Everyone has something to say about W Korea’s Love Your W event. It was supposed to be a fundraiser meant to spread breast cancer awareness. Instead, critics felt it was nothing but a luxurious party for celebrities.
What Went Wrong at Love Your W?
There were several incidents that have gone viral, enraging Korean and international netizens:
Jay Park’s performance of “MOMMAE.” The song is a very sexual ode to a woman’s body. The first verse even has the lyrics “But right now, I want to get introduced to your chest’s twins/Twins-twins, I want you to give it to me.” Yeah, not something you’d expect to hear at a breast cancer awareness gala.
NSFW visuals used for ALLDAY PROJECT’s performance. At the start of FAMOUS, an image of a woman’s exposed bare butt cheeks while wearing a thong appeared. This also drew criticism though the blame was placed on W Korea for approving such a visual.
Glamour over substance. Celebrities were drinking, partying, hanging out with other idols or actors. Videos of the after party looked like they were filmed at a club. Allegedly, only ILLIT’s Wonhee made an explicit mention of the event’s true purpose. Many of the idols who attended have been slammed for their behavior.
Netizens and breast cancer patients alike felt alienated. They saw a spectacle of luxury, not a gesture of solidarity. They criticized the event for having almost no mention of breast cancer, no symbolic visuals. There was nothing about the event that signaled it was a charity gala.
It Gets Worse
Because W Korea wants to push everyone’s buttons, they finally revealed how much money they’ve raised. After 20 years, Love Your W has donated about 1.1 billion won (roughly $775,000).
For a campaign that draws in the biggest stars in the industry, hosted by a top fashion magazine, that number is underwhelming. Is that really all the money they’ve raised over the course of two decades?
In response to the controversy, W Korea said they “cannot provide a response.” That only made things worse. If you’re hosting a fundraiser, you owe more than silence when things go wrong
Who Should Take the Blame?
W Korea should take full responsibility. I understand people are frustrated at seeing celebrities live their (very rich, extravagant) lives while the rest of the world burns.
But they’re not the ones responsible for organizing the event. It’s W Korea’s fault for failing to raise enough money. For failing to acknowledge the suffering breast cancer patients experience. For not ensuring everyone knew why they were at that event. It’s easy to target individuals when their faces are visible, but the fingers should point toward those in charge.
Netizens directing all their anger at celebrities is taking all the heat off of W Korea. Which is not good because it gives them no incentive to do better. Why should they if they know they’ll never face the brunt of netizens’ ire?
