Producer 101 Season 2 contestant Lee Ji-han died in the Halloween crush that took place in Seoul on Saturday night. For the unversed, a stampede resulted in Seoul’s Itaewon neighbourhood during the Halloween celebrations, leaving 154 people dead and hundreds injured. It has been reported that Lee Ji-han (24, international age) was among those who died in the tragedy.
His agency 935 Entertainment confirmed the news. As reported by Soompi, the agency said that while they were hoping the news wouldn’t be true, the news of his passing is indeed true. “It’s true that Lee Ji Han passed away due to the accident in Itaewon on October 29. We also hoped that it wasn’t true, and we were very shocked to hear the news. The family is suffering immense grief right now, so we are being very cautious. May he rest in peace,” they said.
The news of his passing first surfaced online when his co-contestants Park Hee Seok, Kim Do Hyun, and Cho Jin Hyung took to Instagram and shared the news of his passing. “Ji Han has left this world and gone to a comfortable place. We ask that you say goodbye to him on his final path,” their statements read.
Lee Ji-han was eliminated from the show in the first round. However, he continued to remain active as an actor. He appeared in the web drama Today Was Another Nam Hyun Day.
CNN reported that the casualties were mostly teenagers and young adults. Besides locals, at least 26 foreign nationals also died in the tragic stampede. Victims reportedly belong to numerous countries, including the United States, China, Iran, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Japan, Australia, Norway, France, Russia, Austria, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a period of national mourning on Sunday. Several shows and K-pop stars postponed their broadcast and planned activities in the wake of the tragedy.
