The 12th New Life Concert was held in Suwon Gymnasium on December 19, 2011. More than 9,000 people were present at this event, including Honorary Chairwoman Zahng Gil-jah, board members, Sponsor Chairman Lee Soon-jae, and Goodwill Ambassador Kim Seong-hwan from the WeLoveU, and foreign diplomats in Korea, the heads of local governments, and many more. At this year’s concert, medical and living expenses were delivered to underprivileged families and children suffering from rare and incurable diseases, and a promise was made to donate educational facilities to Nepal and Cambodia.
Welcome to the New Life Concert
At 7 p.m., the curtain for the 12th New Life Concert was raised. The concert was hosted by the Intl. WeLoveU Foundation and sponsored by Seoul Metropolitan Government, Gyeonggi Provincial Government, Suwon Municipal Government, and Sejong General Hospital. Despite the frigid weather, WeLoveU members filled the Suwon Gymnasium.
Honorary Chairwoman Zahng Gil-jah quoted Albert Einstein, saying, “ ‘Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.’ People make a choice at every moment. You have chosen to live for others when it is hard to live even just for yourselves. It means that you are living valuable lives.”
Sponsor Chairman Lee Soon-jae expressed his thanks and honor to the members who had worked hard, saying, “You’ve done volunteer services with great love despite many difficulties.”
Then, it was followed by congratulatory messages from H.E. Margaret Clarke-Kwestie the Ambassador of Ghana to Korea, and Councilor of the Cambodian Embassy in Korea Nguon Socheath. They highly praised WeLoveU’s global activities and appreciated the members’ help for neighbors and children in water-stressed countries. At the donation delivery ceremony, WeLoveU assisted with medical expenses and living expenses to 40 households, including children suffering from heart disease or other rare and incurable diseases, low-income families, and multicultural families. Educational support was also promised for children in Cambodia and Nepal.
Touching Melodies, Into the Concert Scene
The second part, the concert began with performances by celebrities such as singers and actors. Setting aside their busy schedules, they came to present great performances by displaying their talent. The curtain was raised with greetings from actor Kim Seong-hwan who presided at the concert and the dance by the New Life Children’s Choir.
Various kinds of performances such as calm ballads to exciting dance were presented by singers Lee Seung-hoon, Kim Jae-hun, Kim Heung-guk, Kim Seong-hwan, and Yun Tae-gyu. Im Chang-je from the vocal group “Onions” sang songs from memory lane, bringing an enthusiastic response from the audience. The WeLoveU members ignited their love for neighbors through the performances with loud cheers and a big round of applause.
Behind the Scenes of the Concert
“At this moment, your helping hand will become someone’s hope and another person’s light in the dark. I hope that through this New Life Concert, we can sing the songs of love and hope and deliver bright and hopeful energy to make our dreams come true. I’m grateful to be with you who have warm hearts.” Honorary Chairwoman of the Intl. WeLoveU Foundation Zahng Gil-jah
Just as Honorary Chairwoman Zahng Gil-jah wished, all the participants were moved by the performances and the sincere helping hands. The head of a multicultural family from the Philippines said, “We had a great time at this heart-warming event. We will raise our children to help other people. We will never forget the love we have received today, and we will be a happy family.” Kajal from Bangladesh expressed her gratitude to the Foundation members for their concern and love, saying, “Since I came to Korea ten years ago, I have had a tough time both mentally and physically, but I was able to get accustomed to my life here with the help of my neighbors.”
Just as singer Im Chang-je said, “All of you who are here are those who share love from the bottom of your hearts,” the participants were united in thinking of their neighbors. Although the curtain came down at the concert, the melodies of love and hope have been engraved on everybody’s heart.
