ENTERTAINMENT
Former Rhythmic Gymnast Son Yeon-jae Donates $1 Million to Hospital on Son's Second Birthday
According to Son Yeon-jae's agency, The Seed Company, on the 27th, Son recently donated 1 billion KRW (approximately $1 million) to Severance Hospital to mark her son's second birthday.
Through her agency, Son expressed, "I wanted to make this meaningful day even more special," and hoped that her donation would provide some support to patients and their families.
Son Yeon-jae has consistently shown her affection for children. In a past interview, she mentioned, "Teaching young friends has made me more interested," and added, "Having a child of my own made this a meaningful endeavor, so I plan to continue donating." She also explained that her experience with childbirth made her realize the need for more support in obstetrics and gynecology.
In addition to this donation, Son Yeon-jae has been actively involved in charitable activities. She donated 50 million KRW (approximately $50,000) from her wedding gifts in 2022, and has donated 1 billion KRW each for her son's birth in 2024 and his first birthday last year.
Previously, Son faced criticism from some netizens after uploading a video celebrating her third wedding anniversary on her YouTube channel, where she was seen adorned in luxury brand items from accessories to clothing. She also sparked controversy by showcasing a hotel cake priced at 380,000 KRW (approximately $380) during Christmas.
Son Yeon-jae married a non-celebrity financial professional, nine years her senior, in 2022 and gave birth to a son in February 2024. In November 2023, it was revealed that she and her husband jointly purchased a standalone house in Itaewon, Seoul, for 7.2 billion KRW (approximately $7.2 million), drawing public attention. After retiring, Son has been running a rhythmic gymnastics academy, focusing on nurturing athletes. She has also recently started a YouTube channel to engage with her audience.
Son Yeon-jae's non-celebrity husband is known to be the CEO of Ulysses Capital, a family office based in Los Angeles, USA. The company reportedly managed over 2 trillion KRW (approximately $2 billion) in assets with proprietary accounts as of the first quarter of 2021, operating as a global hedge fund.
Reporter: Da-yeon Jeong, Ten Asia light@tenasia.co.kr
