Jo Hyun Jae

CarpeDiem (CAFE), fan club of Jo Hyun-Jae who is currently serving in the Korean army, has donated 5 million Korean won (approximately US$4,500) to help Ethiopian soldiers who took part in the Korean War 60 years ago.  Ethiopia was the only African country which participated in the Korean War.

Because Jo Hyun-Jae is now serving in the military, members of CarpeDiem came up with the idea of contributing after Defense Daily reported on January 14 about the rare disease descendants of six Ethiopian soldiers are suffering. 

CarpeDiem’s Master said: “Jo Hyun-Jae’s fan cafe is not just an ordinary fan club.  We hope to spread love and warmth to the whole world.  We do not just pursue good looks.  We develop to nurture and assist in shaping an artist’s mature image.”

She went on to say: “Ethiopia is in a state of near-starvation.  As the only African country to send troops [in the Korean War], we owe them a debt.  This is our small way of repaying the 60-year-old favour.  If we could elicit a response from 47 million people to support this effort, it would be great.”

CarpeDiem was established in 2001 and still has 40,000 active members, even though Corporal Jo Hyun-Jae is now serving as an army dog soldier in the Army’s 2nd Battalion Support Command.

(Editor’s Note: This is not the first time CAFE has engaged in charitable/social work.  In 2004 on JHJ’s birthday they donated blood; they also participated in a charity drive for leukemia patients and other community services over the years.)