Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) said on Friday that YG Entertainment, a prominent K-pop entertainment agency, has contributed 100 million won ($75,358) to aid in the treatment and music rehabilitation of children with cochlear implants.

The donation will be utilized to assist in covering surgical and rehabilitation expenses for pediatric cochlear implant recipients at the Cochlear Implant Center at Seoul National University Children's Hospital. Additionally, it will support patient care and research for the music therapy program for hearing rehabilitation.

Situated in the inner ear, the cochlea serves as the innermost part responsible for hearing. In cases where the cochlear region is impaired, and conventional hearing aids prove ineffective, individuals with hearing loss may require a cochlear implant. This implant electrically stimulates the auditory nerve to facilitate hearing.

Annually, approximately 100 children facing profound hearing loss -- attributed to hereditary deafness, uncommon and incurable diseases, and birth-related meningitis -- undergo cochlear implant surgery at Seoul National University Children's Hospital. Following the surgical procedure, they have to receive routine check-ups over several years to fine-tune the cochlear implant, ensuring complete restoration of their hearing. Additionally, they engage in rehabilitation therapy once or twice a week to enhance both their hearing and speech abilities.

Nevertheless, even with successful surgery and rehabilitation, "listening to music" can pose a challenge. This difficulty arises from the limitation that those with cochlear implants can only discern 22 notes, making it challenging to differentiate the pitch of various sounds.

To enhance the music listening skills of children with cochlear implants, extending beyond language development, SNUH will introduce a K-pop music therapy program, the hospital said. This initiative is made possible through sponsorship from YG Entertainment.

While there have been various rehabilitation programs for children with hearing impairments, the music therapy program under the partnership of SNUH and YG, is expected to pioneer a new path in rehabilitation that has not been previously introduced in Korea.

Professor Lee Jun-ho from the Cochlear Implant Center and Professor Chae Jong-hee from the Rare Disease Center at SNUH will act as the principal investigator and co-investigator, respectively. Professor Lee Sang-yeon, who has been a dedicated professor at the Cochlear Implant Center since March, will serve as the researcher in charge.

The Cochlear Implant Center at SNUH performed the first cochlear implant surgery in Korea in 1988 and has been leading the way in cochlear implant surgery, exceeding 3,000 cases as of 2023.

Choi Eun-hwa, director of Seoul National University Children’s Hospital, said, "Many children with rare diseases visiting children's hospitals face deafness, making research and support pivotal. We appreciate YG for their generosity, and we are committed to doing our utmost to assist children with rare diseases who have undergone cochlear implants in leading hopeful lives filled with joyful music."