From Charity to Controversy
W Korea has finally responded to the backlash over its Love Your W event. What started in 2006 as a campaign promoting early detection of breast cancer has spiraled into a scandal. This year’s gala looked more like an out-of-control party, with celebrities drinking or behaving inappropriately.
The event was supposed to champion a serious cause. Instead, it made people question if W Korea should be allowed to host a charity gala.
A Series of Conflicts
It’s hard to believe but the situation has gotten even worse. Lee Hye Joo, CEO of Doosan Magazine and W Korea’s editor-in-chief, also serves as a director of the Korea Breast Health Foundation. That is a huge conflict of interest. How can someone promoting breast cancer awareness be trusted to oversee funds for a charity benefiting patients?
Without an independent third party to audit donations, there’s no way of verifying if the funds are accounted for and going to the right places. It raises even more questions about the magazine’s intentions regarding this “charity event” because where is the money going?
Erasing Evidence
Adding fuel to the fire, W Korea has removed all content related to Love Your W from its website. This even includes content from previous years. The move only added to netizens’ growing suspicions that the event is a front for illegal activity.
W Korea has doubled down on their claims of donating over 1.1 billion KRW (roughly $774,000) over the past 20 years. Records from the Ministry of Health and Welfare showed the magazine only made around 315 million KRW (roughly $222,000) in direct donations between 2007 and 2024.
The fashion magazine explained that the total number includes donations from participating companies and individuals. They also said that contributions were made to the Seoul branch of the Planned Population Federation of Korea from 2007 to 2009. According to them, that’s why some data was missing from current records. They also included a planned 2025 donation of 150 million KRW, which will all add up to 1.1 billion KRW. Nobody is buying this excuse.
Apology Comes Too Late
After four days of silence, W Korea finally issued an apology on October 19, 2025. The magazine acknowledged that the event was inappropriate. They expressed regret for causing discomfort to patients, their families, and supporters.
For many, this apology is coming too late to actually matter. From deleting posts to staying quiet for days, the apology feels reactive rather than sincere. Netizens are skeptical, while for others, trust has already been lost.
Broader Implications
The Love Your W scandal isn’t about one event. It exposes concerns about celebrity charity campaigns in Korea. Without transparency, events that are supposed to inspire goodwill can easily become self-serving marketing tools.
If Love Your W hasn’t been canceled by now, W Korea should abandon any plans to bring it back next year. It’s rumored that no entertainment agency in their right mind will allow their artists to attend future galas. They’re afraid of their talent getting hit with controversy because nobody believes this event is for charity. It just looks like an attempt to get a bunch of celebrities to come to a fancy party. W Korea’s reputation is in the trash and they have no one to blame but themselves.
