In a strong testomony to music’s therapeutic potential and the rising impression of celebrity-led philanthropy, BTS member Suga has donated 5 billion received (roughly $3.62 million USD) to ascertain a remedy heart for kids with autism spectrum dysfunction (ASD) in South Korea. The donation, made in partnership with Seoul’s Severance Hospital, stands as probably the most important particular person superstar contributions to youngsters’s psychological well being care within the nation.
The “Min Yoon-gi Remedy Heart,” named after Suga’s beginning identify, held its official groundbreaking ceremony earlier this week. Slated to open in September 2025, the power will provide a complete vary of therapeutic companies—together with language, psychological, and behavioral remedies—particularly tailor-made to younger sufferers with autism. What distinguishes the middle is its pioneering integration of music into remedy, a technique co-developed over the previous seven months by Suga and Dr. Cheon Keun-ah, a number one pediatric psychiatrist at Severance Hospital.
Hospital officers praised Suga’s energetic involvement within the challenge, emphasizing that his contribution prolonged far past financial assist. Since November of final 12 months, the artist has labored intently with Dr. Cheon to co-develop “MIND” — an acronym for Music, Interplay, Community, and Range — a brand new remedy mannequin that leverages musical components to reinforce communication and social interplay in youngsters with ASD.
Throughout his obligatory navy service, which he accomplished on June 21, Suga served within the social welfare sector and used his off-duty time to volunteer on the hospital. From March via early June, he usually visited the power on weekends, performed music periods with youngsters—usually taking part in the guitar and main rhythm workout routines to assist them specific themselves and join with others. Medical employees concerned in this system famous noticeable progress within the youngsters’s emotional and social responsiveness over time.
Reflecting on the expertise and his motivation for the initiative, Suga shared, “I realised that music generally is a highly effective method to specific emotions and talk with the world. It made me joyful to be a part of the remedy course of for kids with autism. I’ll preserve working in order that extra youngsters can dwell as members of society.”
The announcement of Suga’s donation was met with an outpouring of public assist. Inside simply 24 hours of the information going public, followers world wide—often called BTS ARMY—mobilized to boost an extra 200 million received (roughly $145,000 USD) in assist of the middle. Severance Hospital confirmed the surge in donations after including a devoted choice for the “Min Yoon-gi Remedy Heart” on its official web site. The response was so overwhelming that the hospital has since made the donation web page a everlasting fixture and is now working to allow international contributions via worldwide transfers.
Suga’s initiative is being hailed as a landmark instance of how artists can harness their affect to foster significant, long-term social change. By championing youngsters’s psychological well being and introducing an progressive remedy mannequin that fuses medical care with musical expression, the BTS star has not solely contributed in constructing important infrastructure but in addition reshaped public discourse round autism care in South Korea.
The Min Yoon-gi Remedy Heart is poised to develop into a number one establishment in autism remedy, mixing medical analysis and personalised care with a artistic, compassionate contact. It’s a legacy rooted not simply in generosity, however in imaginative and prescient, empathy, and the enduring energy of music.
What do you consider Suga’s highly effective gesture and his function in shaping psychological well being care via music? Share your ideas with us on X @CelebMix! For extra updates in your favourite artists, music-led initiatives, popular culture tales, and film information—keep tuned to CelebMix.