Stars pose to encourage adoption

Star photographer Cho Sei-hon’s annual exhibition featuring celebrities to encourage domestic adoption is back at the Insa Art Center in central Seoul from Wednesday through Dec. 23.

In the 11th “Letter from Angels,” members of K-pop groups including 2PM, 2AM, Sistar, ZE:A, Girls’ Generation―TTS, KARA, 4Minute, B1A4, BTOB, A Pink and BTS pose alongside babies or children with physical disabilities.

“The babies did fine. While the members of 2PM tried to cuddle Hyeong-gyu, a boy, he never frowned a bit. At last Ok Taec-yeon had to put him to sleep for a while but all 2PM members were impressed with him,” the Social Welfare Society, the organizer of the event, said in a press release.

The event came about when the SWS requested that Cho take photographs celebrating the 100 days of birth of infants who were about to be adopted overseas in 2003. It grew into celebrities posing with babies waiting to be adopted in order to encourage domestic adoption.

Top celebrities including singers Rain, CNBlue, 2NE1 and Big Bang as well as actors Lee Byung-hun, Lee Min-ho, Jang Geun-suk, Kim Hye-soo and Ko So-young more have participated in the past. They also left messages, which are said to have contributed to raising public awareness in finding the children new homes.

“Every year I wish there weren’t babies to take photos like this. But this year I realized that we still need to care about them. I hope the photos will allow more people to think about children in need of families and help them find one,” Cho said.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)