A South Korean singer and actor is among the many greater than 150 individuals useless after a crowd surge throughout Halloween festivities in Seoul, South Korea.
Lee Jihan was celebrating Halloween within the Itaewon neighbourhood on Saturday when chaos ensued on the intensely overcrowded streets, inflicting a crowd crush. He was 24 years outdated.
The group surge — which killed greater than 153 individuals, together with 26 foreigners as of Monday morning — is the worst catastrophe in South Korea’s current historical past.
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South Korean police examine lethal Halloween crowd surge in Seoul
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South Korean police examine lethal Halloween crowd surge in Seoul
Lee’s businesses, 935 Leisure and 9Ato Leisure, each confirmed the star’s loss of life in a public statement. With plain textual content on a black background, the assertion, which is in Korean, learn: “We’re unhappy to ship such information right now, however Lee Jihan has handed away within the crush in Itaewon final evening.”
“We wish to categorical our deepest condolences to his household, who’re saddened by the sudden tragic information, additionally to everybody who liked him,” the assertion continued.
Lee’s company additionally stated he was “a candy and heat buddy to all” who had a “vivid smile” and “ardour for performing.”
Lee rose to reputation after he appeared as a contestant on the Korean TV program Produce 101, a singing competitors the place hopefuls battled for one in every of 11 spots in a brand new Korean boyband. He auditioned with a canopy of EXO’s Overdose.
He additionally carried out INFINITE’s Be Mine alongside a number of different rivals on Produce 101.
Although Lee didn’t win the competitors, he garnered a substantial fanbase after the present.
Lee later used his new reputation to earn an performing function within the Okay-Drama Right this moment Was One other Namhyun Day.
Saturday’s catastrophe was concentrated in a sloped, slim alley, with witnesses and survivors recalling a “hell-like” chaos with individuals falling on one another like dominoes. They stated the complete Itaewon space was jammed with slow-moving autos and partygoers clad in Halloween costumes, making it unimaginable for rescuers and ambulances to achieve the crammed alleys in time.
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Halloween festivities in Itaewon haven’t any official organizers. South Korean police stated Monday they don’t have any particular procedures for dealing with incidents equivalent to crowd surges throughout an occasion that has no organizers.
Greater than 80 per cent of the useless have been of their 20s or 30s and 11 have been youngsters, the South Korean Inside Ministry stated.
The group surge was South Korea’s deadliest catastrophe since 2014, when 304 individuals, principally highschool college students, died in a ferry sinking.
In line with the web site AllKPop, Lee’s funeral will happen on Tuesday.
— With information from The Related Press
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