The Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association announced on September 8 that professional League of Legends player Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon has donated ₩20 million (approximately $14,400) to aid residents of Gangneung City suffering from an ongoing drought. According to the sources, the funds will be used to help secure daily water supplies for the region, which has been struggling under prolonged dry conditions.

This is far from Chovy’s first act of generosity. Over the years, he has consistently contributed to disaster relief efforts: supporting victims of floods and typhoons in 2023, donating to the bereaved families of the Jeju Air crash earlier this year, and aiding wildfire victims in Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam, and Ulsan.

Chovy gives back

With this latest donation, his total contributions to Hope Bridge have reached ₩70 million (around $50,400). “I continue to donate because I want to give back, even if just a little,” Chovy said. “I hope this can provide some comfort to those going through difficult times.”

Chovy doesn’t often boast about it, but he has been a philanthropist for several years now. He admitted long ago: “I am extremely lucky to be where I am right now, with a lot of good things going on in my life, and that’s why I wanted to give back to the community.” Since 2020, he has contributed approximately $292,700 USD in donations.

*All amounts above are converted from KRW to USD. Only confirmed donations are listed here, so this may not represent a complete record.

Hope Bridge's reaction

Kim Hee-yoon, head of fundraising at Hope Bridge, expressed gratitude, saying: “We deeply appreciate Chovy’s generosity toward neighbors suffering from the severe drought. We will ensure that his donation is used to directly support the affected residents.”

Hope Bridge has already distributed emergency water supplies to Gangneung in partnership with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, including over 20,000 half-liter bottles, nearly 30,000 two-liter bottles, and more than 430,000 bottles donated by local companies such as OB Beer.

Gen.G's midlaner is not the only LCK player who has helped those in need in recent years. A few months ago, Mun “Oner” Hyeon-jun also contributed ₩20 million to wildfire recovery efforts through the same association. Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok is likewise well known for his charitable giving. During the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, he donated ₩30 million (about $25,000), and more recently, he gave ₩50 million to support victims of the same wildfires that Oner aided.

Donations to support drought relief efforts can be made through the online platform Kakao Together and the Hope Bridge website. Founded in 1961 by national media outlets and civic groups, the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association is the only legally authorized organization in Korea dedicated to raising and distributing funds for victims of natural disasters.