South Korean singer Lee Ji-Eun (IU) donates US$160,000 to charities to praise her 29th birthday celebration

South Korean singer and actress Lee Ji-Eun (IU), also called IU, celebrated her 29th birthday celebration on Monday (May 16) by making donations totaling 210 million won (US$164,240) to a range of charitable associations.

Lee Ji-Eun’s office EDAM Entertainment shared a tweet to receipts for donations made to The Snail of Love, Korean Unwed Mothers’ Families Association, Eden I Ville, and social welfare organization Changinwon under the name “IUAENA”, which consolidates her stage name with that of her fandom.

In the tweet, the agency shared a message in Korean from the Hotel Del Luna star: “Birthdays come every year, but we want to spread the warmth this year as well with UAENA. We hope that this May can be a cozy one for all those pushing forward underneath the warm spring sunshine as well as those taking a brief break in the shade. And of course, to our UAENA who are celebrating with happy hearts more than anyone else, thank you always!”

With this round of donations, Lee Ji-Eun proceeded with a tradition she had begun since making her professional debut in 2008 of adding to different associations on her birthday and other special events and holidays like Christmas.

Other than funding surgeries and treatment for youth with hearing impedances, Lee Ji-Eun’s donations this year will go towards supporting single-mother households, baby foster care, and social rehabilitation programs. In earlier years, she had made donations to associations supporting children with cancer and rare diseases, foster programs, and people with disabilities.

Lee Ji-Eun will next be found in the film Broker, close by actors Song Kang-ho (Parasite) and Bae Doona (The Silent Sea), scheduled for release on Jun 8 after its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.