K-pop Group Supports Education Initiatives for Marginalized Students

Courtesy of Pledis Entertainment

K-pop boy group Seventeen has collaborated with the Korean National Commission for UNESCO to establish two community learning centers in East Timor, aiming to provide education for marginalized students.

Part of the #Going Together campaign launched in August 2022, the initiative promotes the importance of education and encourages participation in diverse educational activities.

The learning centers, located in Oecusse and Manatuto, opened their doors in April, offering various classes including computers, sewing, Korean, and English to approximately 300 underprivileged students each year.
 

▲ Seventeen / Courtesy of Pledis EntertainmentSeventeen's agency, Pledis Entertainment, stated on Tuesday that the centers were built with donations made from the #Going Together campaign.

As part of the campaign, Seventeen recently donated parts of its world tour profits and proceeds from its newly created font, "BongBongee," to fund education in Malawi, Africa.

In November, members Seungkwan, Jun, Woozi, Mingyu, Joshua, and Vernon delivered a speech at a special session of the 13th UNESCO Youth Forum in Paris, advocating for improved educational infrastructure in least developed countries.

Seventeen debuted in 2015 with the extended play "17 Carat" and has released hits such as "Very Nice" (2016) and "Don't Wanna Cry" (2017).

Their latest album, "17 IS RIGHT HERE," released in April, sold over 2.9 million copies in the first week and debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart.

After concerts in Incheon and Seoul, Seventeen is preparing for upcoming performances in Japan as part of their "SEVENTEEN TOUR 'FOLLOW' AGAIN," at Yanmar Stadium Nagai in Osaka on Saturday and Sunday, followed by shows at Nissan Stadium in Kanagawa on May 25 and 26.

Sayart 

Blue YIM, yimyoungseo1010@naver.com