BTS¡¯ Suga to establish Min Yoongi Treatment Centre for autism care with Severance Hospital, pledges $3.6M for patients with ASD

It¡¯s not every day that BTS¡¯ Suga, born Min Yoongi, makes headlines¡ªbut when he does, it¡¯s often for a meaningful cause. The rapper and producer of the world-renowned K-pop group is currently trending across K-pop Twitter (now X) after news broke of his partnership with Severance Hospital to launch the Min Yoongi Treatment Centre. The initiative aims to support treatment and promote the social independence of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The announcement was made on June 23, just two days after Suga officially completed his mandatory military service as a public service worker. Severance Hospital held a groundbreaking ceremony for the centre and shared the news publicly, along with two photos of Suga¡ªpresumably taken at the event¡ªposing with hospital officials. Notably, this was also his first public appearance since his DUI controversy.

According to reports published by Korean media outlets on Naver, the centre is set to offer a wide range of services, including language, psychological, and behavioural therapies, with a focus on linking clinical care with research.

Suga's collaboration with Severance Hospital and his offer to donate 5 billion KRW

His collaboration with Severance Hospital began last November when he first met Professor Chun Geun Ah of the Department of Paediatrics, a leading expert in paediatric psychiatry. Through a series of conversations, Suga learnt about the urgent need for long-term, tailored care for individuals with ASD, something rarely addressed through current short-term interventions. He ultimately agreed with Professor Chun that a dedicated treatment centre was necessary and expressed his intention to donate 5 billion KRW (approximately 3,621,718 USD) for its establishment. This marks the largest donation ever made by an artist, not just to Severance Children¡¯s Hospital but to the entire Yonsei Medical Centre.

The birth of the MIND programme

In collaboration with Professor Chun, Suga helped develop the MIND programme, a social skills group therapy programme that integrates music into traditional treatment. The name ¡®MIND¡¯ stands for Music, Interaction, Network, and Diversity, reflecting its core goals: enhancing sensory experiences through music, encouraging social communication, building supportive networks, and fostering a society that embraces individual differences.

Children in the programme engage in music-based activities like singing, writing lyrics, playing instruments, and expressing their feelings through creative exercises. From March to June this year, Suga actively participated in weekend sessions with children with ASD. He even played guitar alongside them, guiding them to explore rhythm, harmony, and emotion. At times, he personally taught them how to play instruments, becoming directly involved in shaping the program¡¯s structure and impact.

BTS' Suga with Severance Hospital officials| Credit: Naver

Expanding treatment and research at the Min Yoongi Centre

Once construction is completed in September, the Min Yoongi Treatment Centre will formally open its doors and expand its offerings. In addition to the MIND program, the centre will provide social skills training for individuals with developmental disabilities, along with established therapies like Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) and speech therapy. Plans are also in place to promote clinical research, academic presentations, and the publication of programme manuals to objectively document and evaluate the effectiveness of MIND.

Professor Chun praised Suga¡¯s involvement, saying, ¡°Beyond financial support, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the sincere talent donation and volunteer work that Suga has shown over the past several months. I have been deeply impressed by his consistent sincerity and intellectual attitude.¡± She added that the ultimate goal is to help children with autism spectrum disorder grow into confident, independent members of society¡ªand to reduce the stigma surrounding ASD through increased awareness.

Suga on the power of music and meaningful change

Reflecting on his experience, Suga shared, ¡°Through the programme preparation and volunteer work with Professor Chun Geun-ah over the past seven months, I¡¯ve deeply felt that music can be a valuable channel for expressing emotions and communicating with the world.¡± He continued, ¡°I am very grateful and happy that I was able to participate in the treatment process for children with autism spectrum disorder, and I will continue to work hard so that more children can become members of our society.¡±

As fans celebrate his return from service, this initiative further cements Suga¡¯s role not only as a global artist but also as someone deeply committed to making a difference through music, compassion, and community.

Suga's long-standing commitment to mental health and youth

Even during his years promoting with BTS, Suga has consistently shown a deep interest in social cause, especially mental health, depression among youth, and behavioural issues. He has quietly supported various charitable efforts over the years and has often used his platform and music to advocate for awareness and understanding of mental health struggles.

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