RM (real name Kim Nam-joon), leader of the global K-pop group BTS, has once again marked his birthday with a meaningful gesture by donating 100 million won ($71,973) to both Korea University Medical Center (KUMC) and Asan Medical Center (AMC).
KUMC said RM’s donation will be used to improve the clinical environment and expand medical services. AMC noted that the funds will be directed toward covering treatment and surgery costs for financially disadvantaged patients.
RM has consistently practiced philanthropy on his birthday, Sept. 12, making annual contributions across different fields.
Last year, he donated 100 million won to a veterans’ fund, while in 2023 he gave to the Korean Society for Legal Medicine.
In 2021 and 2022, he contributed to the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation to support the preservation and restoration of cultural assets abroad. His acts of giving have inspired the BTS fandom, known as ARMY, to carry out charitable activities worldwide.
“I decided to donate with the hope that a small but warm ray of hope can reach patients in need,” RM said. “It is meaningful to take part, even in a small way, in advancing medicine and upholding the value of respecting life.”
Yoon Eul-sik, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, Korea University President & CEO of Korea University Medicine, expressed gratitude, saying, “RM’s warm heart, shown in his effort to make the world a better place, will give patients great strength in regaining their health.”
The hospital will cherish the value of this contribution and strive to grow into a more trusted medical institution, Yoon added.
AMC also thanked RM, emphasizing that his donation will directly support patients who are struggling to access essential care due to economic hardship.