Singer Shawn delivers a lecture titled "The Present Is a Gift" at the 49th Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jeju Forum held at Jeju Shilla Hotel on July 18. [Provided by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Redistribution and DB prohibited]
Singer Shawn delivers a lecture titled "The Present Is a Gift" at the 49th Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jeju Forum held at Jeju Shilla Hotel on July 18. [Provided by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Redistribution and DB prohibited]

Singer Shawn (real name Roh Seung-hwan) has shared his account of completing the "815 Run," a charity marathon campaign for which he serves as honorary ambassador.

The 815 Run is a fundraising marathon organized by Habitat for Humanity Korea, an international nonprofit. Entry fees and donations go toward improving the living conditions of descendants of independence patriots.

Shawn posted several photos on his social media on Monday, writing, "On Aug. 15, 2026, I ran 81.5 km, sent letters of gratitude, and lost 5 kg."

The photos showed him stepping on a scale immediately before and after the 815 Run.

The images revealed that he weighed 73.2 kilograms before setting off at 4 a.m. on Saturday, and 68.2 kilograms — a drop of 5 kilograms — after finishing the 81.5-kilometer course at 3 p.m. that afternoon.

Particularly striking was the sight of Shawn on the scale with the toenail on his left big toe missing, a detail that spoke louder than words.

"I am grateful that I could give my very best," he wrote. "Because this is something someone has to do — thank you, I will not forget. It will be all right, Korea!"

He also promoted next year's event, adding, "D-362. The 2027 '815 Run' is now 362 days away. See you soon! It will be all right, Korea."

Shawn has served as honorary ambassador for the event since its inaugural edition in 2020.

On Sunday, the day after the 2026 815 Run, Shawn announced that 2.6 billion won ($1.84 million) had been donated to Habitat for Humanity to build homes for descendants of independence patriots, marking the 81st anniversary of Liberation Day. He added that seven editions of the 81.5-kilometer run over seven years had brought total donations to 10.6 billion won.

Shawn began his career as a dancer for Seo Taiji and Boys before debuting in 1997 as a rapper in the hip-hop duo Jinusean. He married actress Jung Hye-young in 2004 and has four children. He and his wife have continued to engage in a wide range of charitable activities together.


jshan@heraldcorp.com