It was revealed just recently that Yoo Ah In has been making donations for children with leukemia. Sports Korea reported on October 13 that Yoo Ah In sponsored a surgery operation of a 7-year-old with leukemia, who needed marrow transplant. The 7-year-old is currently recuperating.
This information came from an official in the Korean Leukemia Foundation for Children. According to the official, Yoo Ah In has sponsored two other children as well.
The foundation told Newsen on October 14, “Mr. Yoo Ah In wrote to us last May, that he donated 50% of his Studio Concrete Charity Bazaar profit to the pediatric cancer patients. [Read the Studio Concrete Charity Bazaar reports here, here and here]. We decided to support three leukemia patients. One of them had received a bone marrow cell transplantation last September. The remaining two children will be treated soon as well.”
The official added, “Mr. Yoo Ah In has been making personal contribution for children with leukemia, and this is the first time since 2010 his fans from DC Inside Yoo Ah In Gallery also sponsor the fund on behalf of Yoo Ah In’s name. It is quite difficult to get help for this children so that we are very grateful for this contribution.” Official also stated, “We cannot make further statement as this is the privacy rights of patients who were sponsored by Yoo Ah In.”
This is not the first time Yoo Ah In contributed for the children. He has made his charitable donation to Children’s Leukemia Foundation several times before. He has been consistently concerned about the underprivileged children. Since 2010, Yoo Ah In has been actively participating in child cares activities. He campaigned the “Child Care” for schools, and opposed the government’s plan on cutting the spending of school’s lunch program. In January 2013 and 2015, he quietly donated 77 million and 100 million Won for children through The Beautiful Foundation as well. In 2013 alone, his campaign to encourage citizens’ participation led to the 350 million Won donations.
In 2014, Studio Concrete launched The Supporting Business for Youth Cultural Activities for the underprivileged students and to support arts education programs for youth. Yoo Ah In quoted as saying, “One of our great artistic orientations is having a Studio Concrete Foundation which operates as a non-profit business. It will start with a small fund to run a variety of public art projects and improve economic conditions under the Underprivileged Children and Youth Arts Education Support Project.”
Not only that, Yoo Ah In is reported to participate in two Korea’s charitable events this month. One is the biggest charitable events in Korea called WeAJa Charity Flea Market. The other one is the K Love Cultural And Art Online Auction.
The 11th annual WeAJa charity flea market will kick off Sunday, 18th October, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Seoul, Busan, Daejeon and Jeonju, North Jeolla. At the event, which draws more than three million people each year, attendees can trade goods, bid for items donated by celebrities and enjoy entertainment on the sidelines.
Donors this year include retired figure skating star Kim Yuna, the national MC Yoo Jae Suk, the hottest Chungmuro actor Yoo Ah In, Girls’ Generation member Seo Hyun, National Assembly Speaker Chung Ui Hwa, GS Caltex Vice Chairman Huh Jin Soo, and Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju Yeol.
The country’s largest day-long flea market has raised over 1.2 billion ($1 million) won in previous years, with all proceeds going to help underprivileged children. This year’s market is expected to be the largest ever, following a steady increase in participation from domestic companies, local authorities, celebrities and other civic organizations. Last year, approximately 175,400 items were put up for sale.
Donations by high-profile public figures will be sold at auction, while other items – donated by companies, nonprofit organizations and individuals – will be sold at a fixed price. The event also features other services and entertainment, including musical performances, free health consultations, quizzes and crafts. Programs differ by host city.
The flea market will be held simultaneously in Gwanghwamun Square, central Seoul; in front of the Pororo Library in Busan Citizens Park; at Borame Park in Daejeon; and at the plaza in front of the Jeollabuk-do Provincial Government Office in Jeonju.
Yoo Ah In, who appears in the recent blockbusters Veteran and The Throne, donated a personally designed shirt 1 TO 10 Series.
The national MC Yoo Jae Suk put up for sale his gray backpack, which he wore on a trip to Brazil while shooting the MBC variety show Infinite Challenge World Cup episode.
Former figure skater Kim Yuna donated a porcelain bowl adorned with her own initials and autograph, a gift from renowned Korean potter Jo So-su.
Golfer Chun In Gee, who won the Japan Women’s Open Golf Championship earlier this month, donated a golf bag she used during her tour, adding that it held great significance for her because it helped her seize the winner’s title and take eighth place in the women’s world golf rankings.
Yang Seung Tae, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, donated two landscape paintings purchased from a store in Croatia.
GS Caltex Vice Chairman Huh Jin Soo sent in two high-end neckties and a limited edition pen from Montblanc.
Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju Yeol donated a folding pan that bears the four gracious plants, also known as the Four Gentlemen or the Four Noble Ones in Chinese art: the orchid, the bamboo, the chrysanthemum and the plum blossom.
Seoul’s Roman Catholic Archbishop Andrew Yeom Soo Jung gave away an engraving featuring Jesus Christ that had been hanging in his room for the past 19 years. The piece, “My God, My God,” was named after a text from Matthew 27:46: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” and was given to him as a gift in 1996.
WeAJa initially launched in 2005 to celebrate the anniversary of the establishment of the JoongAng Media Network, the parent company of the Korea JoongAng Daily. Over the past decade, WeAJa has collected more than 1.2 billion won, with proceeds going to a philanthropic project called We Start.
WeAJa Start was spurred in part by the JoongAng Ilbo in 2004 when the media company shed light on the plight of underprivileged children in a heart-wrenching series of articles. The news served as an informal call to action, and about 50 private organizations convened to lay the groundwork for the founding of the initiative.
WeAJa Start operates We Start Villages, multipurpose care facilities in areas with more than 200 children in low-income brackets. The villages provide family counseling, psychological and physical checkups, after-school study programs and nurseries, as well as additional services. So far, they have supported more than 67,000 children.
For more information, visit weaja.joins.com or call 02-2115-7331 for the Seoul flea market; 051-867-8701~2 for Busan; 042-486-9008 for Daejeon; or 063-255-5044 for Jeonju.
In addition to the biggest charitable flea market, Yoo Ah In’s self-designed t-shirt by Studio Concrete, 1 To 10 Series, will be exhibited in the K Love Cultural and Art online auction.
The K Love Cultural And Art Auction will be held from Oct 18 to 27 through online auction. Yoo Ah In donates his self-designed t-shirts with the total of ₩ 150,000 auction value. All the tees have been autographed by himself.
Around 230 popular artists donated their stuff worth 400 million won to the auction, including Ju Won, Song Il Gook and his triplets Daehan – Minguk – Manse, Tablo and his daughter Haru, Park Shin Hye, Gong Hyo Jin, Gong Yoo, Bangtan Boys, and many more. The deadline for bidding submissions is 27th Oct. All the sales proceeds will be going to help the low-income families through the Children support organizations.
Some K-netizens give positive responds on Yoo Ah In’s charity news with comments below~
[+920, -46] This is really Yoo Ah In’s Year
[+778, -57] Yoo Ah In and Ju Won nailed the Conceptual Actor title as well as the proper acting
[+764, -44] Yoo Ah In is not pretentious, he doesn’t baffle at all. I love reading his interviews
So proud of YOO, angle Sik! :D
Source: Naver1, Naver2 Nate, Joongang Daily, soompi