Singer SEAN Shares Inspiring Journey of Giving on 'Point of Omniscient Interfere'

South Korean singer SEAN graced the latest episode of MBC's 'Point of Omniscient Interfere' (JeonChamsi), sharing profound insights into his life dedicated to philanthropy and good deeds. The episode resonated deeply with viewers, highlighting his remarkable contributions.

During the broadcast, host Jun Hyun-moo introduced SEAN, noting his cumulative donations exceeding 6.5 billion KRW (approximately $5 million USD). He humorously recalled SEAN's past as a hip-hop artist from the duo Jinusean, before the era of idols like BLACKPINK and BIGBANG. Fellow guests Hong Hyun-hee and Han Ji-eun reminisced about Jinusean's iconic hit 'Tell Me,' with Han Ji-eun sharing a personal anecdote about attending one of SEAN's fan sign events, revealing her long-standing admiration.

SEAN revealed that his and his wife, actress Jung Hye-young's, personal donations total 6.5 billion KRW. He detailed their ongoing projects, including the construction of a children's hospital valued at 44 billion KRW and a housing initiative for independence patriots. He explained that their charitable journey began 20 years ago, inspired by their marriage, saving 10,000 KRW daily to donate 3.65 million KRW annually. This small habit grew exponentially, and he shared that even their children's first birthday celebrations involved donating 20 million KRW to hospitals, instilling the value of giving from a young age.

To raise awareness for the children's rehabilitation hospital, SEAN undertook an arduous 430km solo bicycle journey from Busan to Seoul. More recently, he spearheaded the '815 Marathon' to fund housing for independence patriots, an initiative joined by notable figures like Park Bo-gum, NewJeans' Danielle, and actress Yoon Se-ah. SEAN's commitment was deeply touched by the gratitude of the first recipient, Mrs. Kim Geum-soon, motivating him to aim for building 100 homes.

Furthermore, SEAN has been instrumental in the construction of a rehabilitation hospital for ALS patients, having led the Ice Bucket Challenge three times in Korea. He acknowledged the initial skepticism and rigid perception of charity in South Korea, which presented challenges. Despite the hospital facing annual deficits of 2-3 billion KRW, SEAN expressed optimism, appealing for ongoing support through monthly donations from 1,000 churches, 10,000 individuals, and foundation events, aiming to secure approximately 3 billion KRW in donations.

SEAN, born in 1976, debuted in 1997 as part of the hip-hop duo Jinusean, achieving significant success in the Korean music scene. He is widely recognized as Korea's 'angel of donations' for his continuous philanthropic efforts. His wife, actress Jung Hye-young, actively participates alongside him in various charitable activities.