His approach was simple but effective.
Recently, child psychiatrist Cheon Keun Ah shared a heartwarming story of BTS‘s Suga and his interaction with a child with autism under the MIND program.
After Suga’s discharge from his alternative service, it was revealed that throughout the spring, he had volunteered at Seoul’s Severance Hospital, working with children with autism. He donated ₩5.00 billion KRW (about $3.66 million USD) to the hospital tos support the establishment of a new treatment center for the children. In November last year, he also met Dr. Cheon, a leading child psychiatrist at the hospital. Their collaboration led to the creation of the “MIND” program— standing for Music, Interaction, Network, Diversity— which involved providing music therapy to children with autism to help them build social and emotional skills.
In a recent YouTube video, Dr. Cheon shared a particular incident that left a lasting impression. She recalled a particular student, a teenager, who was upset about not being able to play any of the instruments.
Among the children who participated in the MIND program, there was a teenager with autism spectrum disorder whom I had been treating for over 10 years, ever since their kindergarten years. This child didn’t know how to play any instruments, and in the early stages of the program, they were quiet and often expressionless. One day, while the other children were playing their instruments, the child murmured with a gloomy look, ‘I don’t know how to play any instruments…’
— Dr. Cheon Keun Ah
At that very moment, Suga approached the kid and consoled them, saying, “Your voice is an instrument too. Looks like you just have to sing then.”
Dr. Cheon recounted how the child “smiled brightly at his words and started singing out really loud.” She added, “Everyone was so shocked and moved!”
Suga’s words had such a deeply positive impact on the child that they even went home and told their mother, “Mom! Teacher Min said my voice is an instrument. I’m going to sing now!” The mother shared this story during the next session with tears in her eyes.
This story has left ARMYs utterly moved, with many praising his exceptional sensibility and tenderness while dealing with a sensitive situation.
I’m not crying – you are 🫵🏽
What a relief that must have been for this child –
1. To be told you do have a musical skill
2. To find a way to be included
3. To “fit in” with others in the programThey must have felt such anxiety and put so much pressure on themselves + https://t.co/AN6jc104lx
— Ms. A⁷ (rest/slow)🐳🍉 (@nomadnoor) June 28, 2025
enough to make a grown woman cry https://t.co/2TDkmW6HiL pic.twitter.com/ouEZngL69z
— liv (@verstappns) June 28, 2025
Yoongi’s words didn’t just comfort , they gave that child a new way to see himself. A voice. A place. A reason to shine. That’s the kind of soul he is. He truly is an angel 🥹 https://t.co/5F0oKwN5tG
— 𝘈𝘧𝘙𝘰𝘳𝘔𝘦𝘠𝘷𝘦𝘳 ✨ ⟭⟬ᴱ ᴬᴿᴱ ᴮ⟬⟭ᶜᴷ (@Ar_my_fo_rever) June 28, 2025
my god my god. as someone who works with autistic kids, this just made my heart cry. these tiny humans deserve exactly this type of love and understanding from the world. i am so proud to be a yoongi fan, gonna hug my kids a little more on monday https://t.co/Wi5oeB0q1m
— nana (@doeykoo) June 28, 2025
