IU Celebrates 30th Birthday By Donating KRW250 Million To Multiple Charities; Total Donations Now Exceed KRW 4.3 Billion

South Korean superstar IU celebrated her 30th birthday by giving back to communities that cater to single-parent families, underprivileged children and the elderly.

The "Bbibbi" hitmaker reportedly donated a total of KRW 250 million ($186,231) to multiple charities under the pseudonym "IUaena," which is a combination of her stage name and her fandom's named called Uaena, according to AllKpop.

IU donated to four organizations, including the Heart to Heart Foundation — a charity that supports children and families suffering from "poverty, disabilities and diseases" — where she donated KRW 100 million ($74,683).

She also donated KRW 50 million ($37,341) each to the Happiness Foundation, the Korean Unwed Mothers' Families Association (KUMFA) and the Korean Foundation for Support of the Senior Citizen in Need.

The singer — whose real name is Lee Ji-Eun — has become one of the most successful solo artists in South Korea, having an estimated net worth of $15 million.

But most of her fortune has been used in her philanthropic journey, as she has consistently donated to several causes throughout her career. Her total donations have reached over KRW 4.3 billion ($3.2 million) as of last year, per AllKpop.

IU made her first donation in 2011, generously donating all the proceeds from her first fan meeting, which also marked the 1,004th day since she debuted with the single "Lost Child" in September 2008.

In 2019, the singer-actress became part of Forbes Asia's "Heroes of Philanthropy" list at age 26, making her the youngest person to achieve such a feat. At the time, it was recorded that she donated a total of KRW 900 million (then-$800,000) to various causes a year prior.

That year, she donated to Gangwon Province to aid relief efforts of victims affected by the massive forest fire that left 4,200 people homeless, as well as the Seoul Association of the Deaf and Childcare Korea.

Forbes noted that IU had made annual donations between KRW 300 million ($224,001) to KRW 500 million ($373,335) over the years.

The "Hotel De Luna" star seemingly had a tradition of donating to charitable organizations on her birthday, May 16. Last year, she also contributed a total of KRW 200 million ($164,240) to the Snail of Love, the Korean Unwed Mothers' Families Association, Eden I Ville and Changinwon.

Currently, IU is gearing up for her new South Korean drama, "You Have Done Well," where she will portray the rebellious Ae-soon alongside "Record Of Youth" star Park Bo-Gum as Gwan-sik. The drama is set on Jeju Island sometime in the 1950s, and its story will be told by a present-day narrator.