Rescene, fans raise 90 million won for flood-hit Geoje
Living up to its viral connection with the city, the girl group and its fandom raised 90 million won ($64,700) to help residents recover after record-breaking rains.
Girl group Rescene celebrates after taking first place on SBS Life music program “The Show” (2011–) at SBS Prism Tower in Mapo District, western Seoul, on July 14.
NEWS1
Girl group Rescene, whose member Woni hails from Geoje, South Gyeongsang, has stepped up to help the region recover from devastating torrential rains.
The group recently donated 50 million won ($36,000) to support recovery efforts and help victims of the heavy rains in Geoje return to their daily lives, according to Geoje city government on Wednesday. The money will be distributed to displaced residents as financial assistance.
The group’s fandom, Remine, has also rallied behind the cause. Fans reportedly raised 40 million won in just one day through a dedicated donation page set up by the Korea Disaster Relief Association for victims of the torrential rains in South Gyeongsang. The funds will help displaced residents get back on their feet.
Rescene already shares a special connection with Geoje.
“Geoje, yahoo!” Minami, the group’s Japanese member, shouted in a video uploaded to Woni’s YouTube channel in March when the two traveled to Geoje together. The phrase went on to become one of the biggest memes of the spring.
That connection became official in May, when the Geoje city government appointed Rescene as an honorary ambassador for the city. The group has since appeared in videos that promote Geoje’s tourist attractions and local content.
The donation comes after record-breaking torrential rains battered Geoje and other parts of South Gyeongsang’s southern coast over the Liberation Day holiday.
More than 900 millimeters (35.4 inches) of rain fell in Geoje from Saturday through Monday, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration, with the downpours causing casualties and property damage across the region.
The group debuted in March 2024 with EP “Re:Scene” and consists of five members: Zena, May, Liv, Minami and Woni.
BY JEONG HYE-JEONG [lee.jiwon10@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
