Shin Min-a and Kim Woo-bin’s Donations Exceed 5 Billion Won as She Shares Why She Gives

On “You Quiz on the Block,” Shin Min-a reflected on years of charitable support, the letters that keep her going and her decision to help people whose needs receive less attention.

For Shin Min-a, the meaning of a donation sometimes arrives much later, in a letter from someone it helped. Appearing on tvN’s “You Quiz on the Block” on October 28, the actress explained how those messages have deepened her commitment to giving, as the program highlighted that her combined charitable contributions with husband Kim Woo-bin have exceeded 5 billion won.

The appearance brought renewed attention to a previously reported figure of 3.7 billion won in Shin’s donations over a 15-year period, alongside the couple’s broader history of support. But her account focused on the decisions behind that record: why she initially preferred to donate privately, how she chose causes and what made the work increasingly meaningful.

Why Shin Min-a Initially Kept Her Donations Private

Shin explained that when she first began donating, she believed good deeds should be done quietly, which led her to keep her contributions out of the spotlight. As she continued, however, occasional letters from recipients gave her a more personal understanding of what that support could mean in someone else’s life.

Receiving those messages made the experience feel precious and worthwhile, she said, describing the sense of fulfillment that came with knowing her help had reached people who needed it. She also expressed hope that sharing her experience could encourage others to give, allowing something she once regarded as private to have an influence beyond her own contributions.

Her explanation offered a personal perspective on the headline figures, connecting years of donations to the people and stories behind them.

Choosing Causes Where Support Was Harder to Find

Support for burn patients became an important part of Shin’s charitable work after she attended an event connected to their care. Explaining her approach, she said she wanted to direct her donations toward areas with less assistance, particularly those that had not received sufficient government support.

That decision is reflected in a documented relationship with the Hallym Burn Foundation. In January 2025, the foundation said Shin had donated 1 billion won through annual contributions beginning in 2015, helping 201 burn patients receive treatment. Those figures provide a concrete example of the sustained support she discussed on the program.

Her involvement has also extended beyond financial contributions. According to the foundation’s announcement, reported by Yonhap News Agency, Shin has sent handwritten letters and gifts to children receiving treatment at Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital, including presents ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday in January 2025.

A Wedding Milestone Accompanied by Another Donation

Shin and Kim continued their charitable giving around their wedding in December 2025. Their agency, AM Entertainment, announced at the time that the couple had donated a combined 300 million won to several organizations, including the Hallym Burn Foundation, Asan Medical Center and Good Friends.

The pair married on December 20, 2025, after a decade of publicly acknowledged dating. The wedding donation connected a major personal milestone with causes they had supported, adding another chapter to the giving highlighted during Shin’s television appearance.

On “You Quiz,” Shin’s reflections returned to the value of that continuing relationship with recipients. The letters she receives have given her reasons to feel proud of the work and to keep contributing, while her preference for less-supported causes explains how she decides where her help might be most needed.

Editor’s Note: The combined total of more than 5 billion won refers to Shin Min-a and Kim Woo-bin’s cumulative charitable contributions, rather than a single new donation. Separately documented milestones include the Hallym Burn Foundation’s January 2025 announcement of Shin’s 1 billion won in contributions since 2015 and AM Entertainment’s December 2025 announcement of the couple’s 300 million won donation. These earlier figures provide background and should not be added again to the reported cumulative total.