K-pop singer and actor Lee Ji-han is one of the over 150 people who died at the Halloween stampede in Itaewon, Seoul.
Lee Jihan was celebrating Halloween in the Itaewon neighbourhood on Saturday when chaos ensued on the intensely overcrowded streets, causing a crowd crush. He was 24 years old.
His death was confirmed by his agency, 935 Entertainment. “We are sad to deliver such news today, but Lee Ji-han has passed away in the crush in Itaewon,” the company said in a statement to South Korean news outlets.
“We would like to express our deepest condolences to his family, who are saddened by the sudden tragic news, also to everyone who loved him,” the statement continued.
The crowd surge — which killed more than 153 people, including 26 foreigners as of Monday morning — is the worst disaster in South Korea’s recent history.
Ji-han’s career was launched when he was a contestant on the Korean singing competition “Produce 101”. Shortly thereafter, in 2019, he was cast in the Korean drama “Today Was Another Nam Hyun Day.”
South Korean law enforcement officials are investigating the Saturday night tragedy, which left at least 154 Halloween revelers dead. The incident occurred in Seoul’s Itaewon district, a popular nightlife area. President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared a week-long national mourning period.
Saturday’s disaster was concentrated in a sloped, narrow alley, with witnesses and survivors recalling a “hell-like” chaos with people falling on each other like dominoes.
They said the entire Itaewon area was jammed with slow-moving vehicles and partygoers clad in Halloween costumes, making it impossible for rescuers and ambulances to reach the crammed alleys in time.
