World · East Asia & Pacific · 1 hr ago
Nearly 160,000 gather in Seoul districts for Halloween weekend
Nearly 160,000 people gathered in Seoul’s Itaewon and Hongdae districts over Halloween weekend.
Hongdae had an estimated 120,000 to 125,000 visitors at 9pm on Oct.
31, while Itaewon had about 30,000 to 32,000.
The weekend crowds were more than twice the average for each district over the previous 28 days.
Authorities tightened crowd controls, including restricting road traffic in Itaewon and directing pedestrians to keep moving.
Seoul Metro Line 6 trains stopped at Itaewon Station from 11.47pm to limit the number of people entering the crowded area.
No major incidents had been reported by Nov.
1, though there were minor cases involving intoxication and altercations.
Police found no suspicious substances in candy linked to social media claims and closed the case, saying the reports stemmed from a misunderstanding.
Visitors also held memorial events for the 159 people killed in Itaewon’s 2022 crowd crush.
Nearly 160,000 people gathered in Seoul’s Itaewon and Hongdae districts over Halloween weekend, according to one estimate.
A separate report said more than 140,000 people gathered in the two areas on the night of Oct. 31.
Authorities increased crowd-control measures because Halloween fell on a weekend and larger crowds were expected.
No major safety incidents had been reported in the districts as of the morning of Nov. 1.
The weekend came four years after a crowd crush in Itaewon killed 159 people.
- Who
- Nearly 160,000 people gathered in Itaewon and Hongdae, according to one estimate.
- What
- Crowds gathered in the Seoul districts over Halloween weekend. Authorities took measures to manage pedestrian flows and prevent congestion.
- When
- The main crowds gathered on the evening of Oct. 31, 2026.
- Where
- Itaewon and Hongdae, Seoul, South Korea.
- Why
- People gathered for Halloween weekend. Authorities heightened their alert because larger crowds were expected.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A crowd crush in Itaewon killed 159 people.
Traffic on Itaewon’s main road was restricted to secure pedestrian space.
An estimated 120,000 to 125,000 people were in Hongdae and 30,000 to 32,000 in Itaewon.
Seoul Metro Line 6 trains skipped Itaewon Station until the end of service.
The estimated Hongdae crowd had fallen to 86,000 to 88,000, while Itaewon had 30,000 to 32,000 people.
- Hongdae crowd at 9pm
- Estimated 120,000 to 125,000
- Itaewon crowd at 9pm
- Estimated 30,000 to 32,000
- Combined crowd estimate
- As many as 157,000
- Itaewon crowd crush
- 159 people killed on Oct. 29, 2022
- Itaewon Station
- Line 6 trains skipped it from 11.47pm until end of service