Stray Kids' Lee Know has sent 100 million won to Nepal, where a flash flood along the Bhote Koshi River in late August left thousands displaced. His agency confirmed the donation days after the water receded, while the group was mid-run on a stadium tour in Japan.
How Much Did Lee Know Donate, and When?
Lee Know donated 100 million won to World Vision Korea for Nepal flood relief, with the money delivered on Friday, August 28, 2026, and confirmed publicly by JYP Entertainment on August 30, 2026 (KST) . Lee Know — real name Lee Min-ho, born 1998 — debuted with Stray Kids in 2018 . The funds were routed through the Korean arm of the international relief and development NGO World Vision.
Quick Answer: Stray Kids' Lee Know donated 100 million won (about $72,000) to World Vision Korea for 2026 Nepal flood relief. The gift was delivered Friday, August 28, 2026, and announced by JYP Entertainment on August 30. It funds food, temporary shelter and clean-water programming for displaced households.
Dollar figures differ across outlets because each used its own exchange rate: The Korea Times cited roughly $72,000, Soompi $72,610, Korea JoongAng Daily about $72,600, and The Korea Herald $72,700 . The won amount is the stable number to cite; any USD conversion should be attributed to the outlet that ran it.
Yonhap first carried the agency statement, and it was picked up the same day and the next by Korea JoongAng Daily, The Korea Times, The Korea Herald and Soompi, with several running the story on August 31 . In the statement issued through JYP, Lee Know framed the gift around recovery rather than the transfer itself.
"I hope my contribution can be of some help to those going through such a difficult time. I sincerely hope that those displaced by the disaster, as well as everyone working on relief efforts on the ground, can return to their peaceful daily lives as soon as possible," — Lee Know, Stray Kids, in a statement via JYP Entertainment (source: The Korea Herald)
Why Nepal Declared a Disaster: The Bhote Koshi Flood, Explained
The 2026 Nepal floods began with a glacier collapse on Langtang Lirung on August 26, 2026, which sent an estimated 100-plus million cubic meters of ice, rock and debris roughly 1,200 meters down into the valley and triggered a catastrophic surge along the Bhote Koshi River . Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs logged the flood at 8:40 a.m. local time and recorded severe damage to riverbank areas in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Gorkha . That is the event Lee Know's donation is responding to.
The trigger matters for how the disaster is understood. Early hypotheses pointed to a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), the standard explanation for sudden Himalayan surges. But USGS analysis of long-period seismic waves was consistent with a glacier collapse rather than an earthquake, and the event registered a seismic signal of about Ms 5.2 . Scientists quoted in CNN's live coverage described the resulting wave as behaving like "liquid concrete" — a debris-laden slurry, not clean water . The flood entered Nepal from the Tibetan side of the Nepal–China border via the Bhote Koshi, then moved downstream through the Trishuli corridor . On August 28, a debris-dammed barrier lake breached, briefly suspending rescue work on both sides of the border over fears of a secondary surge .
Casualty figures moved steeply across the reporting window, and Nepal's government explicitly asked media to use officially verified numbers and to expect revisions. The Foreign Secretary's August 30 briefing — the official anchor closest to the date of the donation — reported:
- 734 bodies recovered as of August 30, 2026
- About 2,498 people unaccounted for, up from roughly 2,400 the previous day
- More than 8,186 rescued, including over 261 foreign nationals
- Over 400 foreign nationals still missing at the time of the briefing
Separately, and on a broader Nepal-plus-Tibet scope, Associated Press reporting on August 31 cited at least 900 dead and more than 4,700 missing . That figure covers a different geography than the Nepal-only government briefing and should not be merged with it.
The humanitarian scale explains why relief agencies moved so quickly. WHO Nepal estimated roughly 10,000 households needing immediate relief, and documented three health posts fully destroyed, one hospital partly damaged and impaired access to two more — alongside damage to homes, markets, roads, bridges, customs facilities and hydropower infrastructure across Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Chitwan in Bagmati Province and Gorkha and Tanahun in Gandaki Province . Nepal declared 15 municipalities disaster-crisis-affected for a three-month period .
Physical damage has been estimated at about ₹200 billion, roughly $1.3 billion, covering 41 bridges, 42 kilometers of roads, six major hydropower facilities and 20 schools, with the Gyirong Port border crossing destroyed . Fourteen hydropower and solar projects totaling about 748 MW were affected . More than 20 countries pledged aid, including Australia (A$11 million), Canada (CA$5 million), the United States ($4.1 million) and the European Union (€2 million) . Against that backdrop, individual contributions like Lee Know's function less as budget-scale relief than as fast, unrestricted funding an NGO can deploy while state pledges work through disbursement channels.
Where the 100 Million Won Is Actually Going
The 100 million won is earmarked for three specific areas of World Vision's Nepal emergency response, chosen through on-the-ground needs assessments rather than left as a general fund: food and nutrition assistance, temporary shelter for displaced households, and WASH programming — clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene . Korean coverage of the gift stressed that the intent runs past one-off distribution of relief goods toward supporting survivors as they rebuild disrupted daily routines .
The three allocations map directly onto what the flood destroyed. WHO Nepal counted roughly 10,000 households needing immediate relief, along with damage to homes, markets, roads, bridges, customs facilities and hydropower infrastructure, three health posts fully destroyed and one hospital partly damaged . Displaced families in that situation need shelter first, then safe water — flood-contaminated supply is the standard driver of post-disaster disease outbreaks, which is why WASH sits alongside food in the earmark.
World Vision's operational timeline explains how quickly the money can move. The organization began collecting damage data through local partners on August 26, the day of the flood, and announced preparations for emergency support centred on food assistance and emergency shelter kits, coordinated with government authorities and humanitarian partners . It formally activated its emergency response system on August 27 given the scale of the disaster, and by the time the donation was announced it had secured 1,000 emergency relief kits while running damage and needs assessments plus market surveys . Those market surveys matter: they are the precondition for cash-and-voucher assistance, which lets households buy what they actually need from surviving local vendors instead of receiving a fixed goods package — and keeps money circulating in an economy whose markets were themselves damaged.
"[World Vision] will do its utmost to promptly deliver this precious donation to the children and residents of Nepal who lost their homes to this sudden disaster," — Cho Myung-hwan (조명환), chairman, World Vision Korea (source: Christian Today, 2026-08).
Delivery capacity in Rasuwa and Nuwakot is not being built from scratch. World Vision ran relief operations in the same region after the 2015 Nepal earthquake and is working through local NGOs, including partners from that response . That existing network is the practical reason a donation routed through World Vision Korea on August 28 can reach households in a river corridor where 42 km of roads and 41 bridges were destroyed . One caveat worth stating plainly: World Vision Korea has not published a permanent press page itemising this specific gift, so the allocation detail traces to JYP Entertainment's statement as carried by Yonhap and mirrored across Korea JoongAng Daily and Soompi.
Lee Know's Donation History: Why This Isn't a One-Off
Lee Know's Nepal gift sits inside a giving record that predates his career. He began sponsoring children overseas through World Vision in 2014 — four years before his 2018 debut with Stray Kids — and he currently sponsors four children in Korea and abroad . That detail matters for reading the August 28 transfer: he was already a registered supporter of the organisation that received it, not a first-time donor routed through a convenient channel during a news cycle.
The 100-million-won benchmark also recurs. In 2024 he gave 100 million won to World Vision's global food-crisis response for children in the world's least-developed countries, and in doing so became the youngest member of the organisation's Bob Pierce Honor Club . World Vision Korea defines that club as a recognition tier for individual donors who give at least 100 million won, so the Nepal contribution repeats a threshold he had already cleared once.
2025 was his largest disclosed year: a combined 200 million won, split between 100 million won to Samsung Medical Center for the treatment costs of critically ill and pediatric patients and 100 million won to the stray-cat rescue group Nabiya Saranghae (나비야사랑해) . Disaster relief appears across the timeline too — he contributed to emergency relief for the 2023 Türkiye–Syria earthquakes , and joined fellow Stray Kids members in donations for wildfire victims in Korea's Gyeongsang provinces and for Hong Kong fire relief .
| Year | Recipient / cause | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–present | World Vision child sponsorship | Ongoing | Started four years before his 2018 debut; four children sponsored in Korea and abroad |
| 2023 | Türkiye–Syria earthquake relief | Not disclosed | Emergency relief participation |
| 2024 | World Vision global child food-crisis response | 100 million won | Youngest Bob Pierce Honor Club member (tier: 100 million won or more) |
| 2025 | Samsung Medical Center — critically ill and pediatric patients | 100 million won | Part of a combined 200 million won that year |
| 2025 | Nabiya Saranghae (stray-cat rescue) | 100 million won | Stray-cat relief |
| 2026 | World Vision Korea — Nepal flood emergency relief | 100 million won | Delivered August 28, 2026 |
Read together, the pattern is consistent rather than reactive: a decade-long sponsorship relationship, a repeated 100-million-won ceiling, and causes that span child nutrition, medical costs, animal rescue and overseas disaster response. Amounts for the 2023 earthquake relief and the wildfire and Hong Kong fire contributions were not disclosed in the reporting, so the table lists only what agencies and outlets confirmed.
Where This Fits: Stray Kids' Pattern of Individual Giving
Lee Know's Nepal donation is part of a wider pattern of individual giving inside Stray Kids, where 100 million won has become a recurring benchmark rather than an outlier. Felix donated 100 million won to UNICEF for children in Laos, and Hyunjin donated 100 million won to support people with hearing impairments . Members have also contributed jointly to relief for wildfire victims in Korea's Gyeongsang provinces and to Hong Kong fire relief, though those amounts were not disclosed .
The timing is worth noting. The announcement landed while Stray Kids were performing two solo concert nights at Tokyo's Japan National Stadium, reported by Korean media as the first overseas male act to headline the venue for a two-day run . The donation was routed and confirmed through JYP Entertainment rather than announced from the stage, which is consistent with how the group's members have handled previous contributions.
Readers following the disaster itself should treat the numbers as provisional. Nepal's Foreign Secretary briefing on August 30 reported 734 bodies recovered, about 2,498 people unaccounted for and over 8,186 rescued . Associated Press reporting on August 31 cited at least 900 dead and more than 4,700 missing across Nepal and Tibet — a broader geographic scope that should not be merged with Nepal's domestic count.
Fans who want to contribute directly can give through World Vision Korea, the channel Lee Know used, or through World Vision International's Nepal emergency response, which is running needs assessments and market surveys to enable cash-and-voucher assistance alongside its 1,000 secured relief kits . The concrete takeaway: the money is already with an agency operating in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, the need is measured in roughly 10,000 households requiring immediate relief , and the most useful fan response is a verified relief channel rather than an unofficial fundraiser.
Frequently asked questions
How much did Lee Know donate for Nepal flood relief, and who confirmed it?
Lee Know, the Stray Kids member whose legal name is Lee Min-ho , donated 100 million won to Nepal flood relief, delivered on Friday, August 28, 2026 through World Vision Korea . His agency JYP Entertainment confirmed the gift publicly on August 30, 2026 (KST) in a statement carried by Yonhap and mirrored by Korea JoongAng Daily, The Korea Times and The Korea Herald . Dollar equivalents differ by outlet — roughly $72,000 in The Korea Times, $72,610 in Soompi and about $72,700 in The Korea Herald — so the won figure is the one to quote .
What caused the Nepal floods Lee Know donated to help with?
A glacier collapse on Langtang Lirung on August 26, 2026 sent an estimated 100-plus million cubic meters of ice, rock and debris about 1,200 meters into the valley below, triggering a flood that surged down the Bhote Koshi River . Nepal's Ministry of Home Affairs logged the Bhote Koshi flood in Rasuwa District at 8:40 a.m. on August 26 and recorded severe impact along riverbank areas in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Gorkha . The collapse produced a seismic signal of roughly Ms 5.2, and USGS analysis of long-period waves matched a glacier collapse rather than an earthquake, revising an early glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) hypothesis; a debris-dammed barrier lake then breached on August 28, pausing rescue work on both sides of the Nepal–China border over fears of a second surge .
What will World Vision use the donation for?
World Vision said the 100 million won is earmarked for three areas of its Nepal emergency response, allocated on the basis of on-the-ground needs assessments: food and nutrition assistance, temporary shelter for displaced households, and WASH programming — clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene . The organization activated its emergency response system on August 27, 2026 and has secured 1,000 emergency relief kits while running damage assessments and market surveys to enable cash-and-voucher assistance . Cho Myung-hwan, chairman of World Vision Korea, said the organization "will do its utmost to promptly deliver this precious donation to the children and residents of Nepal who lost their homes to this sudden disaster" .
Is this Lee Know's first charitable donation?
No. Lee Know began sponsoring children through World Vision in 2014, four years before his 2018 debut with Stray Kids, and currently sponsors four children in Korea and abroad . He joined emergency relief efforts for the 2023 Türkiye–Syria earthquakes, and in 2024 gave 100 million won to World Vision's global food crisis response for children in the least-developed countries, becoming the youngest member of the organization's Bob Pierce Honor Club — a tier for individuals donating at least 100 million won . In 2025 he donated a combined 200 million won: 100 million won to Samsung Medical Center toward treatment costs for critically ill and pediatric patients, and 100 million won to the stray-cat rescue group Nabiya Saranghae .
How can fans donate to Nepal flood relief directly?
The route with the clearest paper trail is an official emergency appeal from an agency already operating in the affected districts. World Vision International Nepal and World Vision U.S. both publish response updates and donation pages for this specific flood, and Korean donors can give through World Vision Korea, the same channel Lee Know's gift used on August 28, 2026 . Large disasters attract unverified fundraisers, so check that the appeal is hosted on the organization's own domain rather than a social post or third-party payment link, and note that Nepal has declared 15 municipalities disaster-crisis-affected for three months, with roughly 10,000 households needing immediate relief — a window in which coordinated agency funding is more useful than scattered one-off transfers .
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This article was written using information collected and analyzed by NAMANE's in-house K-pop research AI engine. We use AI technology to bring you faster, broader coverage, and in the process some details may occasionally differ from the latest facts. For important information such as dates, venues, and prices, please double-check with official sources.
