Yoon Hong Bin shared his horrific first-hand experience witnessing the tragic Itaewon stampede that killed over 150 people on Saturday, October 29. The actor believed the unfortunate event could have been avoided if only the authorities had guided the people accordingly.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared a period of national mourning after the Itaewon stampede left 153 deaths and 82 injured during the Halloween festivities in Seoul. The victims were reportedly mostly young people wearing their Halloween costumes.
In a post on Sunday, October 30, via AllKpop, Yoon Hong Bin revealed he heard people shouting "not to push" and "to push" at the same time. He then noticed that the police were only on the main street, while the crowd had already gathered at the back without anyone trying to fix the line on the international cuisine street.
He went outside to smoke and saw people being rushed to the ambulance while the officers were performing CPR on the street, as they couldn't take everyone on the ambulances. He could hear some asking their loved ones to wake up.
But sadly, the 28-year-old star only saw one resuscitated where he also helped perform CPR. He then admitted he couldn't bring in the person he tried to help.
Yoon Hong Bin continued that this tragedy could have been avoided and was even "entirely preventable" with the early signs it showed. He knew how hard-working the police were, but he found it a shame that no one thought to guide the people in the middle to walk from one side.
He just hoped everyone would work on making sure it would never happen again by focusing on how it happened.
In other news, Korean Prime Minister Han Duck Soo promised on Monday, October 31, to hold a thorough investigation into the Itaewon stampede. Aside from the deaths, the tragic event also left 149 injured, with 33 of them in serious condition.
The ordeal began when tens of thousands of people crammed into the narrow streets and alleyways of the famous Itaewon district in Seoul to attend the first in-person Halloween celebrations in three years. Many of the partygoers were reportedly in their teens, donning their costumes.
Witnesses said the chaos erupted when people swarmed into a particularly narrow and slanting lane even though it was already packed with people. On Monday, people started to lay white chrysanthemums, drinks, and candles at a small makeshift altar off the exit of the Itaewon subway station to remember the victims.
Shops and cafés were closed, and police cordoned off the site, filled with trash that the incident left. Schools, kindergartens, and companies have canceled all their Halloween events, along with K-pop concerts, events, and government briefings.
