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BTS fans join Suga in funding autism treatment center for children

June 25, 2025

Following BTS member Suga’s donation of 5 billion won (US$3.62 million) to help build a treatment center for children with autism, fans around the world have responded with an outpouring of support, hospital officials said Tuesday.

Severance Hospital in Seoul announced that public donations for the planned Min Yoon-gi Treatment Center exceeded 200 million won as of 9 a.m., just one day after news of Suga’s donation was made public.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the facility named after Suga’s real name, Min Yoon-gi was held Monday at the hospital.

BTS' Suga (L) poses with Keum Ki-chang, chief of the Yonsei University Health System, in this undated photo provided by the Severance Hospital in Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
BTS’ Suga (L) poses with Keum Ki-chang, chief of the Yonsei University Health System, in this undated photo provided by the Severance Hospital in Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The new facility, set to open in September, will offer mental health care and therapy for young people with autism spectrum disorder. The center will provide language, psychological and behavioral therapy, and run programs that combine clinical treatment and research.

In addition to his donation, Suga has collaborated with Cheon Keun-ah, a child psychiatry expert at Severance Hospital, to create a music-based therapy program designed to help children with autism develop social skills since last November.

He also volunteered on weekends from March to this month, engaging with autistic children through music activities.

Following the announcement, the external cooperation office of the Yonsei University Health System, which operates the hospital, was flooded with inquiries from BTS fans, known as ARMY, as well as members of the public wanting to participate.

In response, the office added a “Min Yoon-gi Treatment Center” option to its official donation page. Donations surpassed 100 million won within 6 1/2 hours, reaching 200 million won by Tuesday morning.

International ARMY members have also shown strong interest in supporting the initiative on social media. Hospital officials anticipate that total donations will rise significantly once international bank transfer options become available.