Notes Gathered Online Ahead of the 5th Anniversary of the Gangnam Station Murder Case

The civic group Seoul Women's Association opened an online memorial page to mark the 5th anniversary of the Gangnam Station murder case (17th), attracting many condolence messages.
[Photo by Seoul Women's Association]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] The civic group Seoul Women's Association announced on the 13th that, ahead of the 5th anniversary (the 17th) of the 'Gangnam Station Murder Case,' they have opened an online memorial page considering the COVID-19 situation. Anyone can write a memorial message through this page.

The Gangnam Station Murder Case is a heinous crime that occurred five years ago in a unisex restroom near Gangnam Station in Seoul, where a man brutally killed a woman he did not know. In the early morning of May 17, 2016, the perpetrator was waiting inside the restroom, letting six men who entered before pass by, and committed the crime as soon as the female victim entered. The perpetrator was waiting for a woman to enter the restroom.

At the time, the perpetrator stated during the police investigation, "I was often ignored by women and could no longer endure it, so I committed the crime."

Upon hearing this story, numerous citizens gathered around Exit 10 of Gangnam Station, the crime scene, to carry out memorial activities. They placed chrysanthemums or attached Post-it notes containing their own stories to express their condolences to the deceased.

The Seoul Women's Association plans to hold two rallies near Gangnam Station on the 17th to mark the 5th anniversary of the incident. This year, considering the COVID-19 situation, the offline rallies will be held on a small scale, and an 'online action' will be conducted simultaneously. The group opened an online page titled 'Our Memory and Struggle' where anyone can write memorial messages.

The group stated, "Due to COVID-19, only up to nine people can attend the offline rally," and added, "Although people cannot participate directly, we have prepared an online Post-it space for those who want to express their feelings." On the day of the rally, some of the online memorial messages will be posted and read aloud.