Korean-American rapper and producer Jay Park has apologised for performing a sexually explicit song during a breast cancer awareness event in Seoul that led to severe public criticism.
The performance marked W Korea magazine’s Love Your W 2025 gala on 15 October at the Four Seasons Hotel. The annual campaign, launched by the magazine in 2006, marked its 20th anniversary this year, and was intended to promote early detection and treatment of breast cancer.
Born in Edmonds, Washington, Park first rose to fame as the leader of the K-pop boy band 2PM before launching a solo career and founding the record labels AOMG and H1GHR Music in Seoul.
Pictures and videos circulating online showed guests dancing and drinking and Park performing his 2015 hit “Mommae”.
“I don’t know what our relationship is but I’d like to be introduced to the twins hanging on your chest,” the lyrics of the song go.
The guests included some of South Korea and K-pop’s most recognisable figures such as BTS members V and RM, Karina from aespa, and several members of the girl group IVE.
On social media, fans and breast cancer survivors called out Park for his “tone deaf” performance, saying the song was entirely inappropriate for a campaign intended to honour breast cancer survivors.
“Why in the world would you have Jay Park singing Mommae at an event for breast cancer awareness,” one person asked on X.
“The least W Korea could’ve done is brought in speakers or briefly mentioned donating to the cause, or when interviewing idols asked them something about it. ‘Cause literally they had the whole industry there and it could’ve done so much good. Also having Jay Park there is a choice,” said another.
wouldn't be an issue if w korea made such a fancy party but they branded it as "breast cancer awareness" event. When it comes to breast cancer, u shouldn't play around with it. IT'S THE LEADING CAUSE OF CANCER DEATH IN WOMEN WORLDWIDE. Damn, W korea, so performative.
— Nirina Ai (@yooniebyeol) October 16, 2025
3. no pink ribbon in sight. no pink outfits. nothing. there is nothing being shown to bring AWARENESS to breast cancer. they could've had a dress code for celebrities to wear pink or smth. but no, all black or white dresses, and just pure mockery of the cause.
— gunwookie pookie (@bloominghaesoo) October 16, 2025
Another wrote: “I am a breast cancer patient. Did my illness become something for you to party over, drink and laugh about?”
Some noted that none of the participants wore pink ribbons, the global symbol of breast cancer awareness and prevention, and that the event’s tone was more of a fashion or entertainment party than a charity fundraiser.
In a post on Instagram, Park said he apologised “if any cancer patients were offended by my performance”.
“To anyone undergoing cancer treatment who felt uncomfortable or offended by my performance, I sincerely apologize. I wish you good health,” Park said. “Though I was injured, I performed with a good heart, without payment. Please don’t twist that good intention.”
Park showed up to the party in crutches and videos showed him holding his crutch while performing.
W Korea deleted the posts on their social media channels shortly after criticism began to come in.
On 19 October, W Korea apologised for the event, writing in Korean on Instagram: “We deeply apologise for failing to carefully consider the perspective of breast cancer patients and their families, and for causing discomfort and distress.”
They added that they would “thoroughly review every stage of event planning and execution going forward”.
The magazine also faced scrutiny over how much money its campaign had actually raised. According to opposition lawmaker Lee Soo Jin of the Democratic Party who obtained official documents from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, W Korea gave a total of 315.69m won (£164,819) to the Korea Breast Cancer Foundation between 2007 and 2025, reported Korea Joongang Daily.
In response, W Korea said those figures did not include corporate donations made directly to the foundation through their participation in the campaign.
The magazine said that, taking those contributions into account, the total amount raised between 2006 and 2024 stood at 960m won (£501,210), with an additional 150m won (£78,314) expected to be donated this year, bringing the cumulative total to 1.1bn won (£574,303) over 20 years.
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