rather than the idols themselves. While this isn’t confirmed, it suggests a significant discrepancy between the amounts the idols were believed to have donated and the amounts actually donated by sponsors. Many comments pointed out that the setting was inappropriate, as it was a dinner-party themed event and not similar to a rally speaking for breast cancer. The idols were supposedly doing as instructed by their sponsors and the event organizers, drinking champagne and performing songs without speeches to raise awareness. Prada, for example, reportedly sponsored one of the groups, yet no one wore pink —a choice that may be blamed on the brands themselves. The idols, however, not paying heed to the cause, elicit some valid criticism. Over the past 20 years, the “Love Your W” event has been running, yet the campaign has raised only 1 billion Korean won (about $700K). K-pop fans have complained about this amount, partly because the idols earn millions a year (BTS earned $2.5 million monthly as a group in 2022) and partly because it is a minute amount compared to the event’s long history. One fan went so far as to say, “I bet their outfits combined cost more than that.”
As a response to the backlash, W Korea recently released an apology, vowing to do better in the future and be more considerate when it comes to breast cancer awareness in a quote saying “We deeply apologize for failing to carefully consider the perspective of breast cancer patients and their families, and for causing discomfort and distress”. They also expressed their condolences to idol groups and celebrities they had offended in an official article, stating, “We also regret that many who participated in good faith and supported the campaign’s goals may have been affected by the controversy”. This could refer to the idols who stood up and made speeches for the cause.
W Korea’s gala shows that celebrities and activism work when both are taken seriously, but can have consequences otherwise for both parties. While many have used their platforms to speak out on pressing issues, like Bella Hadid calling for a ceasefire in Palestine, others remain silent or engage in publicity stunts instead. Celebrities leveraging their influence for awareness sounds like an excellent idea in theory, but in application, the issues at hand tend to get ignored. Underneath all the wine and dazzling dresses, real problems tend to get swept under the red carpet. Hopefully, W Korea’s 2026 “Love Your W” event learns from this year’s misconduct —an incident sure to stay in the minds of all those involved —and hosts next year’s gala with the respect a serious issue like breast cancer deserves.
Sources:
Seung-hyun, Song. “W Korea Apologizes after Breast Cancer Charity Event Draws Backlash as ‘Celebrity Party.’” The Korea Herald, The Korea Herald, 20 Oct. 2025, www.koreaherald.com/article/10597096
“W Korea Apologizes after Controversial Breast Cancer Awareness Event.” Yahoo! News, Yahoo!, www.yahoo.com/news/articles/w-korea-apologizes-controversial-breast-160203829.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMjeHrMe2E6a9ojeb_nGEhYhVvCMBZk00rKI6bL2Ttfx8wpeE_jSXi52JUd4T15zU5Tc1x0EXYzKQSKxMHg2gzGfotAC5760j30iiuR9FCHUUtPJMDd2i6-ECxItb_BUMlN-JW_W-TsOkdhPs9DTkPYChOlOF2aqzKUEDVunDnuk
YeontanNews. “BTS Members RM, J-Hope, and V (Kim Taehyung) Attend W Korea’s ‘Love Your w’ 2025 Charity Event.” Allkpop, allkpop, 16 Oct. 2025, www.allkpop.com/article/2025/10/bts-members-rm-j-hope-and-v-kim-taehyung-attend-w-koreas-love-your-w-2025-charity-event
Krishkim. “W Korea Accused of Falsifying $774,000 Donation Claims.” ZAPZEE, 20 Oct. 2025, zapzee.net/2025/10/20/w-korea-accused-of-falsifying-11-billion-donation/
The Chosun Daily. “W Korea Breast Cancer Event Sparks Backlash over Revealing Outfits.” The Chosun Daily, 19 Oct. 2025, www.chosun.com/english/kpop-culture-en/2025/10/20/H4NTGGJU5FD6TBWI4G74A7HJIA/
