BTS member Suga (real name Min Yoon-ki) has turned his philanthropy into a lasting legacy with the opening of the “Min Yoon-ki Treatment Center” at Severance Hospital in Seoul, funded by his $3.6 million (5 billion won) donation.
The inauguration ceremony was held on Tuesday at the hospital in Sinchon, with Yonsei University President Dong-seop Yoon, Yonsei University Health System CEO Ki-chang Keum, and Korea Autism Society Chairman Yong-jik Kim in attendance. The center will be led by pediatric psychiatrist Prof. Geun-ah Cheon.
Suga made the donation in June to support children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), aiming to enhance treatment opportunities and foster their independence. His gift marks the largest-ever celebrity donation received by the Yonsei University Health System.
Equipped with language and behavioral therapy rooms as well as soundproofed spaces for music and group therapy, the facility also features an art exhibit by autistic artist Kyu-jae Lee in the family waiting area.
A highlight of the center will be “MIND” (Music, Interaction, Network, Diversity), a group therapy program co-developed by Suga and Prof. Cheon that incorporates music into treatment. The artist had already been volunteering alongside Prof. Cheon to provide music therapy for children with autism since last year.
(Courtesy of Severance Hospital)
In addition to music therapy, the center will provide comprehensive, personalized care from a team of psychiatrists, therapists and clinical psychologists. Plans include a children’s and youth camp in November for participants of the MIND program, followed by a performance at Yonsei University’s main auditorium in December.
Looking ahead, the center aims to expand its scope to art, sports and other creative activities, train specialists in related fields, and contribute to academic research and clinical practice.
By Byung-yeon Yoo
yooby@hankyung.com
