Leaving Right Before The Itaewon Incident

Disappointment and sadness ran through my mind from experiencing the Itaewon tragedy taking away more than 150 lifes. 

After hearing the news, friends, classmates, and I were grieving and reflecting. I went out with them the next day, and we shared our thoughts and experiences. I felt I was in connection with the event. Being at the site minutes before the event happened was scary and memorable. I wished everyone for a speedy recovery. 

Experience in Itaewon Right Before

At 8:30 p.m., a friend and I arrived to Itaewon for another friend's safety. The person arrived in the area to spend time with acquintances but they did not show up. Eventually, we met in a safe area. We spent about an hour finding an open bar and then ended up in the club area. The narrow streets and sidewalks were difficult to walk through; they were filled with crowds and smoke. 30 minutes before the incident, I told my friends that I was heading back to Yonsei. I had to wake up early the next day for a CIEE event. The two friends continued to find a bar while I tried to leave Itaewon.

I walked outside of the club area and onto the main street of Itaewon. People began to flood onto the street to avoid the crowding. But still, they continued their way into multiple mini streets to the clubs. After 15 minutes of struggling to get into the subway station, I saw a mass of incomers lined up to get out. I knew there would a grid lock around the subway station. The line ended four stories underground, which was where the subway trains were running. Thousands of Halloween goers were still eager to visit Itaewon; however, they never knew it was already crowded above ground. I got onto the quiet train around 10:20 p.m. and never thought the tragedy would happen. 

My friends safely escaped right after I left. They continued walking to a safe place far away from the crowding. 

The Day After

My roommate woke me up to tell me about the tragedy at 2:30 a.m. I contacted my family and connections that I was safe. I also read the breaking news for 30 minutes. Later, in the morning, I shared my experience with other students. While I was going out, Seoul was calm and quiet. I felt strange walking around. But, other shoppers and tourists continued spending their leisure time, which caused the commercial areas to look normally busy. In the evening, I reflected how the event happened and how society played a role in it. It would take a matter of weeks to recoup my thoughts. 

The Itaewon Incident

Reports of people being "buried" in crowds were received at 10:24 p.m. Thousands of partygoers came and were concentrated in the clubbing area of Itaewon. That area had narrow streets and alleyways, not spacious enough to accomadate the record-breaking attendance of around 100,000 people came, some accounts said. This is because of two years of strict Covid restrictions. 

A pair of witnesses saw ambulances arriving around 11:00 pm.; however, crowds flooded the streets and caused traffic to move at a slow pace. Not everyone clearly knew the serious of the situation. Lack of communication prevented quicker action. 

Itaewon is multicultural tourism location in the middle of Seoul. Number of embysses are established in the area because of the diverse foreign community. The district is one of the most multicultural friendly places in South Korea. A fraction of the area district is the hub of late-night clubs. Most clubs are located on narrow streets and alleys of Itaewon while residential homes and apartments vacate most of Itaewon. 

The size and structure of Itaewon's club area was not built to handle 100,000 people at once. Since the late 1900's, the population of migrants and tourists grew. This year could indicate Itaewon's incapability to host many late-night partygoers.