How and where the Seoul crush happened
Seoul #Seoul
The narrow, steep streets of Itaewon once housed Seoul’s red light district. Catering to a sprawling U.S. military base next door, the neighborhood offered cheap beer, knockoff goods and female company for sale.
But over the past two decades, Itaewon was cleaned up. By the time the American military left the South Korean capital in 2019, it already had a reputation as an open and diverse neighborhood, known for its espresso bars and independent fashion houses.
That reputation made it a natural place to celebrate Halloween, an imported holiday increasingly popular with young South Koreans. An estimated 100,000 people were in the neighborhood on Saturday, the first Halloween since pandemic restrictions were put in place two years ago.
This year, Itaewon’s Halloween turned to horror. As huge crowds pushed into the neighborhood to celebrate, there was a crush. At least 149 people were killed and around 76 injured, according to fire department officials.
Crowd forms in narrow alleyway in Seoul
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Investigations into what caused the tragedy are still ongoing. But footage from the scene suggest that the tight streets and alleyways that lent the neighborhood its charm hadn’t been able to cope with the scale of the revelers that descended upon it.
Videos have shown that even hours before the crush began, large numbers of people were congregating near the Hamilton Hotel, a four-star property.
According to South Korean authorities, the first call for help came at 10:15 p.m., still hours before the usual peak party time in Seoul, with emergency responders arriving just a few minutes later.
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Other videos showed large numbers of crowds in other alleyways near the Itaewon subway station. Some appeared to be trying to leave the area and were returning to the main street, seeking taxis and public transportation options.
It is not clear what sparked the stampede. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has called for an investigation.
Even as the tragedy unfolded in the neighborhood, some nearby bars were packed until at least 5 a.m. — the crowds apparently unaware of the tragedy that had taken place just a short walk away.