aespa's NingNing Donation Funds Seoul Heat Wave Aid for Elderly Residents

A donation from aespa member NingNing will help elderly and low-income residents in Seoul get through this summer's heat wave. The Korean Red Cross Seoul Chapter announced on July 15 that it will run a heat wave relief program for seniors living alone and other vulnerable groups, backed by NingNing's contribution.

The program totals about 27 million won, including the 20 million won NingNing donated. It will support 600 households enrolled in the Seoul Chapter's "Warmth Sharing, Door to Door" outreach initiative, which pairs volunteers with vulnerable residents across the city.

Each household will receive a neck cooler to help bring down body temperature, along with three types of ready-to-eat Korean restorative meals: samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), galbitang (beef short rib soup), and doganitang (beef knee cartilage soup). The items will be delivered in two rounds this month.

Korean Red Cross volunteers will visit each home in person to hand over the supplies and check on residents' health and living conditions.

"We will make sure the donor's intention is carried out with care," said Park Myung-sook, chair of the Seoul Metropolitan Volunteer Council.

NingNing made the donation after appearing on the YouTube variety show "Salon Drip" (Charin Geon Jwipeuldo Eopjiman), released in May, where she played a word chain game with host Lee Young-ji. NingNing won the bet but still chose to donate 20 million won to the Korean Red Cross on her own.