“Running Man” Episode With BTS’s Jin And Other TV Shows Canceled In Light Of Itaewon Tragedy

TV shows in Korea are canceling episodes scheduled for the next few days following the recent tragic events in Itaewon.

On October 29, multiple reports of a human stampede or “crush accident” happening in Itaewon, Seoul, reached local authorities. The situation turned fatal, with at least 153 casualties being reported as of October 30, with 82 injured.

Reportedly, almost 100,000 people had gathered in Itaewon, an area known for its nightlife, for Halloween celebrations. It was the first large event after the lifting of social distancing and mask mandates.

When a large crowd got caught in a narrow alley next to the landmark Hamilton Hotel, things quickly devolved into a state of emergency as people began to suffocate and suffer from cardiac arrest, with witnesses pointing to “forceful pushing” as the cause of the crowd surge.

As of 2PM (KST) on October 30, Seoul City has received 3,580 missing person reports. Additionally, at least 19 of the 82 reported injured are known to be in critical condition, leading officials to say that casualties could still rise.

In light of the tragic events, numerous public events have been canceled, as well as TV shows scheduled to air over the next few days. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol announced in a statement to the press that a period of national mourning will be observed until “the accident is brought under control,” according to Yonhap News.

As reporter Kelly Kasulis Cho of The Washington Post explains, a national mourning period was also observed in 2014 during which comedy and variety shows were canceled for weeks following the tragic Sewol ferry disaster in which 304 passengers drowned.

Among the canceled shows in the upcoming days is the episode of Running Man featuring BTS‘s Jin, which was scheduled for October 30. Jin recently released his solo single album The Astronaut.

SBS announced the cancelation of his episode asking for fans’ understanding.

Similarly, SBS also canceled music shows Inkigayo and The Show, with pre-recording for the latter on Tuesday also being postponed. MBC has canceled its scheduled variety shows as well, including King Of Masked Singer.

In his statement, President Yoon said that the national mourning period will be observed until midnight on November 5.