THE deadly Halloween crush in Itaewon, South Korea, which took the lives of more than 150 people, has affected the entire nation. What was particularly heartbreaking was the fact that most of the victims were so young – either teenagers or in their early 20s.
Within hours of the situation unfolding on Saturday night, SM Entertainment took to social media to announce the cancellation of its annual Halloween party. In a statement posted on its social media platforms, SM Entertainment said that the planned live broadcast of its red carpet event, as well as the party itself, would not take place out of respect for the victims of the Itaewon disaster, and asked for its fans’ understanding.
While many netizens admitted they were disappointed, almost all of them said that it was the right thing for the company to do in light of the tragedy.
Aside from the SM Halloween Party, this week’s episode of the music show Inkigayo was also cancelled.
On Sunday morning, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a period of national mourning which would last until Nov 5.
