The Faceless Angel of Jeonju () is an unidentified benefactor who has been making donations to the Community Center in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, South Korea, for over 20 years. Donations by the Faceless Angel started in April 2000 and anonymous donations have continued around Christmas every year. The most recent donation was made on December 30, 2025, and the cumulative donation amount has reached ₩1,134,882,520 (US$).
The Faceless Angel makes donations by placing donations, consisting mainly of cash and piggy banks, in an A4 paper box at a specific location near the community center and then calling the center to inform them of the location. Along with this, they put a simple note in the box wishing support to those in need; in some cases, they add other messages or leave nothing at all. They have become a topic of public discussion because they have been making such large donations for decades while making a rigorous effort to keep their identity strictly private. Furthermore, every year-end, attention from not only the staff at the community center but also the local community and the media focuses on whether the "Faceless Angel" will visit.
The Faceless Angel's donations are distributed to low-income families and child heads of households in the region through the Community Chest of Korea. In 2009, a monument honoring the Faceless Angel's spirit was erected, and the area around the Nosong-dong Community Center was named "Angel's Path", with a memorial park also established. Local residents commemorate October 4 every year as "Angel's Day" and hold charity events for the needy. Cases of anonymous donations following the Faceless Angel's example have increased, and plays and movies inspired by their good deeds have also been produced.
Identity
The Faceless Angel leaves donations at a specific location near the Nosong-dong Community Center in Jeonju, calls the center to inform them of the location, and then disappears; therefore, the Angel's identity—including name, age, face, and occupation—is completely unknown. Even the community center staff receiving the donations can only guess that it is the "Faceless Angel" who visits every year based on the voice on the phone, the method of delivery, and the content of the message. Since the voices on the phone range from women in their 20s to men in their forties and fifties, there has been speculation that a family takes turns performing these good deeds.
Since 2005, when the good deeds began to become widely known, various theories have been raised regarding the Angel's identity. These included the theory that the Angel is a gang member or pimp who started performing good deeds to atone for past wrongdoings but finds it difficult to reveal their identity, or the theory that the Angel is a successful, deeply religious businessman who sets out to help the needy every year in memory of their impoverished childhood. At the time of the donation in 2009, the note mentioned that the donor was upholding the wishes of their late mother. Since the donor considers helping those in need to be a promise made to their mother, there was cautious speculation that they would continue their good deeds in the future.
As public attention gradually increased, there were attempts to reveal the Angel's identity. In 2004, community center staff attempted to identify the donor, but failed because the donation date was moved. In 2009, marking the 10th year of donations, media interest surged; some media outlets even installed hidden cameras, but failed to track them down. Apparently aware of this, the donor delivered the donation a few days after the expected date. During the donation theft incident in 2019, the donor called the community center and asked them to be careful not to expose their vehicle and identity, even if a police investigation took place.
Meanwhile, there are also voices of concern regarding the excessive interest in the donor's identity. The city of Jeonju has stated that it will not track down the donor's identity in respect of their wish to remain anonymous, and in 2013, Yonhap News Agency argued for self-reflection on the excessive interest in the donor's identity.
Activities
2000–2004 The activities of the Faceless Angel began on April 3, 2000. At the time, a male student who appeared to be in the third grade of elementary school visited the civil affairs office of Jungnosong-2-dong and placed a piggy bank containing 584,000 won on the counter with the words "Please help poor people". On December 26, 2001, another piggy bank containing 742,800 won was delivered anonymously to the community center.
In 2002, on May 4, a man in his sixties called and left a bundle containing 1 million won in cash in front of the disabled assistance bell in front of the community center, asking that it be used for underprivileged children. On December 24, the same man called again, saying that there was a bundle containing a piggy bank and cash in the public phone booth next to the community center and that it be used to help the needy. The bundle contained 1 million won in cash and a piggy bank filled with 612,060 won in coins.
On the morning of December 23, 2003, a man believed to be in his thirties or forties called again, asking people to check the public phone booth next to the community center and that the money be used to help the needy. Inside a paper shopping bag in the booth was five million won in 10,000-won bills and a piggy bank filled with 367,330 won in coins. A note found inside the shopping bag read, "I am so happy that I was able to do more this year than in other years because I worked hard. I hope that at least in our neighborhood, there will be no children going hungry." The following year, on the morning of December 23, 2004, a man presumed to be in his fifties called and left a shopping bag containing cash, a piggy bank, and a note, just in the same location as before, at the monument in front of the community center. The donation amounted to five million won in cash and 448,350 won in coins.
2005–2009
At noon on December 26, 2005, a man presumed to be in his late thirties called. Starting this year, as Jungno 2-dong was merged into Nosong-dong due to the consolidation of administrative districts, the donation was delivered to the Nosong-dong office. Just like in previous years, a shopping bag containing cash and piggy banks was left in the flowerbed next to the underground parking lot of the dong office; it contained 10 million won in cash and 455,180 won in coins. A note included with the bag read, "It snowed too much this year. Please give this to neighbors who are shivering in the cold." On December 21, 2006, it was reported that a man believed to be in his forties had left a donation in the same location. The shopping bag contained eight million won in cash and 513,210 won in coins (three piggy banks), and a note read, "I am so happy and grateful to be able to share our family's small sincerity with neighbors in need." On December 27, 2007, at 11:00 AM, a call was received from a man in his late thirties who said he had left a donation in the exact same spot as the previous year, and a donation of 298,100 won in coins and 20 million won in cash was received.
On December 23, 2008, at 1:40 PM, a call was received from a man in his thirties who said he had also left a donation in the exact same spot, and a donation of 20 million won in cash and 381,000 won in coins was received. The message written on the note was, "To all the young heads of households! Stay strong." In 2009, as media interest increased, a call was made past Christmas on December 28 at 11:55 AM. The delivery location was also changed to next to a vending machine in the open space of the community center, and a cardboard box containing a piggy bank and bundles of cash was left. The donation amounted to 80 million won and 265,920 won in coins, marking the 10th year of donations. A note included with the donation read: "Just as all mothers in Korea did, this is money my mother saved by not spending it and being frugal. I hope this will be used to help neighbors in need, honoring my mother's wishes. Happy New Year. I want to convey my respect and love to my mother in heaven."
2010–2018
At 11:55 AM on December 28, 2010, a man presumed to be in his forties called and hung up after saying, "We do something every year to show our sincerity; please check the flowerbed in the alley next to the hair salon near the community center." A piggy bank and cash were delivered inside an A4 cardboard box to a different location than in previous years, and the donations for this year totaled 35 million won in cash and 341,620 won in coins. No note was left. The following year, on December 20, 2011, at 12:10 PM, a man in his forties called and said, "There is a money box under a Trajet XG parked on the road next to Woori Laundry near the community center, so please come and pick it up." Inside an A4 cardboard box was a donation totaling 50,242,100 won, including 10 envelopes containing 100 50,000-won bills each and 242,100 won in coins from a piggy bank. That year, he left a simple note saying, "Please help neighbors in need. Stay strong and have a Happy New Year."
On December 27, 2012, at 1:53 PM, a man presumed to be in his fifties or sixties called and said, "Look near the 'Faceless Angel Monument' in the flowerbed near the community center," and asked, "Please use this for neighbors in need." As in previous years, an A4 cardboard box contained 50 million won in 50,000-won bills and a piggy bank, and the total donation amounted to 50,304,600 won. No note was left this year. In 2013, at 11:15 AM on December 30, a call was made asking to check the same spot as the previous year, and a donation totaling 49,246,740 won, including bills and a piggy bank, was delivered. A note was also delivered saying, "To all the young heads of households, please stay strong even if things are difficult, and happy New Year." The following year, on December 29, 2014, at 3:40 PM, a person presumed to be in their forties called again. "I am short on time, so I am leaving a box behind the vehicle next to the laundry. Please pick it up quickly before someone else takes it. Please make sure to use it for the needy," and the total amount of donations received reached 50,304,390 won. This year, a note with a similar message to the previous year was added. With this, the Faceless Angel marked the 15th year of donations.