K-actor Lee Seung-gi donates $2.1m to children’s hospital in Seoul
SEOUL – South Korean singer-actor Lee Seung-gi has donated two billion won (S$2.1 million) to a children’s hospital on Thursday after receiving part of the monies owed to him by his former agency.
In an Instagram post on Thursday, the 35-year-old wrote in Korean: “I wanted to spend the money more meaningfully since it was returned to me. I visited the site and saw the harsh reality with my own eyes.”
He visited Seoul National University Children’s Hospital and saw up to 14 people, including seven children and their guardians, in one hospital room.
“I donated two billion won a while ago and I am on my way back now,” he wrote. “I hope it will be some comfort for the young patients and their families, as I sincerely hope they can overcome their illnesses in a better environment and return to their daily lives.”
According to the South Korean media, part of the hospital’s wing may be named after him in recognition of his donation.
Lee nullified his contract with his then agency Hook Entertainment after it was revealed in November that he had not received any payments from it for the digital downloads and streams of his songs, despite releasing 137 songs since his debut in 2004.
The agency paid Lee 5.4 billion won on Dec 16 in an attempt to settle their dispute. Lee said later on social media that he would use the money – minus legal fees – for charity.
He also learnt later that the agency has been withholding part of his advertisement modelling fees. He sued the executives of his former agency last week for alleged fraud and embezzlement.
Lee is now with Human Made, the one-man agency he set up in mid-2021.
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