New heartwarming tales of Song Hye-kyo’s unassuming generosity have gone viral, showing how the Descendants of the Sun star once defended an embarrassed student from public humiliation and rejected lucrative endorsements to uphold her principles. Recently, fans revealed a 2018 episode when Hye-kyo spotted a young fan getting reprimanded by a teacher for coming close to her at an event – the actress did not hesitate to step in, take pictures with the tearful student, and even gave her signed items. The revelations do not end there.
Industry insiders revealed that the actress turned down more than ₩5 billion ($3.7 million) in endorsement contracts from cosmetics and liquor firms on the grounds that they were against her values. “She quietly walks away from money if it means compromising her ethics,” revealed one former agency employee. These testimonies came back to haunt after a university professor lauded Hye-kyo during a lecture on how celebrities should responsibly exercise their influence.
Die-hard supporters are swarming social media with #HyeKyoTheGuardian hashtag, posting yet more undocumented gestures of goodwill – from personally footing medical expenses for crew members herself to sending out food trucks for struggling film units. What sets these acts apart is her stipulation of no publicity; many were only heard about through third-party sources years later.
While the The Glory actress is having her 25-year run as Korea’s sweetheart A-lister, these fan stories seal her status as someone whose off-screen personality beams brighter than any on-screen character. In an industry fixated on image-building, Hye-kyo’s genuine kindness is notable only because she never expected credit for it.
Iconic Hye-kyo Moments Fans Are Rediscovering:
• 2016: Secretly paid for crew member’s sick daughter’s tuition
• 2019: Backed out of CF deal after discovering company took advantage of laborers
• 2021: Worked 3 extra hours to console extras amidst tough shoot
• Always responds to fan mails with personal written responses
• Sole celebrity to personally visit all The Glory child actors’ families
