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Jay Park apologizes for singing song extolling female form at breast cancer awareness event

Published: 16 Oct. 2025, 19:02 Updated: 16 Oct. 2025, 20:25

Singer Jay Park attends a “Love Your W 2025” breast cancer awareness campaign event at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno District, central Seoul on Oct. 15. [NEWS]

Singer Jay Park apologized on Thursday after facing backlash following a performance of a song that praises women's bodies at a breast cancer awareness campaign.

“If any cancer patients were offended by my performance, I sincerely apologize,” Park wrote in an Instagram Story on Thursday.

W Korea, a fashion magazine, posted a video of Park's performance on its official Instagram account on Thursday. The footage was from the “Love Your W 2025” event held on Wednesday at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno District, central Seoul.

The event was organized by W Korea to raise awareness for breast cancer.

Park, who attended the event and performed unpaid while on crutches due to a leg injury, is being criticized for his choice of song.

The issue stemmed from his decision to sing “Mommae,” a track he released in 2015. The song contains sexually explicit lyrics — including lines like “I don’t know what our relationship is, but I’d like to be introduced to the twins hanging on your chest” (translated) — and is restricted on streaming platforms, requiring age verification to listen.

W Korea deleted the video within 20 minutes of posting it without explanation. The removal appeared to follow criticism that the lyrics were inappropriate for a breast cancer awareness event.

Singer Jay Park attends a “Love Your W 2025” breast cancer awareness campaign event at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno District, central Seoul on Oct. 15. [NEWS]

Online commenters expressed disapproval, writing, “Why are celebrities singing and laughing at a breast cancer awareness event?,” “The lyrics are insensitive to patients,” and “They should have donated the event budget instead.”

“After the formal breast cancer campaign event, I performed during the after-party for those who gathered with good intentions despite their busy schedules,” Park wrote in the Instagram story. “I understood the performance as something for those present and performed as I normally do.”

“To anyone undergoing cancer treatment who felt uncomfortable or offended by my performance, I sincerely apologize. I wish you good health,” Park added. “Though I was injured, I performed with a good heart, without payment. Please don’t twist that good intention.”

The 2025 edition marked the 20th year of the “Love Your W” campaign. The event drew a large number of celebrities, including BTS members RM, J-Hope and V; Stray Kids’ Bang Chan and Seungmin; Tomorrow X Together’s Soobin; aespa members Karina, Winter, Giselle and Ningning; and actors Ha Jung-woo, Lee Dong-hwi, Lee Min-ho, Lee Soo-hyuk, Lee Young-ae, Moon So-ri and Ko Hyun-jung.

The charity event has raised approximately 1 billion won ($705,430) over its two-decade run. However, the event also drew in criticism separate from Park's controversial performance for not displaying the iconic pink ribbon used in breast cancer awareness events around the world. W Korea's celebrity interviews were also criticized for concentrating on the personal lives of the participating celebrities instead of their thoughts on the disease or other health issues.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]