US-born Korean expatriate Joe McPherson, like many expats who have frequented Itaewon, Seoul, over the years, said there have been growing systemic problems with safety.
This, with thousands of young people full of pent-up energy after years of Covid lockdowns, created the perfect storm for Saturday night’s tragedy, and yesterday morning’s makeshift mortuary.
McPherson is the founding editor of ZenKimchi.com, the longest running Korean food blog, and has lived in South Korea for almost two decades. He is a media consultant for noted international publications, including on CNN’s Parts Unknown with Anthony Bourdain.
ZenKimchi runs the Dark Side of Seoul tours, looking at the city’s dark history and ghost stories, popular near Halloween but even more so this year, as Covid’s hold on Asia loosens. Speaking by phone yesterday, McPherson said the company had doubled its highest bookings for tours this month.
"When Seoul started opening up, there were lines going out of every restaurant. Everyone was just dying to go out and celebrate something."
Itaewon began as a camp town for the United States Forces Korea, and was separated from the main Yongsan Garrison by high concertina-wire topped walls and gates patrolled by USFK and Korean Forces personnel, and Korean police.
In modern times, it has become a warren of twisting avenues and alleyways on the slopes of Mt Namsan and on the other side of the main street, where similar alleys led up to the local mosque.
Until 2017, when Yongsan Garrison began to relocate to Camp Humphreys in Pyeontaek, 70km south of Seoul, Itaewon was party central for US service members and friends, foreign ESL teachers including Kiwis, tourists and adventurous Koreans.
With the relocation of the US base, many businesses in Itaewon closed but its restaurants, bars and nightclubs gained a new following of young Koreans and overseas visitors. This was primarily due to the popularity of a K-drama called Itaewon Class, a 2020 series shown on Netflix about an ex-con and his friends with ambitious dreams for their street bar in Itaewon.
One episode features Halloween in Itaewon and fans come from around Asia to celebrate Halloween in the suburb.
The celebrations were problematic in 2020 and 2021 despite Covid regulations, McPherson said.
"They tried to keep people away from Itaewon because of Covid but it was very half-assed."
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman yesterday said they were not aware of any New Zealanders who had been affected or who were seeking assistance.
There are 39 New Zealanders registered on SafeTravel as being in Seoul.
