The Itaewon tragedy was a large-scale crowd crush incident that occurred on the night of October 29, 2022, in Itaewon, Yongsan District, Seoul. A massive crowd gathered in Itaewon to celebrate Halloween, and a narrow alleyway became overcrowded, leading to an uncontrollable situation.
As a result, 159 people lost their lives, and 196 were injured, making it one of the deadliest crowd disasters in modern South Korean history. Most of the victims were young people in their 20s and 30s, and the incident brought immense shock and grief both domestically and internationally. Following the tragedy, the importance of crowd management and safety measures was highlighted, sparking discussions about the response and accountability related to the incident.
Starting from the following day, October 30, memorial services for the victims of the tragedy were held at Itaewon Station for several days. Many people gathered in grief, united in their desire to send the victims to a place of peace.