Seoul women raise $56,000 for charity
Participants in “Shanghai Nights,” a charity event hosted by the Seoul International Women’s Association, try their luck in blackjack at the Grand Hilton Hotel, Seoul, Saturday. A GM Daewoo Gentra X and other auction items were donated for the event. By Jeong Chi-ho
The casino games, played to raise charity money from the Seoul International Women’s Association, provided a rare chance for Koreans like Song to “gamble” without leaving the country.
There are 17 casinos authorized by the government in Korea, but locals are permitted into only one, located in Jeongseon, Gangwon.
The event was interesting, said Song, who attended the annual event for the first time.
“Everybody putting money down knows that it is not about personal gain, but it’s really to donate for the benefit for others,” Song said.
The casino action was part of “Shanghai Nights,” an event which also featured an auction and live entertainment. Many participants donned traditional Chinese dress at the Grand Hilton Hotel in Hongeun-dong.
SIWA, the oldest and largest international women’s group in Korea, was founded in 1962. It has held the charity event since 2005.
Event rules stipulated that winners at the casino use their chips only for payment on the auction items. The money paid for the auctioned items is then donated to multiple Korean charities.
This year around 350 people, about 80 percent of them non-Koreans, attended the goodwill party, raising around 51 million won ($56,044) in donations, according to Kim Hye-jin, vice president of the organization. The group also plans to hold a charity bazaar this Sunday in the same venue in cooperation with the diplomatic community in Korea.
For Shanghai Nights, dozens of companies and individuals donated auction items, ranging from an automobile and hotel accommodations to round-trip plane tickets, artwork and cosmetics.
Choi Woo-shik, a manager at CJ, attended as a representative of his company, which donated 3 million won worth of red ginseng.
“The concept of the event is a bit new to Koreans, but it’s obviously for a good purpose,” Choi said, “and the atmosphere is enjoyable.”
Most of the items were sold at a silent auction, where bidders write down the amount they are willing to pay within limits. But some of pricey items, including a Gentra X, a four-wheel sedan produced by GM Daewoo, found new owners during the live auction.
“Lots of people were raising their hands, and I got that last lucky bid in,” said Tom Hochhausler, an accounting adviser at Deloitte Anjin, who won the the car for 10 million won.
The retail value of the car was 11.7 million won, and Hochhausler called it a good deal.
“Giving all this money to charity is very worthwhile,” he said.
Brenda McMorrow, a Canadian singer and songwriter, performed during the event. McMorrow, currently traveling in Asia, said she was honored to be involved.
By Moon Gwang-lip Staff Writer [joe@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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