ENTERTAINMENT
Former AOA Member Kwon Mina Criticizes Breast Cancer Event Amid Personal Cancer Struggles
On October 19, Kwon Mina took to Instagram to share her personal connection to cancer, stating, "My father passed away from pancreatic cancer, and my sister has been living in fear for years due to breast cancer."
She elaborated on her sister's battle, saying, "It was discovered at stage 3, leading to major surgery and chemotherapy, which caused her to lose all her hair and gain weight due to side effects. The treatment costs were enormous. While pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to treat without a miracle, some people seem to think breast cancer is easily treatable if caught early. Watching my sister go through this has been incredibly difficult, heartbreaking, and sad."
Kwon Mina criticized the event, stating, "If they truly cared about breast cancer patients and their families, such a party would never have been held." She added, "While I appreciate the act of donating, regardless of the amount, the glamorous and fun-looking photos with the title of breast cancer made me uncomfortable and distressed."
She emphasized, "I may not have the right to say much, but cancer patients and their families are deeply hurt by even the smallest things. Please understand this."
The controversy arose after fashion magazine 'W Korea' hosted the '20th W Korea Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign Charity Event' on October 15 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul. The event was attended by renowned actors such as Lee Young-ae, Ha Jung-woo, Lee Min-ho, Go Hyun-jung, Im Soo-jung, Jung Ryeo-won, Park Eun-bin, Lee Chae-min, Jung Hae-in, Byun Woo-seok, and Dex. Idol groups like IVE, aespa, BTS members J-Hope, V, and RM, All Day Project, I-Lit, and Kiki were also present. However, the magazine's official social media only showcased videos of celebrities enjoying drinks and partying, rather than highlighting the voices of breast cancer patients or survivors, which drew criticism from netizens.
In response, the magazine issued an apology on October 19 via a pop-up on their official website. The apology stated, "The event on October 15 was criticized for not aligning with the campaign's purpose in terms of its composition and execution. We take this criticism seriously."
It continued, "We deeply apologize for not considering the perspectives of breast cancer patients and their families, causing discomfort and hurt. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to those who participated with good intentions and shared the campaign's purpose."
Kwon Mina debuted in 2012 with AOA, releasing hit songs like 'Heart Attack,' 'Bingle Bangle,' 'Like a Cat,' and 'Short Skirt,' propelling the group to popularity. However, in 2020, Kwon Mina claimed she was bullied within the group, leading to internal conflict and the eventual disbandment of AOA.
Afterward, Kwon Mina worked as a consultation manager at a dermatology clinic she opened in March but announced her resignation after five months.
