[Sportschosun, Reporter Lee Ji-hyun] Baek Ji-yeon, a former announcer and broadcaster, said that the greatest luxury in life is not money but "sharing and time," and shared a recent donation she made herself.
On the 15th, Baek Ji-yeon spoke about her philosophy on mindful spending and giving during a walk along Namsan on her YouTube channel. She said, "Something really nice happened a few days ago," and explained that she had donated to Asan Medical Center to support children with severe rare diseases.
Explaining what led her to donate, she said, "While raising my son, whenever a mother's love for her child felt overwhelming inside me, I would also think about what happens to sick children who do not receive that kind of love. So I always had the feeling that if I earned money, I wanted to use it for children."
Baek Ji-yeon also said, "It was a very large amount for me too. But I really wanted to do it," though she did not reveal the exact figure.
One of her biggest concerns before deciding to donate was the transparency of how the money would be used. She said, "Many people hesitate to donate because they hear that most of it goes to operating costs," adding, "I had that concern too, but Asan Medical Center explained in detail how the donation would be used."
She continued, "At first, I said I wanted to help children with cancer, but the hospital explained that because South Korea's National Health Insurance system is so well established, children with severe rare diseases actually need more help. They also told me that 100% of the donated money would go to patients who need it, and that later I could even be informed about which child received which treatment."
Baek Ji-yeon expressed her sincerity, saying, "If I hear that a sick child received good treatment with the money I earned through hard work, how happy would that make me? I think that is what truly makes you feel the value of money."
She added, "There are many people who want to donate but hesitate because they do not know where to give. I donated to Asan Medical Center, and I plan to look into other institutions myself as well. I think it is important to have a system that delivers support properly to those who truly need it."
Baek Ji-yeon also emphasized that spending money on meaningful causes brings greater happiness than buying luxury goods or spending to show off. She said, "I also need to replace my phone, but I prefer to use it until I can no longer do so," adding, "I want to save in those areas and become someone who can donate instead."
Finally, Baek Ji-yeon said, "The phrase 'value-based consumption' feels very important to me. In the end, it is about where I choose to place my values," and added, "There is no single right answer, but through this donation, I once again felt that spending money to save someone carries far greater meaning and happiness than spending it to show others."
Meanwhile, Baek Ji-yeon married in 1995 and has a son, Kang In-chan. Kang married Ji-soo Jung, the second daughter of Chung Mong-won, chairman of HL Group, in 2023.
olzllovely@sportschosun.com
