Seoul crowds surge in Itaewon and Hongdae for Halloween

Large crowds gathered in Seoul's Itaewon and Hongdae districts to celebrate Halloween, which coincided with the weekend. Real-time urban data indicated that the population in the Hongdae tourism special zone peaked at approximately 130,000 people, while the Itaewon tourism special zone saw around 30,000 to 32,000 visitors.

To prevent accidents, authorities implemented proactive safety measures. In Itaewon, vehicle traffic was restricted from 6:00 PM between the Itaewon 119 Safety Center and Noksapyeong Plaza to create pedestrian spaces. Due to extreme congestion, the Line 6 subway skipped stops at Itaewon Station during the late-night hours.

Police deployed approximately 7,800 personnel across 28 major management areas nationwide to monitor crowds and prevent crime. While some bottlenecks occurred in narrow alleys, no major incidents were reported. In Itaewon, commemorative events were also held to remember the victims of the October 29 tragedy.