BTS’s J-Hope Steps Up: Donates $100,000 to Families Affected by Tragic Plane Crash

BTS member J-Hope has generously donated 100 million won (approximately $68,000) to assist the families of those affected by the tragic Jeju Air plane crash.

On Thursday, the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association confirmed that J-Hope had contributed the funds to support the victims of the Jeju Air disaster.

J-Hope commented, “Upon hearing the news of this tragedy, I decided to donate to support the grieving families. My deepest condolences and sympathy go out to the victims’ families, as well as to everyone impacted by this incident.”

A native of Gwangju, J-Hope is well-known for his philanthropic efforts, including donations to his hometown’s Gwangju North District for two consecutive years through the Gwangju Hometown Love Donation initiative. The town of Muan, where the crash occurred, is located near his hometown, and it is reported that most of the victims were from the Gwangju and South Jeolla areas.

In addition to his charitable contributions, J-Hope is a member of the Hope Bridge Honors Club, a group of high-value donors. He also participated in flood relief donations in 2023.

Shin Hoon, the Secretary-General of Hope Bridge, expressed gratitude for J-Hope’s contribution, saying, “We are deeply thankful for J-Hope’s heartfelt donation for the bereaved families. We will ensure that his generous funds are delivered to the families in full.”

The tragic accident occurred on Sunday when a Jeju Air flight, which had departed from Bangkok, Thailand, attempted an emergency landing at Muan International Airport. The plane crashed through the airport’s outer wall and collided with a mound housing military defense facilities, resulting in an explosion.

Out of the 181 people on board, 179 tragically lost their lives. According to authorities in South Jeolla Province, when the victims were categorized by their place of residence, it was revealed that 81 were from Gwangju and 76 were from South Jeolla, totaling 157 victims from the local area.

The remaining victims were from Jeonbuk (6), Gyeonggi (4), Seoul (3), Jeju (2), and one each from Gyeongnam, Chungnam, and Thailand. Although two of the victims were Thai nationals, one was classified as a South Jeolla resident because they had a registered address in Naju.