K-idols IU, Jennie donate money to charitable causes
South Korean idol IU turned 31 on May 16, and she continued her tradition of making donations to charities to mark her birthday.
The singer-actress, whose real name is Lee Ji-eun, donated 200 million won (S$199,000) to four causes under the name of IUAENA, a combination of her stage name and her official fan club, Uaena.
Her agency, Edam Entertainment, shared the news on Instagram on May 16, with IU thanking her fans for their unwavering support.
South Korean portal K-Entertainment News reported that IU donated 50 million won each to Korea Welfare Association; Love Snail, an organisation that aids children with hearing disabilities; Korea Unwed Mothers Families Association; and an organisation for shared housing for children and adolescents.
IU regularly contributes to charitable causes. She recently donated 100 million won to the Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation on Children’s Day in South Korea, which falls on May 5.
News platform Korea JoongAng Daily reported on Jan 5 about her 10 million won contribution to help underprivileged households get heating for the winter.
IU is on a hiatus from her H.E.R.E.H. world tour, which will continue in Hong Kong on May 25.
Meanwhile, Blackpink’s Jennie donated 100 million won in the name of Blinks, the fandom of Blackpink, to non-profit organisation Habitat For Humanity Korea on May 16.
According to South Korean news outlet Newsen, the 28-year-old singer’s contribution will be used for the construction of the Rodemnamu International Alternative School. The institution, located in the city of Anseong in South Korea’s Gyeonggi province, will house and educate Koryoin (ethnic Koreans from post-Soviet states) teenagers.
In the sponsorship certificate obtained by Newsen, Habitat thanked Jennie and Blinks for their “valuable contribution. Habitat Korea will remember the warm hearts of our sponsors for a long time”.
Like her three other Blackpink members Jisoo, Lisa and Rose, Jennie is pursuing her solo career, under her own label Odd Atelier.
She recently collaborated with South Korean musician Zico for Spot!, which debuted on April 26 at No. 1 on Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart.