“The brand sponsorship amount is 30 million KRW”… The other side of W Korea’s breast cancer party

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[Dispatch=Reporter Hyejin Park & Minji Koo] In October 2024, Actress A arrived at a breast cancer campaign but was unable to walk the red carpet. (In fact, a photo of A at the photo wall last year does not exist.)

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The reason Actress A was prevented from accessing the photo wall was due to ‘stockings’. She was pushed from the photo wall because she was not wearing V Brand (a sponsor) stockings.

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What do breast cancer awareness campaigns have to do with stockings?

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W Korea hosts charity parties through brand sponsorships. Luxury brands provide money and clothes under the guise of donations. W Korea dresses stars in these clothes and puts them on the photo wall. It is a form of reciprocation for the donation.

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In A’s case, she was assigned to a full set from V Brand. However, there was an issue with stocking size. As a result, A entered with bare legs, and W did not allow full-body exposure on the photo wall without stockings.

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(Actress B posted A’s full-body photo on personal SNS, revealing A’s bare legs. In contrast, W cropped A’s lower body and only posted the upper body photos.)

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This is a farcical situation unique to breast cancer campaigns in South Korea. The mysterious nature of the event, whether it’s a breast cancer party or a champagne party, repeated again this year.

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# “The Pink Ribbon Has Disappeared”

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“This campaign aims to widely spread awareness of the dangers of breast cancer and greatly contribute to prevention and treatment efforts.” (From the W Korea invitation)

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W Korea launched the ‘Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign’ in 2006. The slogan was ‘Love your W’. It aimed to promote breast cancer awareness and the importance of early detection.

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W Korea invited Korea’s top stars. Champagne was served on tables, accompanied by red roses fitting the theme. The breast cancer awareness elements were missing.

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For example, no pink ribbons were seen. The pink ribbon is a symbol of breast cancer awareness. It is emphasized as a symbol in various organizations and campaigns.

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In international events related to breast cancer, the symbolic color pink is indispensable. They incorporate pink carpets, pink walls, and pink dresses. Small pink ribbons are worn, and pink flowers are placed throughout the venue.

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“To prevent cancer, the best choice is to avoid alcohol completely.” (WHO, American Cancer Society)

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Vice President Hyeju Lee (W Korea) spearheaded this event. What relation does breast cancer have with champagne? It was curious why alcohol, which is taboo in cancer societies, was prominently featured. However, no answer was forthcoming.

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# Love your M(oney)

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Celebrities attended this event without any compensation, resonating with the charity’s intent. They personally covered hair and makeup costs. Some also independently managed styling expenses.

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W Korea invited stars for ‘free’ under the guise of ‘charity’. Instead, they received money from brands. Fashion brands contributed around 30 million won. Jewelry brands donated(?) around 5 million won.

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The brands checked by ‘Dispatch’ included Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Thom Browne, Cartier, Valentino, Burberry, Celine, Prada, Fendi, Valentino, among 29 others.

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W Korea is estimated to have collected close to 1 billion won. Dyson, Moët & Chandon, and Perfumer H were separately posted, with mentions like ‘powerful dryer performance’ and ‘champagne perfect for parties’.

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However, Doosan Magazine has donated around 1.1 billion won over 20 years. Approximately 50 million won per year. While they supported breast cancer screenings for about 500 individuals, detailed donation execution records were not disclosed.

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# Enjoy your P(arty)

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W Korea encouraged stars to toast. The image of clinking champagne glasses served as an excellent alcohol advertisement. Their SNS was filled with interviews and challenges unrelated to breast cancer. Posts failed to acknowledge breast cancer.

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“What are stars’ year-end plans?”, “How many times did you look in the mirror today?”, “What are the benefits of being married?”, “How do you enjoy dinner?”, “What are the three cute acts?”, “Memories of being 20 years old?”

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Aespa’s Karina’s challenge was also out of place. She was asked to pose for ‘Sugar on my tongue’. Regardless of its trendiness, the sexual undertones of the lyrics were deemed inappropriate for a breast cancer campaign.

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Agency officials sighed. “Those were unplanned aspects,” they said, “Managers couldn’t enter the event. W reportedly requested challenges and interviews haphazardly.”

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Was it true? ‘Dispatch’ directly checked the event notice. Staff accompanying artists was explicitly prohibited more than four times during the first part of the event. Most interviews and challenge shoots occurred then.

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The W Party was limited to one staff member accompaniment, mainly a ‘hair and makeup’ handler. Consequently, managers had to wait over six hours at a separate location, unaware of the internal situation.

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# Do you know W?

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Abroad, events are usually held in the form of marathons, forums, symposiums, or lectures. Parties include America’s Hot Pink Party, Australia’s Girls’ Night In, and Korea’s W Korea events.

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The Hot Pink Party is hosted by the ‘Breast Cancer Research Foundation’ (BCRF). The intent is similar to Korea’s: research, prevention, and treatment of breast cancer.

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Pink ribbons are a must at the party. BCFR discloses annual revenue, expenses, and donor lists in detail on their website. They announced that donations raised from their May event amounted to approximately 15.8 billion won.

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Domestically, ‘Estee Lauder’ conducts breast cancer events. Entire buildings are filled with pink and ribbons. Inside stands are various experiential zones and photo zones for breast cancer prevention and early detection.

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‘Dispatch’ also visited the scene. Estee Lauder shared detailed self-examination methods in collaboration with the Korean Cancer Society. Participation in cancer-related quizzes granted pink ribbon badges and gifts.

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What about W Korea’s breast cancer awareness campaign?

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“I want to be introduced now. A twin sister dangling on your chest.” played in the background. The choreography of “I’m hot My boob and booty is hot” filled the stage.

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There were no warnings about breast cancer prevention or courtesies for breast cancer patients. The hashtag ‘#BreastCancerAwarenessCampaign’ was mechanically attached to official SNS posts.

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