Safety Concerns Raised... Vehicle Accident Occurs
Jung Won-oh, District Mayor, Requests "Voluntary Event Termination"
Criticism of "Organizer's Inadequate Safety Management"
On the 24th, a large crowd gathered at a Prada luxury brand event held in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, creating a dangerous situation. [Source=Online Community, X (formerly Twitter)]
The photo wall event of the Italian luxury brand Prada (PRADA) was halted due to safety concerns.
On the 24th, Prada's event "THE SOUND OF PRADA SEOUL" was held in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. This was Prada's first music party-style event in Seoul, with numerous celebrities and influencers expected to attend, including actors Byeon Woo-seok and Kim Tae-ri, aespa's Karina, and TWICE's Sana.
However, the venue was located in a narrow alley that is usually congested with heavy traffic. As a large crowd gathered in the confined space, safety issues arose, and eventually, a minor collision between vehicles occurred. Fans and reporters became entangled, creating a dangerous situation, and the invited celebrities were unable to get out of their vehicles and had to wait inside.
Ultimately, the event was ended around 11:45 PM at the request of the police and Seongdong-gu authorities. Jung Won-oh, the mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated on his official X (formerly Twitter), "Since around 7 PM yesterday (10/24), the duty officer and department heads of Seongdong-gu Office have been monitoring the situation on-site together with the police and related agencies. Due to growing concerns over crowd congestion and safety accidents, it was judged that the event could no longer proceed, and the organizers were asked to voluntarily end the event." He added, "Above all, this was a measure for safety, so we ask for your understanding. Seongdong-gu will continue to do its best to maintain a safe community."
Netizens who saw this criticized the organizers' inadequate safety management, saying things like, "Have they already forgotten the Itaewon tragedy?", "What were they thinking holding an event in such a narrow place?", and "Don't make the residents call the police." They also condemned the indiscriminate invitation of participants, commenting, "Hold it in a safe place with only a few people," and "Celebrities are ambassadors, so it’s understandable, but why invite so many influencers?" A netizen who was at the scene said, "Suddenly, someone shouted 'No photo wall,' and the lights went out, causing chaos," and added, "They made people walk through the area, so accidents were inevitable. Maneuvering cars in the narrow alley was extremely dangerous."
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