Controversy Over 'Drinking Party' and Social Gathering...
Organizers Apologize After Five Days
Jay Park: "If Any Cancer Patients Felt Uncomfortable, I Apologize"
The mother of YouTuber Jung Sunho, who underwent breast cancer surgery and chemotherapy, expressed discomfort after hearing singer Jay Park perform "Momma" at the W Korea event. Jung Sunho YouTube
Singer Jay Park has come under criticism after it was revealed that he performed his song "Momma" at the "Love Your W 2025" breast cancer awareness campaign event hosted by W Korea. The mother of a YouTuber who underwent breast cancer surgery and chemotherapy shared her thoughts on the matter.
On October 20, a video titled "I Played the Song 'Momma' for My Mom Who Had Breast Cancer Surgery" was uploaded to Jung Sunho's YouTube channel. According to Jung Sunho, his mother, Park Geunmi, was diagnosed with breast cancer when he was in middle school and underwent nearly two years of chemotherapy. She lost her hair and wore a beanie even during summer.
When Jung Sunho played Jay Park's song "Momma," performed at the breast cancer awareness campaign, for his mother, Park Geunmi responded, "What is this? How could they sing a song like this at a breast cancer awareness campaign?" She added, "It is shameful and upsetting. This is mockery, not improvement," expressing her discomfort.
Jung Sunho also criticized the event, saying, "It is surprising that we live in a time when an event like this can be planned and approved by higher-ups without anyone noticing what's wrong." He continued, "Is it possible to be so thoughtless? Does gathering hot and famous celebrities or influencers automatically raise awareness?"
Controversy Over Drinking Party and Social Gathering... Organizers Apologize After Five Days
W Korea promoted the event as a "campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer and the importance of early screening." However, most of the videos released on their official social media channels focused on the party atmosphere, leading to controversy.
In the photos, attendees were seen holding drinks for toasts or enjoying stage performances. Some singers performed live, and these scenes quickly spread through online communities and social media platforms.
Fashion magazine W Korea, which hosts an annual charity event to raise breast cancer awareness, has faced strong criticism for an atmosphere resembling a 'celebrity drinking party,' which is inappropriate for the cause. W Korea official Instagram
Reactions from online users who saw the posts were cold. Comments included, "What does breast cancer awareness have to do with a celebrity social gathering?", "How does drinking and singing raise awareness?", and "This concept is disrespectful to breast cancer patients." In particular, the observation that "alcohol is one of the worst things for breast cancer, yet there are many scenes of people holding drinks" resonated with many.
As the controversy grew, W Korea issued an official apology on October 19. "The 'Love Your W' breast cancer awareness campaign began in 2006, and for 20 years, we have worked to raise awareness about the importance of early breast cancer screening," they stated. "We acknowledge that the composition and execution of the event on the 15th were inappropriate given the campaign's purpose, and we take this criticism seriously."
They continued, "We sincerely apologize for not being more considerate of breast cancer patients and their families, causing discomfort and hurt. We deeply regret that many who participated with good intentions and empathy for the campaign's purpose may have been troubled by this controversy." W Korea added, "We will use this incident as an opportunity to re-examine the entire process of planning and executing our events."
Jay Park: "If Any Cancer Patients Felt Uncomfortable, I Apologize... I Wish You Good Health"
Jay Park issued an explanation and apology through his social media on October 16, three days before W Korea released their statement.
Jay Park said, "After the official breast cancer campaign event ended, I understood the party and performance as something for those present who had gathered with good intentions, so I performed as I usually do." He continued, "If any cancer patients felt uncomfortable or offended by my performance, I apologize. I wish you good health. Stay strong."
He added, "When I performed at the Busan event, I did so with good intentions and without pay. Please do not misuse that goodwill."
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