The “star chef” Napoli Mafia (real name Kwon Seong-joon, 29) is setting an example by expressing his gratitude for the popularity he gained from winning “Black and White Chef” through good deeds. On the 5th, Napoli Mafia posted a lengthy message on his Instagram story, announcing plans to collaborate with DolGoDonation led by Lee Seung-hwan for a philanthropic project.
Napoli Mafia stated, “I have always had a lot of interest in donation and volunteer activities, but I hesitated because I didn’t know how to start. When I accidentally saw a YouTube video, I was impressed and thought it would be great to do a project together in the future.”
It appears that Napoli Mafia watched the video titled “A Day of a Third-generation Chaebol of a Major Corporation [Lee Seung-hwan of DolGoDonation]” posted on the YouTube channel “Human Story” in December last year. The video, which highlighted the unique actions of a ‘third-generation chaebol,’ garnered significant attention and has surpassed 6.45 million views as of the 6th.
Lee Seung-hwan, a third-generation chaebol and grandson of SK Group founder, Chairman Choi Tae-won’s grandnephew, chose not to inherit the family business but instead founded the IT-based donation platform DolGoDonation to stand independently. Established in 2021, DolGoDonation is a social cooperative that helps vulnerable groups become healthy members of society, transparently sharing the donation process to build a sustainable operational system.
Regarding DolGoDonation, Napoli Mafia expressed trust saying, “Out of the many proposals I’ve received from hundreds of brands, it was the only one I contacted first to propose a meeting.” He further detailed plans for various charity and volunteer activities towards the end of the year, focusing on shelters for stray animals and support for cat neutering costs, among other things. He emphasized searching for a charity where the donation could be utilized most transparently and effectively.
Additionally, he promised to hold a restaurant pop-up with DolGoDonation at the end of the year, donating all the proceeds and creating and selling merchandise with the profits going entirely to charity. He also pledged to donate additional personal funds.
Napoli Mafia humbly stated, “I’m not a great person or someone with a lot of money, but I wanted to promote and extend my influence for donations before the popularity gained from the show’s success fades,” which drew attention. He stressed, “You don’t need to have much money to donate,” and added, “The main purpose of this collaboration with DolGoDonation is to convey this message. I want to extend a warm hand to abandoned and sick animals and will continue to update you. Please watch over us.”
Napoli Mafia won the final prize on the hit Netflix variety show “Black and White Chef,” becoming the recipient of 3 billion won and gaining immense love from viewers worldwide, ascending to the ranks of a “star chef.”