be careful 조심하세요
Having a Korean mother, I have been my entire life scared of pain and dying. I also was told that if I died young and left my mother and father too early, then that the experience would forever haunt them. Specifically this a Korean sentiment fear of loss and pain all wrapped in guilt. So with that Korean parents constantly remind their children to be careful (조심하세). We tend to be cautious people when you have been told this our entire lives.
Tragedy Occurs
When I saw the crowd crush in Itaewon. That was really hard to think about. Korea is a country so wrapped up in its fear of losing their children. Usually we are trying to make things so safe so that things like this won’t ever happen.
Itaewon
I was in the same exact area actually walked by that street about two weeks before the incident. I had to be in Korea for my daughter, and we were in that neighbourhood for work. Now I want you to understand this is not my favourite neighbourhood but I have a long connection to it.
Special to me
My mom (ever the snob) has always considered this an area where lower expats would go to hang out. She thinks the bars are a bit seedy. She would not encourage me to hang out there. However during the day I would go so often. My dad and I used to go there together to eat burgers on the weekends when I was a child. So I have so many pleasant memories of Itaewon because my father is no longer with us.
What it looks like
Now this past summer, we were also there and actually it’s interesting because we took photos there! Actually these photos can show you how narrow the alleys are. I have to remind you it’s built on a huge hill. Itaewon is steep and almost borders the banks of the Han River. You can see Gangnam from the other side. This area hasn’t really been modernized. There are no high rises, it really kept its original type of housing. The residential buildings maybe at most six stories tall. It’s not mass housing, and so the neighbourhood hasn’t lost its cute local feeling.
Why it happened
The thing is its all built on a hill. There are stairs built into the alleys, and there’s also some narrow staircases that lead up to doorsteps. The most interesting part, and this is where I think that I could see where somebody could have fallen is … There is very smooth pavement next to the stairs, and that is for people to roll up suitcases or carts. This is how many people bring supplies up to their homes.
personal experience
During the shoot I reminded the kids the walkways are steep. I told my kids don’t walk on that piece of the walkway. Like a true Korean I reminded my kids, they have to be careful. If they don’t, they’re going to slip. The truth is if there are so many people there and someone falls, it’s like dominoes. So I’m so sorry to hear about this tragedy. I definitely think it could have been prevented.
covid is also responsible
However with Covid so many things have changed. Nobody really knew that the kids would be going out to celebrate like previous years before the pandemic. Korea still has many Covid restrictions. Sadly I think a lot of people they haven’t been out in social settings for a long time now. It has seriously affected young people, these kids should be out having fun. Covid has taken that away. We need to learn how to cope with fear in all forms.