On October 19, screenshots surfaced on an online community showing Lee Hye-joo’s post from a previous breast cancer awareness campaign. The images revealed Lee posing with HyunA and captioning the photo, “Glamorous and stylish HyunA.”
The controversy stems from Lee’s use of the term “glamorous” a phrase that emphasizes a woman’s physical appearance at a breast cancer awareness event. Netizens condemned the remark, calling it “inappropriate and tone-deaf,” with comments like: “Was this supposed to be a breast show?”, “Using the word ‘glamorous’ at a cancer campaign is low-class,” and “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it.”
This comes amid a wave of criticism surrounding this year’s 20th “Love Your W 2025” campaign, held on October 15 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul. The event was attended by top idols such as BTS’s RM, J-Hope, and V, LE SSERAFIM’s Kim Chaewon and Kazuha, I-DLE, IVE’s An Yujin, Rei, and Jang Wonyoung, NMIXX’s Haewon and Sullyoon, and aespa, along with numerous actors.
Since its launch in 2006, the Love Your W campaign has raised over 1.1 billion KRW in donations for breast cancer awareness. However, this year’s event has drawn backlash for straying from its original intent.
Criticism first erupted after Jay Park’s performance of his hit song “MOMMAE,” which includes the lyric, “Your twins hanging on your chest,” a phrase some found offensive to breast cancer patients. Facing backlash, Jay Park apologized, saying, “It was meant to be a good event. I performed as usual, but I’m truly sorry if anyone battling cancer felt uncomfortable.”
Further outrage arose over the event’s media coverage. Videos and photos shared by W Korea mostly showed celebrities drinking and partying, rather than promoting cancer awareness. Some online commenters mocked the event, calling it a “breast cancer party” rather than a campaign.
On October 19, W Korea issued an official apology via social media, stating: “We sincerely acknowledge the criticism that the event’s composition and execution were inappropriate given the campaign’s purpose. We deeply apologize to breast cancer patients and their families for the discomfort and hurt we have caused.”
Despite the apology, Lee Hye-joo’s resurfaced remark about HyunA has reignited public anger, raising questions about the sincerity of W Korea’s reflection and the broader issue of insensitivity in celebrity-driven charity events.
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