Halloween Crowd Crush: A solemn remembrance of the Itaewon tragedy after two years of mourning

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As South Korea approaches the second anniversary of the Itaewon Halloween crowd crush on October 29, the nation continues to grapple with the pain and lessons from that fateful night.

The tragedy, which claimed 159 young lives and left many others injured, remains a somber reminder of how quickly festive fun can turn deadly, and the importance of effective crowd management and emergency response.

On October 29, 2022, the streets of Itaewon, Seoul’s bustling nightlife district, were filled with revelers celebrating Halloween. The festive atmosphere escalated into chaos as the narrow, sloping alleyways became dangerously overcrowded.

Witnesses described a “hell-like” scene where people fell on each other like dominoes, causing severe breathing difficulties and numerous fatalities.

“The entire Itaewon area was jammed with slow-moving vehicles and partygoers in costumes, making it impossible for rescuers and ambulances to reach the crammed alleys in time,” an unnamed survivor recalled in 2022.

The crush, which primarily affected young people in their 20s and 30s, drew immediate comparisons to the Sewol ferry disaster, which also exposed significant lapses in safety and regulatory measures.

In 2014, 304 people – most of them schoolchildren – died as a result of poor planning and ineffective safety measures. Families were still waiting for answers as of the 10th anniversary in April.

“I think this kind of incident must never happen again. Our hearts are aching too much,” said Choi Seul Gi, a 30-year-old office worker.

In the immediate aftermath, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared a national mourning period and ordered flags at government buildings and public offices to fly at half-mast. Memorial sites were established across the country, where tens of thousands of people, including top officials, paid their respects.

“I offer a deep apology again by bearing the sorrow and heavy responsibility for the disaster in my heart,” said Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.

A 475-member task force was quickly established to investigate the incident. Police reviewed footage from security cameras and social media, and interviewed over 40 witnesses and survivors to determine the cause of the crush.

Initial findings pointed to significant failures in crowd control and emergency response. Despite hotline calls warning about the swelling crowd and potential dangers, the police response was inadequate.

Only 137 officers were deployed to manage an expected crowd of over 100,000, primarily focusing on crime rather than crowd control.

National police chief Yoon Hee Keun admitted to receiving numerous urgent calls from citizens about the potential danger of the crowd gathering in Itaewon.

“I feel a heavy responsibility for the disaster as the head of one of the related government offices,” he said. “Police will do their best to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again.”

The South Korean government faced growing public scrutiny over whether the crush could have been prevented and who should take responsibility. A police special investigation released in January 2023 confirmed the initial findings, that failures by police and municipal officials contributed to the disaster.

“The problem is that there have been only stopgap measures whenever some incidents happened,” said Park Sangin, a professor at Seoul National University. “Also, the bigger problem is that there has been no clear accountability for them.”

More than 20 police and government officials were indicted for their roles in the disaster. Several former police officers were convicted for attempting to cover up evidence, including destroying internal files related to the incident.

Park Seong-min, a former senior intelligence officer at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for ordering subordinates to erase internal documents after the crush. Kim Jin-ho, a former intelligence officer at Seoul’s Yongsan district police station, received a suspended one-year sentence on similar charges.

In May 2024, South Korea’s parliament passed a bill mandating an independent investigation to delve deeper into the causes and management of the disaster. The legislation envisaged the creation of a fact-finding committee with nine members to independently examine the disaster for up to 15 months.

“The attitude by the government and the ruling party is inflicting deeper and more painful scars on (us). We just want to know the fundamental reasons why on October 29, 2022, thousands of people fell, 159 of them died and thousands of others were injured or ended up living with trauma,” the victims’ families said in a joint 2023 statement.

Public memorials and protests have been held, with families and supporters calling for justice and an official remembrance. On the first anniversary of the tragedy in 2023, many businesses avoided Halloween-themed events as a sign of respect for the victims. Formal memorial services were held, with significant public participation.

In Itaewon, post-it notes with condolence messages such as “We won’t forget you forever” and “Sorry. Please, rest in peace” plastered the walls of the site well into the first year after the tragedy. A mourning station established in central Seoul received many visitors who laid white flowers and burned incense in front of photos of the victims.

Since the Itaewon crowd crush, the government has proposed and implemented several safety reforms and regulatory changes to prevent similar incidents in the future. The measures include deploying more police and public workers to monitor bottleneck points, enforcing one-way walk lanes, and blocking narrow pathways.

“The way to overcome the pains and sorrow of the disaster is preventing this kind of incident from happening again,” said Mayor Oh Se-hoon.

However, the reforms have not been without challenges. Safety-related incidents have continued to occur, and there are ongoing demands for accountability and more comprehensive reforms. Despite the measures taken, the families of the victims and their supporters have called for a more sincere apology from President Yoon and a thorough, independent investigation into the fundamental causes of the disaster.

The nation has stood united in grief and determination, honoring the victims and striving to build a safer future. Public memorials and services are planned for the second anniversary, with families and supporters expected to gather in Itaewon and other locations to pay their respects to the 159 lives lost.