On the evening of October 24, a Prada event in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, drew a massive crowd, prompting local authorities to prematurely cancel the gathering out of concerns for safety. This decision echoes the tragic 2022 Itaewon crowd crush that resulted in 159 deaths.
Originally scheduled to run from 8 PM to 1 AM, the event attracted a large audience, especially with the attendance of popular figures, including actress Kim Tae-ri. Reports started coming in around 6:40 PM, with attendees expressing worries about potential crowd-related incidents and requesting police assistance to maintain order.
According to police sources, although the organizers had hired security personnel, they did not account for the chaos outside the main venue, resulting in overcrowding. It was estimated that around 700 people were present, which led to collisions involving buses and cars in the nearby streets.
Due to these escalating safety concerns, the organizers made the decision to end the event early at 10:45 PM, which also meant canceling the celebrity photo opportunity.
Chung Eon-woo, the head of Seongsu-dong district, shared his thoughts on social media platform X, stating that after discussions with the local police chief and other officials, the district government recommended that the event be concluded early to mitigate any risks of accidents.
