Former national soccer team star–turned–entertainer Ahn Jung-hwan has shared why he donates all of his YouTube earnings to charity.
Recently, tvN variety show 'You Quiz on the Block' released a pre-air clip featuring Ahn, where he opened up about the reason behind his ongoing donations. “From the very start, I wanted my channel to be a way to give back — to share what I have with kids,” he said, adding, “As I kept going, I felt a stronger urge to help those in even tougher situations.”
Ahn’s YouTube channel, 'Ahn Jung-hwan 19', has accumulated approximately 436 million KRW in donations over the past five years. The funds have been used to support various causes, including low-income grandparent-led families, children from multicultural households, youth soccer scholarships, and university soccer development programs.
He also explained why many of his donations focus on young soccer players. “Soccer is a sport that can be costly, and there are many kids in difficult circumstances,” he shared. “I didn’t grow up with much either, so I wanted to help.” He added, “It started small, but little by little, it brought us this far.”
Ahn acknowledged that the process has not been easy. “Given today’s tough economy, it took a long time to reach our goals,” he said. “We’re still working toward a 500 million KRW donation target,” he added, asking for continued support.
Ahn Jung-hwan debuted in 1998 with the Busan Daewoo Royals (now Busan IPark) and was a key figure in South Korea’s semifinal run at the 2002 Korea–Japan FIFA World Cup. He later played in multiple countries, including Italy, Japan, France, Germany, and China, before transitioning into broadcasting and appearing on various entertainment programs.