Singer and actor Lee Jihan dies in South Korea stampede at 24
Several K-pop releases and events have been canceled or rescheduled in the wake of the deadly event.
Singer and actor Lee Jihan was among the 153 who died in the Itaewon stampede in Seoul, South Korea. He was 24.
Lee’s agency, 935 Entertainment, confirmed the news in a statement: “We are sad to deliver such news today, but Lee Ji-han has passed away in the crush in Itaewon. We would like to express our deepest condolences to his family, who are saddened by the sudden tragic news, also to everyone who loved him.”
Jihan was a rising star in the Korean entertainment industry, having competed in the second season of the Korean singing competition Produce 101. On the show, which centers on 101 K-Pop performers vying for a spot in an 11-member boy band. Jihan gained a fanbase after performing covers of hits like “Overdose’ and “Be Mine” before he was eliminated in the fifth episode.
Following the reality competition, he began taking on acting roles. In 2019, he appeared in the Korean drama Today Was Another Namhyun Day.
The crowd crush tragedy occured over the weekend when a crowd surge took place in a narrow alley. Over 140 were injured, with the victims being mostly young adults from a span of 14 countries. As of Monday, Korean police have launched an investigation into what happened, including looking into how crowd control measures and safety precautions failed.
President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared a period of national mourning until Nov. 5. Several K-pop releases and events have been canceled or rescheduled in the wake of the deadly event.
