Lee Jihan was amongst the 154 people killed this past Saturday.
Jihan was a 24-year-old singer and actor, and his death was confirmed by his agencies 935 Entertainment and 9Ato Entertainment.
Jihan was present at a Halloween event that occurred this past Saturday, where many people were killed in a narrow alley in the town of Itaewon after the area was overcrowded and people started to panic. Per the BBC, the Halloween celebration was located in a popular nightlife area that attracted thousands of guests.
Following the tragic news, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared a national period of mourning, which resulted in several entertainment programs to temporarily stop airing.
“I am heartbroken to [share] sad news,” reads a translation on Instagram. Jiwan has “has become a star in the sky and left us” after his “sudden death.”
“We are sad to deliver such news today, but Lee Jihan has passed away in the crush in Itaewon last night,” reads a statement according to Entertainment Tonight. “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 gained fame on the second season of “Produce 101”, a reality competition where winners join a K-pop group. Later, Jihan appeared in the Korean drama series “Today Was Another Nam Hyun Day.” Per the KPop Herald, Jihan was shooting an upcoming series called “Season of Kok Du,” and had finished concluded shooting his scenes.
