Halloween returns, but Halloween not visible

On October 17, ten days before the one-year anniversary of the Itaewon Halloween crowd crush, citizens gaze at the wall full of messages remembering the victims at the site of the tragedy near Itaewon Station Exit 1 in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Seong Dong-hun

At noon October 17, ten days before the one-year anniversary of the Itaewon Halloween crowd crush, a section displaying Christmas decorations including Christmas trees and a Rudolph lamp was set up about 20 meters past the first floor entrance of Costco, a U.S. warehouse store.

All kinds of products related to Christmas were stacked up in a space of about 50m2. When you take the escalator down to B1, various drinks and boxes of chocolate celebrating Christmas come into view. The areas filled with special products for Christmas were where Halloween decorations and products were on display every year around this time of the year. When we asked the store staff if they had any Halloween-related products, she said, “We haven’t received any (products) this year. We only have one kind of jelly related to Halloween.”

Recently a post claiming, “Halloween goods have disappeared from Costco” stirred controversy on social media. Ahead of Halloween, a well-known day of celebration in the U.S., Costco promoted and sold a large number of Halloween decorations and goods each year.

Costco’s decision not to sell Halloween-related products appears to have been influenced by the one-year anniversary of the tragic incident in Itaewon on October 29, 2022.

It was not easy to find Halloween-related events in department stores or other large retailers either. The situation was the same at amusement parks, which hold large festivals with a Halloween theme every year. Everland organized an autumn festival on the theme of Thanksgiving. Seoul Land is holding an Oktoberfest, the famous German beer festival. And Lotte World’s autumn festival is centered on the theme of fantasy. Starbucks did not release any merchandise related to Halloween this year, either.

The decision to spend a quiet Halloween is spreading beyond industries to society in general. In an online community of parents, people wrote posts such as, “This year, the kindergarten is not holding a Halloween party,” and “The parents made a suggestion and changed the theme to a Thanksgiving party.” A (34), an elementary school teacher said, “Since about four years ago, when October came, we decorated the classroom with Halloween decorations, but because of the tragic event in Itaewon, this year, we decorated the room in a classic style with scarecrows and dragonflies.” She also said, “I asked the children for their opinions, and we made the decision without much trouble.” Regional Halloween-themed festivals, such as the Daegu Halloween Festival, have also been suspended.

Online, some people complained that they couldn’t enjoy Halloween because of the eyes of others, but many of the citizens that the Kyunghyang Shinmun met said they understood the mood of refraining from celebrations. Yi Eui-sun (71), who visited Costco Tuesday said, “It’s been nearly a year since the Itaewon tragedy, and in this situation, I think we should spend the time quietly.” Bak (32), an employed worker, said, “People are free to enjoy the holiday, but since it was a day when a disaster killed over 150 people, I will personally spend it quietly.”

Some people also contributed to the debate on the Halloween celebration and said it was more important to celebrate safely. Seo A-reum (23), who works in a restaurant in the area near Hongik University (Hongdae) in Seoul, said, “It’s okay to be sad (on the first anniversary of the disaster), but we also need to restore business. So I think it would be good to celebrate with our mind on safety.”

A group representing the bereaved families of the Itaewon crowd crush victims held a press conference in front of the public memorial space in front of Seoul City Hall in Jung-gu Monday and said, “Halloween is not the cause of the disaster and is not the true nature of the problem. People trying to celebrate are not guilty.” They further said, “We cannot tolerate the people who ignore safety, and we will make our voices heard so that our society can safely enjoy the celebration.”