16-Year-Old Author Baek Eunbyul Donates 100 Million Won to Community Chest of Korea, Becomes Youngest Major Donor in Seoul

From the left, Kim Byungho, CEO of Barun Books Publishing, Park Junghui, CEO of OK Safety Industrial (Ulsan Honor Society), Shin Hyeyoung, Secretary General of Seoul Community Chest of Korea, donor Baek Eunbyul, and Baek Eunbyul's maternal grandmother and mother are taking a commemorative photo. Community Chest of Korea

The Community Chest of Korea (Chairman Kim Byungjun) announced on July 18 that Baek Eunbyul, a 16-year-old bestselling youth author, has joined the "Honor Society," a group for major donors who contribute or pledge over 100 million won. With this, Baek Eunbyul has become the youngest member of the Seoul branch of the Community Chest of Korea.

The induction ceremony was held the previous day at the "Hall of Fame" in the Community Chest of Korea building in Jung-gu. Baek Eunbyul, her family, and officials from the Seoul Community Chest of Korea attended the ceremony to offer their congratulations. The 100 million won pledged by Baek Eunbyul will be used through the Seoul Community Chest of Korea to support marginalized neighbors in society.

Baek Eunbyul began her writing career with her debut work "Sihanbu," which she published in her second year of middle school. Portraying depression and confusion from a youth’s perspective, the book received a passionate response, ranking number one in the youth bestseller category for 20 consecutive weeks immediately after its release. Since then, she has continued to establish herself as a youth author with steady work, including "Growing Pains," "As Long As I Remember," and "Yunseul's Sea."

In particular, her recent work "Yunseul's Sea" is a romance fantasy novel that tells the story of first love and personal growth among teenagers in a society that does not accept differences. The book ranked 39th on Kyobo Bookstore’s overall bestseller list in the second week of July, drawing attention from readers of all generations beyond just youth literature.

Baek Eunbyul said, "I believe that writing stories that inspire peers like me to dream of becoming writers, and that offer comfort and empathy to those who are struggling, is a way to make the world a better place. I decided to donate as a way to give back the love I have received from my readers to society."

The "Honor Society" is a group for individual major donors operated by the Community Chest of Korea. Individuals who have donated or pledged at least 100 million won are eligible to join. Leaders from various sectors of society are leading the culture of giving in Korea by practicing noblesse oblige through voluntary donations. Currently, there are 3,709 active members.