Page 19 - Digital Cornice Grade 9

Halloween Party In Seoul

By: Subigya B. Foyal

The street’s hustle made the city finally look alive after a long period of lockdown. During that

time, many weren’t allowed to go outdoors and enjoy their daily lives. However, as the lockdown
came to an end, Halloween returned once again in 2022.

The Halloween party that took place in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, was the most hyped
event for Koreans after the COVID-19 outbreak. The party was held on the 29th of October, in the
streets of Itaewon, a neighborhood popular for its nightlife.

The morning of the party, shops were filled with people looking to buy suitable Halloween
costumes, making the streets of Seoul lively and festive. It was a joyous occasion for the young
Koreans. In the afternoon, people decorated their houses with Halloween designs, scary carved
pumpkins, and fake spider webs. As the night began to fall, people headed to Itaewon with great
enthusiasm. Many were ecstatic to have an opportunity to leave their house and participate in an
entertaining event. As time went by, the number of people in the narrow streets of Itaewon began
to increase rapidly.

As people started to join in the festival even after the streets became overcrowded, there was no
space left for the people to move. Slowly, the force of people's push and pull started to increase,
causing a crowd crush. During the crowd crush, many people fainted and others stepped upon their

bodies. Furthermore, suffocation due to not having enough room to move caused more serious
problems. Even though the ambulance arrived at the scene, more than 158 people died and 196
other people were severely injured.

The government took responsibility for all the funerals and paid for the hospital bills of the
injured. This was an unforeseen circumstance that took place during the Halloween festival in
Seoul.