Latest news with #SeveranceHospital
Indian Express
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
BTS' Suga's students didn't know he was a star: ‘He always arrived early, read my 500-page textbook, wasn't just a donor,' says hospital's professor
BTS' Suga wasn't just a donor for Severance Hospital. Unlike the other six BTS members, the rapper (Min Yoongi) served in the public sector during his military duty due to an old shoulder injury. In a recent YouTube video, Professor Cheon Keun Ah from the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry shared how Suga didn't just show up to tick a box or fix his DUI image. He came in prepared, had read her 500-page research paper, asked sharp, professional-level questions, and brought real intent to be involved. His sincerity didn't just impress, it convinced the whole team to create MIND: Music, Interaction, Network, Diversity. Also read: BTS' Suga mobilises global ARMY to raise over 200 million won in 24 hours with one quiet, heartfelt gesture According to the professor, before putting any financial donation on the table, Suga first wanted to see if music could actually change the lives of the autistic kids he was hoping to help. And for that, he offered his musical talent first. 'The sessions use music to help children build social and emotional skills through instruments, singing, and writing,' she said. Suga showed up every single weekend —ten sessions, 90 minutes each. 'He never missed a session, showed up before everyone else to practice, he tried hard to meet the kids at their level. His joy was visible, and we were all moved by his sincerity,' Cheon added. 'He wasn't a guest. He was one of us.' None of the children had a clue who he really was, to them, he was just a kind man who played music and made them laugh, she said. 'Thanks to Suga, the children were able to experience the harmony of words and music.' The centre in development is already being seen as a game-changer for autism treatment in Korea. Cheon said it had been her dream project for years, but it only became real when the BTS member got involved. 'His joy was visible,' she repeated. 'He truly cared.' Also read: BTS' Suga hit with TV ban petition over 'dangerous influence' after DUI case The professor recalled how the Daechwita crooner first approached her in November 2024 — about three months after his DUI, which caused a dent in his career and put him under global scrutiny. 'He came to meet me and showed a deep interest in child and adolescent mental health and autism,' she said, adding, 'He had read large portions of a 500-page textbook I wrote, and his questions were sharp and insightful.' He didn't want his name slapped on a plaque. He wanted to actually help. That's how the therapy program took shape. Before returning to his music career, the rapper told her he wanted to stay involved for as long as he could. Suga later donated a staggering ₩5 billion (around $3.6 million) to establish the Min Yoongi Treatment Centre, a special facility set to open this September. As soon as news of Suga broke in public, BTS fans across the globe stepped in to help. Within just a few hours, ARMY raised more than ₩200 million (around $145,000) to support the facility. The numbers are still growing, and hospital staff are overwhelmed with the love and support they are garnering from around the globe. So many donations poured in that the hospital's parent institution, Yonsei University Health System, added a permanent donation button for the Min Yoongi Centre on their website. Suga earlier said that he realised how powerful music can be when used the right way, not just to entertain, but to heal. 'It made me happy to be part of the treatment process for children with autism,' he said. 'I want to keep working so that more kids can live as full members of society.'
Indian Express
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
BTS' Suga mobilises global ARMY to raise over 200 million won in 24 hours with one quiet, heartfelt gesture
BTS' Suga aka Min Yoongi, had been quietly working on a special project for the last seven months without public knowledge. The K-pop member, who recently completed his public service and is now preparing for a major musical comeback, reportedly donated 5 billion won (around $3.6 million) to Severance Hospital in Seoul. The donation is to build a treatment centre for children with autism. K-pop media outlets reported that the Daechwita crooner didn't just donate the sum, he was also directly involved in the project, having worked with doctors, visited kids, and funded a special music-based therapy program. As soon as the news broke, thousands of fans across the globe flooded the donation centre with generous contributions. Also read: Every BTS member's brand power ranked after military discharge; Jimin, Jungkook lead June K-pop reputation index According to Korea JoongAng Daily, on Tuesday around 9 a.m., public donations for the Autism Centre had crossed 200 million won, approximately $145,000 USD, just hours after Suga's contribution was made public, Severance Hospital said in a statement. (Within just six hours, donations topped 100 million won.) The revelation came during the facility's groundbreaking ceremony, and at the time of writing, donations continue to pour in. The new centre, named the Min Yoongi Treatment Centre and currently under construction, is expected to open in September 2025. It will include dedicated facilities for children's mental health care, offering therapy for language, behaviour, and emotional development. Another wing of the department will focus on combining clinical treatment with academic research. On social media, Korean netizens helped translate the donation instructions into multiple languages and shared them to let people from around the world contribute. In response to the overwhelming support, Yonsei University Health System (which manages the hospital) even added a permanent donation section on their website for the Min Yoongi Centre. Also read: BTS is home: But why ARMY's energy just isn't the same anymore; analysing 5 factors For the project, Suga partnered with Dr. Chun Geun A, a top child psychiatrist at Severance Hospital, and together they came up with the idea of MIND (short for Music, Interaction, Network, Diversity). The initiative will let autistic kids use music as a way to express their emotions and connect better with others. During his military service in the public welfare sector, Suga spent weekends at the hospital. It was reported that the singer often spent a lot of time in the hospital playing guitar for the kids, volunteering, and doctors noticed real improvements in how the kids communicated. Earlier, the rapper had said, 'I realised that music can be a powerful way to express feelings and communicate with the world. It made me happy to be part of the treatment process for children with autism. I'll keep working so more children can live as full members of society.' The centre is now shaping up to become one of South Korea's most progressive facilities for autism therapy.
Pink Villa
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
BTS ARMY raises 200 million KRW in one day, adds to SUGA's 5 billion KRW generosity for Min Yoongi Treatment Center
On June 23, 2025, it was revealed that BTS member SUGA (Min Yoongi) donated 5 billion KRW to Severance Hospital. It's to establish a treatment center for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Following the announcement, public interest in supporting the project has increased. The hospital confirmed a surge in donations from both fans and the general public. According to Severance Hospital, by 9 a.m. KST on June 24, donations to the Min Yoongi Treatment Center had surpassed 200 million KRW. This came just a day after SUGA 's contribution was made public. Project details Severance Hospital held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new treatment center on June 23 at Jejungwan, a building located on the hospital's main campus. The Min Yoongi Treatment Center is being developed as a dedicated facility focused on diagnosis, early intervention, and ongoing treatment for children with ASD. It's scheduled to open in September 2025. In addition to providing financial support, SUGA was directly involved in the development of a specialized therapeutic program. Over approximately seven months, he worked with Professor Chun Geun Ah, a pediatric expert at Severance Hospital. He co-creates the MIND program (Music, Interaction, Network, and Diversity), which incorporates music into the treatment process. The artist also visited the hospital to meet with children with autism. He aimed to understand how the program might improve their interactions and daily routines. Public donations and fan participation Following the announcement of SUGA 's donation, Yonsei Medical Center, which oversees Severance Hospital, reported a rapid increase in inquiries from individuals interested in contributing. The External Cooperation Office of the center received numerous calls and emails shortly after the news broke. To manage the response, the hospital updated its official donation page by adding a dedicated section for the Min Yoongi Treatment Center. According to the hospital, this update was made on the afternoon of June 23. And within six hours and thirty minutes, contributions exceeded 100 million KRW. By the following morning, the total had risen to over 200 million KRW. A large number of donations were driven by BTS fans, known as ARMY, who shared information about the donation process on social media. Several posts appeared online where users translated the donation instructions into multiple languages and circulated links to the official hospital page. The hospital also stated that the Min Yoongi Treatment Center would now remain listed in the permanent donation section on its official site. This change was made to accommodate future contributions.
India Today
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
BTS SUGA donates 5 billion won to autism project after military discharge
Just a few days after getting discharged from social service work, BTS member SUGA, also known as Min Yoongi, has pledged five billion won (approx Rs 31.26 crore) to an autism hospital in South to Korea Joongang Daily, SUGA has donated to Severance Hospital to establish the Min Yoon-gi Centre. This marks the largest single donation by any K-pop idol to a hospital is known for showing a keen interest in supporting autistic children and teenagers, especially in preventing depression and how music might aid their process, the newspaper reported. According to the hospital, the 'Daechwita' singer also took part in developing a music therapy program by attending sessions on weekends from March to June this year during his leave from the social work service. According to reports, SUGA said, 'While I was preparing the program with Prof Cheon Keun-ah and doing volunteer work, I learned how music can become a pathway for communication and self-expression. It has been such a pleasure and privilege to join the journey of supporting autistic children.'The Min Yoon-gi Centre is designed to aid the MIND program, music, interaction, networking, and diversity. It aims to provide language, psychiatric, and behavioural support, therapy, and various programs for autistic individuals. The rapper has donated funds to support long-term treatment programs for over 10 Min Yoon-gi Centre will be located at Severance Hospital's Sinchon branch. Its completion is expected in September this who began his social service in December 2023, officially wrapped up his duties last week. Shortly after his discharge, he shared a heartfelt message with fans on Weverse. 'I've spent the past 2 years thinking deeply about myself. I also felt the need to take a step back, especially from the work I'd been doing for so long and distance myself (and look at it),' the note read.- EndMust Watch
Al Bawaba
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
BTS member Suga donated $3.6M to Autism center named in his honor in Seoul
ALBAWABA - BTS star Suga donates millions to support autism care center. By giving 5 billion won (about US $3.62 million) to Seoul's Severance Hospital to assist the construction of a new treatment facility for kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), BTS member Suga has made a historic gift to autism care in South Korea. On Friday, the hospital declared the opening of the "Min Yoon-gi Treatment Center," which is named after Suga's given name. The institution, which is scheduled to open in September, will provide long-term, individualized mental health services, such as behavioral, psychological, and linguistic treatment. Additionally, it will conduct integrated programs that combine research and therapeutic therapy. Even when actively performing with BTS, Suga has continuously shown a strong dedication to mental health problems, according to Severance Hospital officials. He has made charitable contributions and demonstrated a keen interest in supporting young people dealing with behavioral problems and depression, even while performing with BTS. In an official statement, the hospital stated, "He has investigated how to use his music to make a positive difference." To learn more about the requirements of kids with autism, he visited with Dr. Cheon Keun-ah, a top child psychiatry specialist at Severance, in November of last year. A new program called "MIND" (Music, Interaction, Network, Diversity) was developed as a result of this partnership. It uses music therapy to help autistic kids develop their social and emotional abilities. Suga worked as a weekend volunteer at the hospital during the spring, interacting with kids in the MIND program. He led kids in using music as a means of communication and emotional expression, taught them rhythmic exercises, and played the guitar. Suga of BTS has partnered with Severance Hospital to establish the Min Yoongi Treatment Center. He plans to donate 5 billion won ($3.6 million USD) to the center, which will support the treatment and social independence of children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
