When Michelle Wie arrives in Korea this weekend for the SK Telecom Open, she will be greeted by a new gallery of fans cheering her charity more than her golf.

More than 30 individuals — who have been or will be recipients of surgeries funded by the Wie's $300,000 endowment — and their families are scheduled to meet the 16-year-old benefactor in Seoul.

Wie's father, BJ, confirmed a report in the Chosun Ilbo, a Seoul newspaper, that his daughter has made the donations to the Yonsei University Severance Hospital and Korea University Medical Center.

"Before she made a commitment to play in the SK Telecom Open, Michelle wanted to do something in her first trip to Korea as a professional golfer and she wanted to help children with illnesses but whose parents don't have the money to pay (for) the surgery," her father said.

The surgeries will go to correct a variety of medical conditions, many of them developmental, in patients ages 8 to 18.

BJ Wie said his daughter has received an album of pictures of several of the children she is helping. Two compelling photos, he said, are a before-and-after sequence of a now-smiling boy about 12 years old who is since able to walk and hopes to attend the May 4 to 7 tournament near Incheon.

The donation comes on the heels of her $500,000 Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund check six months ago upon turning pro and will eventually be followed up by grants in Hawai'i under a Michelle Wie Foundation, her father said.

He said the recipients were selected by hospital officials. She chose Yonsei, established by royal decree in 1855, in large part because an uncle is the chairman of the pathology department.

BJ Wie said the $300,000 was originally estimated to cover operations for approximately 15 patients, but "what happened was both hospitals wanted to chip in and give discounts."

In addition, he said, several doctors are also donating their services so that "between 35 and 40" patients may be helped.

Wie was originally planning to take 30 Sony MP3 players and Nike backpacks and shirts from her sponsors to give the patients, "but we're going to need more now," her father said.

He said plans are under way to create a Michelle Wie Foundation for charity in Hawai'i. "It is a time-consuming process but we're working on it and hope to some day have a foundation to do good things in Hawai'i and other places."

The SK Open is a men's Asian Tour event, for which Michelle has received an exemption.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com.