Various costumes… “I’m worried about Itaewon, Hongdae” vs. “To the freedom of Itaewon”
Traffic control along Itaewon main street... Police deploy 7,800 people to 28 locations across the country
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Jeong Ji-su and Yang Su-yeon = On the evening of the 31st, when the weekend and Halloween coincided for the first time since the Itaewon disaster on October 29 four years ago, major downtown streets in Seoul were crowded with people.
At around 7 PM on this day, people wearing various characters and colorful Halloween costumes gathered with excited expressions on the streets of Itaewon, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and Hongdae, Mapo-gu.
According to Seoul's real-time city data, the real-time population of Itaewon Special Tourist Zone as of 7 p.m. was 18,000 to 20,000, and the congestion level was at the 'crowded' level. People in their 20s accounted for the most at 38.3%.
On Red Road in Hongdae, a population of 115,000 to 120,000 people gathered, and the electronic sign indicating the congestion level showed 'very crowded'.
Fences were installed on the streets of Hongdae to manage crowds, and citizens passed in one direction in a relatively orderly manner. It was possible to pass through the streets of Itaewon without much confusion.
Kim Moon-il (33), who dressed up as the game character 'Super Mario', said, "When I was young, I loved Mario games so much that I prepared a costume," and added, "I came to Hongdae to share the fun with people."
Mr. Lee (29), an office worker wearing a skull mask and a model sickle, said, "I wanted to relieve stress, so I dressed up and came out. In the case of Itaewon, I was worried about the narrow alleys, so I came out to Hongdae, which has a relatively wide space."
Mr. Baek Du-san (41), who came out to enjoy Halloween with his two children and wife, said with a smile, “I had memories of enjoying Halloween with my children last year, so I came again this time.”
Mr. Baek said, “I came to Hongdae because I thought there would be a lot of people in Itaewon. Here too, I try to avoid crowds and cigarette smoke as much as possible.”
People gathered all over the streets of Itaewon to enjoy Halloween.
Mr. A, a man in his 40s who dressed up inspired by the movies 'A Hero's True Colors' and 'The Matrix,' said, "I came here because Itaewon is free," and "I plan to have a very enjoyable day."
Mr. A also expressed his concern, saying, "We experienced (a disaster) once anyway, so we need to be careful. I hope we all take good care of each other."
As the sun set, the music beats pounded, creating a festive atmosphere.
The streets were crowded with people taking commemorative photos with people dressed in unique costumes, such as holding model chainsaws.
Nearby stores appeared ready to welcome citizens who came out to enjoy Halloween with decorations such as pumpkin-shaped lanterns and skull models. There was a long line waiting even before the restaurant opened.
Police officers wearing fluorescent coats constantly blew their whistles and patrolled the streets, keeping a close eye on the situation.
From around 6 p.m., vehicle traffic was restricted along Itaewon Street.
In preparation for Halloween, the police deployed 7,800 police officers, including police riot squads, metropolitan crime prevention patrols, and detectives, to 28 key management areas across the country, including 14 in Seoul.
There were also people who stopped by the alley where the Itaeeon disaster occurred and quietly paid their respects.
Citizens placed chrysanthemums in the alley and talked while looking at post-it notes with words of remembrance written on them.
Hwang A-young (25), a college student who visited this place with her younger brother, said, "I remembered that it was Halloween today, and I stopped by for a moment because I heard about the disaster. I feel very sad, and I think this is something that should definitely not happen anywhere else."
