Single guys with cute babies photo post - Stars Deliver “Letters from Angels” in Support of Adoption

[tag-traumer.livejournal.com]

Many stars, including WINNER, M.I.B’s Kangnam, Lee Dong Wook, Lee Kwang Soo, and more took part in the 12th annual photo shoot for photographer Jo Se Hyun’s “Letters from Angels” campaign, which is known to be a nationwide campaign for the purpose of increasing awareness and helping to spread the importance of adoption.

This project was first established in 2003, and this year, the campaign decided to focus on single male stars as advocates of the cause. The “Letters of Angels” exhibit is scheduled to open up this month from December 17-23.

Read what these stars had to share about their experience supporting such a great cause!

WINNER (with baby Do Yul and baby Ji Hoon)
“We are very happy just to be able to help even a little bit in raising awareness for domestic adoption and to give back some of the great love we receive. We hope that these beautiful babies Do Yul and Ji Hoon find a good family, meet good parents, and grow up well to become adults who can give help to others as well. We are extremely happy to be a part of such a great cause.”

Winner's bts photos

LEE SEO JIN (with baby Ji Hoon)
“It’s not an easy task to actually find and take part in a good cause, but I’m very thankful to have met photographer Jo Se Hyun to have an opportunity to participate in such meaningful work. I hope angel-like Ji Hoon, who I met today, gets adopted by a great family and grows up happily. What more could I ask for. Wouldn’t that be the happiest thing for not only Ji Hoon, but myself, as well as all those who support ‘Letters from Angels?’”

PARK SEO JOON (with baby Hee Yong)
“I have a niece/nephew about the same age as Hee Yong, whom I met today. He’s at an age when he should be receiving so much love…it’s heartbreaking. I think it’s amazing and relieving to know that by just participating [in this campaign], I can contribute to the increase in adoption rates. I will watch over and show more interest in the issue of domestic adoption in the future. I hope that Hee Yong meets a good family and grows up healthy and happy. After time passes, until the day we are able to meet again, I sincerely pray that [Hee Yong] will always be happy.”

YEO JIN GOO (with baby Yi Seul)
“I’ve never had experience holding a baby, so I think I may have made Yi Seul feel uncomfortable, but Yi Seul still smiled so much. I was so thankful, and just holding her strangely made me choke up a bit. I think I felt many different emotions during that short time. To be honest, I had always thought that the word ‘adoption’ was something distant from me. However, through ‘Letters from Angels,’ I directly felt the heaviness [of the cause], and I also feel a sense of responsibility to have more interest in it from now on. It’s disappointing that my time with Yi Seul was so short. I hope we have a chance to meet again later.”

YOO YEON SEOK (with baby Tae Min)
“It’s really heartbreaking to think about why these children with such beautiful smiles are now alone, although things have improved a lot from the past, with the help of ‘Letters from Angels’ and many others’ efforts. I hope that even this small act on my part will add to the efforts and that even just one more child can be adopted by a good family. I wish Tae Min, who first greeted me with a big smile, will never lose the smile he has now, and grows up to be a happy child.”

Yoo Yeon Seok's bts photos

KIM YOUNG KWANG (with baby Yeo Jin)
"It was my first time holding a baby as small as Yeo Jin. Although holding [a baby] was harder than I thought, it’s an honor to simply be of help to Yeo Jin just by spending time with her. When Yeo Jin grows up to see this photo and is able to read my letter, I will probably be an ahjussi, but I will always pray that she meets a good mom and dad and lives well. When I see children like Yeo Jin, I will continue to work hard to help with any opportunity I have.”

LEE SOO HYUK (with baby Min Seo)
"I’ve always only thought vaguely of adoption, but after actually holding Min Seo in my own arms, I feel a heavy sense of responsibility. I took part because I wanted to be of help to Min Seo, however, I feel like I’m the one who received help from Min Seo instead. I will have to try even harder to become a great actor that will make Min Seo—who allowed me to experience this great and rewarding feeling—proud.”

PARK MIN WOO (with baby Ji Eun)
“I’ve always been deeply moved seeing seniors Cha In Pyo and Shin Ae Ra[adopt]. I think that’s why I naturally came to think about what I could do. I honestly think there’s a limit to the things I can actually do to directly offer a lot of help [to the cause]. I believe the role I can play is to help expand, so that those who work professionally in this field can move more efficiently. I hope Ji Eun can meet a good family and grow up like a princess, receiving a lot of love, so we can meet each other again someday.”

LEE DONG WOOK (with baby Han Kyul)
“I really love children. I think I’m able to play and get along with children because my mental age matches well (laughs). Although I was a bit taken aback that Han Kyul cried out of surprise, I will forever treasure and remember the time we spent together today. I hope Han Kyul will grow up well in a happy family and that there will come a day when she is able to smile thinking of this day.”

LEE KWANG SOO (with baby Yong Hyun)
“Yong Hyun was so warm when I held him in my arms. I hope he will be adopted into a good home as soon as possible and receive the love he wasn’t able to until now. No, I’m sure he is receiving love now too, but I hope he receives even more love than that. I will also give a lot of love to my own child whenever I have one, so that they can always feel just how much they are being loved.”

M.I.B's KANGNAM
“I came to take part in ‘Letters from Angels’ with the hope that even one more child can be adopted by a good family through me. I believe that if I am in the position to be able to help someone, I have to give help, without a doubt. Even if it means taking advantage of my popularity right now, I still hope these children will meet great parents and get adopted.”

Kang Nam's bts photos

BONG TAE KYU (with baby Sang Ho)

“I believe adoption is an extremely special and amazing thing from the perspective of the parent as well as the child. The problem is the perception of adoption of the people around them. I think it’s important for people to think of adoption, not as a ‘special deed,’ but as a completely natural ‘relationship.’ I hope to hear good news soon that Sang Ho met a new family!”

HA SEOK JIN

Source : Soompi ; 3photo (Jo Se Hyun's twitter) ; Cosmopolitan Korea's twitter [1] [2] ; Cosmopolitan Korea facebook [1]

I believe there are more behind the scene photos of other stars listed here but I am lazy to find those atm, sorry ^^;;

Comments

[canxi.livejournal.com]

Lee Soo Hyuk found his prodigy. I'm getting served double face in that pic.
Hoping they all find wonderful families.

[post-dada.livejournal.com]

I mean yes and yay to adoption but South Korea needs to start supporting its single mothers instead of doing everything in its power to get them to give up their children.

[gathyou.livejournal.com]

I don't know much of Korea but I've read a few accounts on single mothers and it's heartbreaking, so yes to all of your words
It's not only South Korea, what does the world have against single mothers?
(on another note, FLAWLESS ICON)

[love-keiko.livejournal.com]

it's AMAZING the lack of support for single mothers. from the wage gap all the way to welfare and social stigmatization.

it's like...so u want women to keep their babies even at the risk of NO support from the father or families and then do NOTHING to help them out? INCLUDING alienate and berate them for not being married? I MEAN....

[gathyou.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that the social stigma isn't so much important in my country (France) but even with welfare and without major social stigma, the poverty rates are much higher for single mothers than other categories of persons. It seems like no one really care about single mothers. There have been a lot of debates on family and education lately, but mostly hetero-couples vs. homo-couples or hetero-couples vs. divorces/recomposition of families, but single mothers were left out of the debates.
The baby is the most important person here. What you do after his birth... whatever. Stuggle if you want.

[kyokomurasaki.livejournal.com]

mte. I'm glad they're trying to promote domestic adoption as an attractive choice (probably helps that their birth rate is so low right now,) but they wouldn't have to find foster parents for many of these children if single mothers had better social support to help raise their babies on their own and weren't so looked down upon. I don't really know anything about sex education/BC in Korea, but I'm sure more information on that front/easier access to contraception wouldn't hurt either.

[agoongprincess.livejournal.com]

apparently abortion is illegal in south korea as well.

"If a woman gets an illegal abortion, she could be sentenced to prison for up to a year and fined the equivalent of about $2,000. A physician who performs an illegal abortion could be punished with up to two years in prison, although if the woman was harmed from the abortion, the sentence could be up to three years; if the woman died, the sentence could be up to five years. In addition, a physician can lose his or her license for up to seven years."

but from what it seems like people still get them and are rarely prosecuted. it's like an open secret

[adlyeith.livejournal.com]

I love this whole thing and the message behind it.
The one pressing question that I have, though, is why are the babies all naked?

[jeliza]

a) naked babies inspire a bigger "oh, I want to take care of him|her" reaction
b) when they spit up, it's way easier to clean up skin than clothes

(I used to work in a portrait studio, so lots of baby photography time, and we did some work with one of the local adoption agencies)

[ah0000.livejournal.com]

Yeo Jin Goo is a baby himself, lol. He and Kwang Soo are so cute.

What's up with Dong Wook tho why does he look weird

[jrt131n.livejournal.com]

That hair doesn't help either.

[lydiasummer.livejournal.com]

everyone so cute <3
but lee dong wook looks really weird, maybe just tired.

[leighbee333.livejournal.com]

Well if those blind items about him working tirelessly due to his gambling debts are true, he's been having a rough time of it lately.

[ah0000.livejournal.com]

I can't imagine that's him in my head, though. How does he have time for filming dramas, Roommate, AND gambling??

[babyonions.livejournal.com]

OP should be banned bc this post is a health hazard
Babies are extra cute and extra chubby :33333

[leighbee333.livejournal.com]

Yeo Jin-goo and that baby, so cute. <3

On a shallow note, I like him with longer hair...

[torontok.livejournal.com]

All these babies look like such old little men, it's hilarious.
The picture of Yoo Yoon Seok feeding the baby is too precious noooooo

[juhli.livejournal.com]

Lee Soo Hyuk's comment rubs me the wrong way:
I will have to try even harder to become a great actor that will make Min Seo—who allowed me to experience this great and rewarding feeling—proud.

way to make it about yourself dude.

[leighbee333.livejournal.com]

Right? This is about babies desperately needing families not your acting career.

[agoongprincess.livejournal.com]

ikr. he needs to shut up.

[suxaholic.livejournal.com]

I would support this if it was not for the fact that Korea has put in place a system that punishes single mothers yet rewards adoption.

[leighbee333.livejournal.com]

Yeah...I agree with the government shifting focus to encouraging domestic adoption instead of just sending single mothers' babies overseas (outrageous in a country as developed as Korea, which has resources at its disposal to alleviate this problem), but even as international adoptions have been drastically reduced, there hasn't, as far as I can tell, been a corresponding surge in domestic adoption or significantly more support for single mothers (who might otherwise keep their kids if they weren't subjected to such harsh social stigma and meager gov't support, both factors that heavily exacerbate their already onerous circumstances), so many more babies might just languish in the system.

[gray-fairy.livejournal.com]

This is so adorable. Winner would make such cute young parents tbh.

[yuukihitohira.livejournal.com]

Yeo Jingoo needs to be stopped, I want to squish him AND the baby :(

too fucking adorable ;;

[love-keiko.livejournal.com]

yeo jin gooooooooooo!!!!! WITH THAT KILLER SMILE OMG!

[modestgoddess79.livejournal.com]

babies are cute but most infants up for adoption in Korea are the children of single mothers who were pressured/shamed into giving up their children

[violentiak.livejournal.com]

These are so adorable and Kwangsoo's picture it's just the cutest thing ever.

But it turly makes me sad to know that they need to promote adoption. In my country, the lines for domestic adoption are so long that you might have to wait for years.

mini rant ahoy

[chibi-rei.livejournal.com]

I know!

And here's a thought I had -- babies are cute. These babies are super cute and I really hope they get adopted! But it's kinda like putting cute puppies and kitties in an ad for pet adoption. What about the older kids who are just as wonderful?
I volunteered a few times at orphanages in Korea and there's plenty of kids who don't get adopted, and some that even stay there through their first couple years of college. And (getting a little OT here btw) all they want for Christmas is things like school supplies, candy, a hair straightener --- I wanna give them everything if I had the money!

[petecarl.livejournal.com]

I really like BONG TAE KYU's statement. My friend's sister was adopted, and she was teased by classmates for it. It's just awful. And this is on top of having to wonder why her birth mom gave her up (iirc, she was too poor/drugs, but as a kid you still don't see how they couldn't get their act together to care for you). I think she's worked through all that now, but I'm sure it's something that will always nibble away at the back of her mind.

Also, throwing in another 'this campaign is nice but please govt, do more to support your single mothers' plea. It's so frustrating how the world over conservatives take away choice and options from single mothers (no support - day care, maternity leave's too short if the work has it, shady firing of pregnant women, not hiring mothers b/c 'not committed to their jobs if women have children', etc.) plus then there's trying to take away access to bc and abortion (this is the world over - not specific to s.korea). Upsets me so much.

[agoongprincess.livejournal.com]

+1000 BTK's statement was the best. it's important not to view your adopted children differently simply because they're adopted. It makes them feel isolated and kids make it even worst by bullying/etc.

[piqapique.livejournal.com]

Soo hyuk's picture reminds me that he exist for my eye pleasure only. Totally not a husband material.

[agoongprincess.livejournal.com]

Fucking Soo Hyuk's comment. What the hell is wrong with him. he sounds like a self centered jerk. Maybe all that time with Young Kwang is finally rubbing off on him. Your acting career is irrelevant right now, this is about supporting domestic adoption- not simply a photo op to get your face out there.

[piqapique.livejournal.com]

but the thing, young kwang's letter is million times better than his.

[agoongprincess.livejournal.com]

i know. the irony of it all.

[atopworld.livejournal.com]

Looking at pictures alone, I love the ones from Winner, Kwangsoo, Minwoo, and Dongwook. Jingoo's is SO precious. The baby must have really liked him, look at that smile!