K-pop Icon Marks Birthday with ₩200M Donation, Surpassing ₩500M in Charitable Giving This Year

K-pop singer and actress IU celebrated her birthday on May 16 by giving back in a big way. According to her agency, EDAM Entertainment, IU donated 200 million KRW under the name of her fan community, “IUAENA,” in honor of her special day.

The donation will be distributed across four charitable organizations—Hope Pebble, Korea Child Protection and Welfare Agency, Happy Giver, and Warm Companion—with each receiving 50 million KRW. The funds will be used to support low-income households and elderly individuals living alone, assist youths transitioning to independent living after leaving care facilities, cover living, medical, and education expenses for single-parent families, and expand welfare infrastructure and provide assistive technologies for people with disabilities.

IU has made it a tradition to donate on meaningful dates, including her birthday, debut anniversary, and during year-end holidays — always under the name “IUAENA,” a combination of her stage name and her fanbase “UAENA.”

Earlier this year, IU donated 200 million KRW to aid wildfire recovery in Korea’s Gyeongsang region and to improve working conditions for firefighters. She also donated 150 million KRW on Children’s Day in May to support underprivileged youth. With this birthday donation, her charitable contributions for 2025 alone now exceed 500 million KRW.

Meanwhile, IU is gearing up to release ‘Kkot-Galpi 3’, her first remake album in eight years, on May 27. She is also currently preparing for her next acting role in the upcoming K-drama 'The 21st Century Grand Prince's Wife.'

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