[Together We Overcome] "Crowded Subway Commute Is Scary"... South Korea Falling Into 'Collective Trauma'

156 Dead in Disaster Feels Like Direct Experience
Expressing Distress After Unfiltered Exposure to Devastating On-Site Photos
Indirect Experience Also Causes Significant Psychological Shock... Must Acknowledge and Accept
Psychiatric Treatment Needed If Symptoms Persist to Disrupt Daily Life

Editor's NoteIn the face of a national disaster with a large number of casualties, many people?including the bereaved families, the injured, rescue personnel, witnesses at the scene, and even the public who watched the situation through photos or videos?are struggling to recover from the shock. Since this was a major tragedy that occurred in an extremely ordinary space, it is expected that it will take some time for everyone to overcome feelings of anxiety, fear, and guilt and find peace of mind. Asia Economy will take an in-depth look over three installments at how our society should embrace this pain and overcome it together.

A citizen who visited the joint memorial altar for the victims of the Itaewon tragedy, set up at Seoul Plaza in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 31st of last month, is shedding tears after offering flowers. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

#Choi Ji-hyun (43), who commutes from Gayang-dong to Nonhyeon-dong using Subway Line 9 in Seoul, has been leaving home earlier than usual since last Monday. Instead of taking the express train, which is always packed and requires waiting for one or two trains before boarding, she opts for the less crowded regular train. Choi said, "Even before, when I was squeezed tightly among people during my commute, I thought, 'This could lead to an accident,' but after the Itaewon disaster, I have been tormented by the fear of 'Ah, this is how people die.'"

"It breaks my heart that such a thing could happen right in the middle of Seoul, our country’s capital. Why must young people suffer like this? As a parent raising children, it doesn’t feel like someone else’s problem, so I came here." Park Jeong-ae (46), who visited the memorial altar set up in front of Seoul City Hall Plaza on the 1st, wiped her tears repeatedly with a handkerchief. Park said, "I don’t know how much I worried when my 22-year-old daughter, who went out for a Halloween party last Saturday night, didn’t contact me. Fortunately, she was near Hongdae, but even now, I struggle as the scenes of the accident I saw on TV keep coming to mind."

The Itaewon disaster, which has so far claimed 156 lives, is expected to have a negative impact on the mental health of our citizens for a considerable period. Not only the injured and bereaved families who were at the scene but also many ordinary citizens report feelings of anxiety and depression, panic attacks, or difficulty controlling anger after the accident. Those who indirectly experienced the accident through news or social networking services (SNS) often suffer as images and videos keep replaying in their minds. Experts warn that since the Itaewon disaster can leave psychological trauma on the entire nation, people should not try to suppress or hide these emotions but seek professional help if necessary.

Social Disaster Shared via SNS... Nationwide Indirect Experience

Even those who did not directly experience the disaster suffer anxiety and stress upon hearing shocking news or seeing photos related to the disaster. Moreover, the Itaewon disaster was an unprecedented large-scale crush accident in Korea, and because the scene was transmitted intact to the public through SNS, the entire society is more likely to experience collective trauma.

From the night of the 29th, immediately after the accident, videos and photos taken by eyewitnesses flooded online and SNS in real time. Videos showing dozens of paramedics and citizens urgently performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and shocking photos of bodies lying on the roadside were spread without any mosaic blurring. Because of this, even people who had not been near Itaewon or had no casualties among their close acquaintances felt as if they had directly experienced the accident.

The Korean Neuropsychiatric Association issued a statement immediately after the accident warning, "Spreading unfiltered videos and photos of the scene damages the honor of the deceased and victims and can lead to secondary and tertiary harm," emphasizing, "We must all exercise civic responsibility to prevent further dissemination."

Especially since many victims of this disaster were in their 20s, many young people of the same age group are also reporting significant shock. Although many posts related to the accident appear on online communities mainly frequented by university students, there is even a cautious atmosphere where friends tend to hold back from talking when they meet in person.

A university student, Kim (21), who requested anonymity, said, "A friend who works part-time in the Itaewon alleys has been out of contact, and (after the accident) it seems they are having a hard time. I’ve heard some students are skipping school without permission, and since there are people who were actually at the scene or bereaved families, everyone is worried and cautious."

Another university student, Kim Jeong-hoon (23), said, "I woke up on Sunday morning and casually opened SNS, but a video of the accident scene without any blurring appeared. I only realized the accident had happened after watching the video, and I was so shocked by the horrific scenes being posted as photos that I quickly unfollowed all accounts." He added, "Many around me have unexpectedly witnessed shocking scenes. Itaewon was a place we often visited when we gathered with friends, so it’s upsetting that such an accident happened in a place anyone could go at any time."

On the 1st, during the national mourning period following the large-scale crush disaster in Itaewon, citizens are receiving counseling at the Itaewon Accident Psychological Support Counseling Center set up in Seoul Plaza. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Recognize Anxiety and Depression and Comfort Yourself

Experts identify anxiety and depression as the most representative symptoms of mental health problems following such social disasters. When emotional shock is severe, physical reactions such as chest tightness, insomnia, and digestive issues may also occur.

Lee Hyun-joo, a clinical fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at Seoul National University, explained, "Indirect experience can cause psychological shock as much as direct experience, so it is best to avoid exposure to media and photos as much as possible. However, rather than completely avoiding everything, gradually returning to daily life at one’s own pace helps recovery more." She emphasized that not becoming overly immersed in feelings of depression, anxiety, or fear and accepting them as natural reactions leads to faster recovery.

Lee added, "Whether bereaved families or indirect experiencers, recovery time varies by individual, so it is necessary to grieve and go through a mourning period. If depression or anxiety worsens over time to the point of interfering with daily life, it is essential to visit a nearby psychiatric clinic for treatment."

The Korean Society of Traumatic Stress Studies recommends self-soothing methods such as deep breathing and abdominal breathing, feeling the ground by lifting and lowering the heels (grounding technique), or crossing the arms over the chest and tapping both forearms 10 to 15 times (butterfly hug) when suffering from trauma related to the disaster.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare has formed the "Itaewon Accident Integrated Psychological Support Team" within the National Trauma Center and is providing psychological support to bereaved families, injured persons, and witnesses near Noksapyeong Station. A field counseling center operated by the Seoul City Integrated Psychological Support Team has also been set up right next to the memorial altar at Seoul City Hall. Jeon Gyeong-seon, team leader of the National Trauma Center, stated, "While priority is given to psychological support for those directly affected and traumatized at the scene, counseling is also provided to anyone who wants it, including those who developed trauma from watching broadcasts or SNS videos and ordinary citizens."

Stabilization Techniques for Overcoming Trauma
(Source: Research on the Development of Disaster Mental Health Support Information Content and Platform)