In October 2024, actress A arrived at a breast cancer awareness campaign. But she never set foot on the red carpet. (Indeed, no photo of A from last year's photo wall can be found.)

The reason she was barred from entering the photo wall? Stockings. She was reportedly denied entry because she wasn't wearing V-brand (the sponsor) stockings.

But what do stockings have to do with a breast cancer awareness campaign?

W Korea hosts its charity party with brand sponsorships. Luxury brands provide both cash and clothing under the name of donations. W Korea then dresses celebrities in these sponsored outfits and features them on the photo wall — a kind of reciprocation for the donation.

In A's case, she was assigned to wear a full outfit from brand V. However, there was an issue with the stocking size. She eventually appeared bare-legged, and W Korea refused to let her pose for full-body photos, citing that appearances without the brand's stockings were "not allowed."

(Actor B later posted a full-body photo of A on their personal social media, where her bare legs could be seen. Meanwhile, W Korea only uploaded cropped upper-body shots of A.)

A scene that could only happen in a Korean breast cancer campaign — and an event whose nature, whether a "breast cancer awareness" or "champagne party," remains unclear — has repeated itself yet again this year.

"The Pink Ribbon Has Disappeared"

"This campaign aims to raise awareness about the dangers of breast cancer and to support its prevention and treatment."

(Excerpt from W Korea's invitation letter)

W Korea launched its "Love Your W" breast cancer awareness campaign in 2006, advocating the importance of awareness and early detection.

They invited Korea's top celebrities — and laid out bottles of Moët & Chandon across the tables, surrounded by red roses to match the champagne. Any traces of actual breast cancer awareness were removed.

For instance, no pink ribbons were visible. The pink ribbon is the global symbol of breast cancer awareness, prominently used by related organizations and campaigns worldwide.

Overseas events never omit the color pink — pink carpets, pink walls, and pink dresses. Attendees wear small pink ribbons, and pink flowers adorn the tables.

"The best way to prevent cancer is not to drink alcohol at all."

(WHO, American Cancer Society)

Vice President Lee Hye-joo of W Korea reportedly oversaw this year's event. The connection between breast cancer awareness and Moët & Chandon remains a mystery. When asked why alcohol — a substance discouraged by cancer societies — was the centerpiece of the event, W Korea declined to comment.

Love Your M(oney)

Celebrities attended the event without any appearance fees, joining in the name of charity. They even paid for their own hair and makeup, and some covered styling costs personally.

W Korea, under the banner of "charity," invited stars for free — while collecting money from brands. Luxury fashion houses reportedly paid around 30 million won each, while jewelry brands donated about 5 million won.

According to Dispatch's findings, participating brands included Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Thom Browne, Cartier, Valentino, Burberry, Celine, Prada, Fendi, and more — totaling 29 brands.

W Korea is estimated to have collected nearly 1 billion won in donations. Additionally, the event featured product mentions from Dyson, Moët & Chandon, and Perfumer H, with promotional captions like "Powerful performance dryer" and "Champagne that completes the party."

However, Doosan Magazine, W Korea's publisher, has donated only around 1.1 billion won over the past 20 years — roughly 50 million won per year. While the company claims to have sponsored breast cancer screenings for about 500 individuals, the exact details of fund allocation remain undisclosed.

Enjoy Your P(arty)

W Korea encouraged celebrities to toast together — the clinking of champagne glasses became the perfect advertisement for alcohol. The brand's social media was filled with interviews and challenges that bore no relation to breast cancer awareness.

"What are your year-end plans?"

"How many times did you look in the mirror today?"

"What's the best part of being married?"

"How do you enjoy dinner?"

"Show us your three cutest poses!"

"What do you remember from age 20?"

aespa's Karina was even asked to participate in a challenge to the song Sugar on My Tongue. The sexually suggestive lyrics drew criticism as being completely inappropriate for a breast cancer campaign.

Agency officials sighed in frustration. "That wasn't part of any prior agreement," one manager said. "Managers weren't allowed inside the venue. W Korea just started requesting random interviews and challenges."

Dispatch confirmed this by reviewing internal event documents. The first half of the event explicitly stated "No staff accompaniment" at least four times. Most interviews and challenges were conducted during this period.

Each celebrity was allowed to bring only one staff member — usually a hair or makeup artist. Managers were left waiting in separate areas for more than six hours, unable to monitor what was happening inside.

Do You Know W?

Globally, breast cancer awareness events are typically marathons, forums, symposiums, or lectures. Party-type events exist too — such as the U.S. "Hot Pink Party," Australia's "Girls' Night In," and Korea's "W Korea" campaign.

The Hot Pink Party is hosted by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), with goals similar to W Korea's: research, prevention, and treatment.

However, BCRF always highlights the pink ribbon. Its website publicly discloses annual revenue, expenses, and donor lists. The May 2024 event raised about 15.8 billion won (USD 11.5 million).

In Korea, Estée Lauder also organizes breast cancer awareness events, decorating entire buildings in pink ribbons. The interior features hands-on zones and photo areas promoting early detection and self-examination.

Dispatch visited the scene. Estée Lauder, in partnership with the Korean Cancer Association, offered information booths explaining self-examination methods and quizzes about cancer awareness. Participants received pink ribbon pins and small gifts.

And W Korea's campaign?

Music blared with lyrics like:

"I wanna meet her now — your twin sisters on your chest,"

and choreography to I'm hot, my boob and booty is hot filled the stage.

There were no warnings about breast cancer prevention, nor messages of support for patients. W Korea merely attached the hashtag #BreastCancerAwarenessCampaign to its posts — mechanically, without meaning.