SHINee's Onew fans donate money for well in Cambodia for K-pop star's birthday

Onew of boy band SHINee [SM ENTERTAINMENT]

Japanese fans of boy band SHINee's member Onew donated money to build a well in Cambodia to celebrate his birthday, which falls on Dec. 14.

The donation was made in August, through the nongovernmental organization World Share, in hopes that the construction of the well would be completed by Onew's birthday, though construction is still ongoing.

The donation to build the well was made by a group of 120 fans from Japan as part of the “So Amazing Onew’s BD Project JP.” The group has been donating wells for Onew’s birthday since 2017.

This year’s well was built in an elementary school in Cambodia and will be used by students and residents nearby to provide drinking water, World Share said. The well is expected to be completed later this month.

"Onew and SHINee have continued to work hard and show their best to their fans ever since their debut in Korea 15 years ago and in Japan 11 years ago, making us proud,” a fan who participated in the donation was quoted to have said in a press release.

“We are truly grateful for the trust and companionship between the artist and the fans. We wanted to repay the immense strength and happiness we have received by giving to a region in need, hoping that our love for Onew can become hope for others."

World Share is an international relief NGO that manages children's group homes, facilitates one-on-one child sponsorships abroad, improves access to clean water, provides emergency relief and dispatches overseas volunteer groups to nearly 30 countries worldwide.

To find out more about Onew and SHINee, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY LEE CHAE-MIN [lee.chaemin1@joongang.co.kr]