The March issue of “InStyle” magazine featured Sooyoung for a photoshoot and briefly covered Sooyoung’s father’s work for the Korea Retinitis Pigmentosa Society, or the KRPS. The KRPS is a charity organization which works to provide retinitis pigmentosa patients with updated medical information, to console patients, and to encourage patients to fight the disease and slow its progression.
Girls’ Generation’s Sooyoung, who went from the member of a top girl group and is preparing for another takeoff as the MC of an entertainment program. “Seeing” holds a special meaning for her. While she is a celebrity who captures the eyes of the general public, at the same time, she is related to a family member who suffers a retina disease.
Korea Retinitis Pigmentosa Society — “My dad’s eyes are really bad. Like comedian Lee Dongwoo, he’s suffering from a retina disease. The ‘Korea Retinitis Pigmentosa Society’ is a group that helps and gives hope to those who are in danger of blindness. I wasn’t able to take part very much because of my schedules, but through this charity pictorial, I want to at least help by dad, the head of the campaign, a little.”
Light of hope— “Retinitis pigmentosa is a rare disease that is caused by a genetic abnormality. There isn’t any particular treatment method, so you slowly lose your eyesight without being able to receive any treatment. I heard that overseas, they have been doing lots of stem cell research and clinical demonstrations. This type of movement is insignificant in Korea. If it’s difficult trying to come up with methods of treatment immediately now, I think it would be good to at least provide information through consistent seminars and give patients a little hope that they can be cured.”
The difference between sympathy and consideration— “Help only driven by the desire to help could make things hard for the visually impaired. In order to lead the way, rather than holding their hand and pulling them along, just quietly offer them your arm. The initial symptoms for retinitis pigmentosa is ‘night blindness’, so it helps a lot if you shine a cell phone light. Careful consideration of brightening the lights a little for a customer with bad eyes visiting a dark restaurant, and allocating the last row of seats in movie theaters is needed.”
Petty sharing— “When you say ‘charity’, it sounds like something big, but if you just set your mind to it, there are a lot of things that you can help with really easily. Such as purchasing medicine for patients with retinitis pigmentosa through overseas websites, or, like my fans, you could spare some time and help prepare seminars. Donating your voice to create audio books is also a good way to help.”
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