RESCENE fandom raises W40m for South Gyeongsang flood victims in a single day

Fans of girl group RESCENE have launched a fundraising drive to help neighbors affected by flood damage.

On Tuesday, a dedicated donation page was opened on the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association's platform under the name "Rimain" — RESCENE's official fandom name — to support residents in South Gyeongsang Province hit by heavy rainfall.

Fans have been spreading the word through online communities, sharing news of the campaign and instructions on how to participate. According to RESCENE's fan gallery, the drive had collected 40.35 million won ($28,600) as of 9 a.m. Wednesday. The funds are to be used for recovery efforts in flood-affected areas and support for displaced residents.

RESCENE drew attention after member Woni, who is from Geoje, and Japanese member Minami introduced the city in a YouTube video. A clip featuring the phrase "Geoje, yahoo!" spread as a short-form meme, propelling the group to stardom just two years after their debut.

Following the meme's viral spread, searches for RESCENE on the music platform Melon surged roughly 65-fold, and the group's title track "Love Attack" shot to the top of music charts in a remarkable reverse-charting run.

Geoje in South Gyeongsang Province recorded 638.7 millimeters of rainfall between midnight and 6 p.m. Monday — the highest single-day total since weather observations began there in January 1972. Tongyeong, in the same province, recorded 453.7 mm over the same period, breaking its own all-time daily rainfall record set since observations began there in January 1968.

The Korea Meteorological Administration said the rainfall in Geoje and Tongyeong was at a level expected to occur once every 200 years and once every 100 years, respectively.