#SHOWBIZ: Actor Park Seo-joon's donation provides life-saving surgery for boy with brain tumour
SEOUL: South Korean actor Park Seo-joon recently shared a heartwarming story on his Instagram Story, revealing how his donation helped a young boy receive life-saving surgery for a brain tumour.
The 36-year-old K-drama star posted a photo of a handwritten letter from the boy's family, expressing their gratitude for his support, which enabled their son to undergo a successful stem-cell transplant.
In their letter, the family recounted their devastation upon learning of the boy's brain tumor diagnosis in January of last year.
"Terms like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, along with the overwhelming treatment costs, left us feeling helpless both mentally and financially," they wrote.
"We are now beginning to feel hopeful, having completed his first stem-cell surgery."
The family shared that their son was astonished to learn that a celebrity had sponsored his surgery.
"Our child expressed his desire to meet you in person after his recovery and hopes to become famous so that he, too, can help others," the family wrote.
"For the first time in a long while, it brought a smile to our faces."
Park, known for his roles in popular dramas such as 'What's Wrong With Secretary Kim' (2018), 'Itaewon Class' (2020), and 'Gyeongseong Creature' (2023-2024), also made his Hollywood debut in the 2023 film 'The Marvels.'
Expressing their deep appreciation, the family added, "Mr. Park's invaluable support has given our family hope and courage. We aspire, along with our child, to become a family that extends help to others."
In response, Park shared the letter on his Instagram, reiterating his commitment to "live well" and expressing his hope to meet the boy after his recovery.
He also shared a separate letter from Samsung Medical Centre, confirming that a patient had recently been able to undergo surgery thanks to his donation.
This act of generosity is not an isolated incident for Park Seo-joon.
In 2020, he donated 100 million won (RM302,600) to aid victims of floods in South Korea, and in 2023, he donated the same amount to earthquake relief efforts in Turkey and Syria.
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