Korea's Entertainment Industry Players Postpone Events As Nation Mourns Itaewon Tragedy

South Korea's entertainment industry has canceled several promotional events as the nation mourns the deaths of over 150 people in a tragic incident in the Itaewon district of Seoul, on Saturday night.

Broadcasting stations are currently not airing entertainment programs and have replaced them with breaking news. Press conferences and fan meeting events, such as the theater tour, which was supposed to be led by actors Nam Joo Hyuk and Lee Sung Min, and director Lee Il Hyung were postponed, The Korea Times reported.

The press conference for Ma Dong Seok's new film "Men of Plastic" was also canceled.

Singers such as BTS' Jin, who released his first solo single, "The Astronaut" on Friday, have also held off on new content releases and promotional activities this week. Other artists who canceled public engagements and expressed condolences to the families of the deceased include EXO's Chen, Apink's Jung Eun-ji, and singer/rapper Yong Jun-hyung.

Additionally, Blackpink's entertainment agency, YG shared a brief statement announcing the postponement of its artists' activities this week.

"We have decided to temporarily postpone the promotion schedule and content release dates for our artists. We will further make a notice on the detailed schedules," the agency said as published by Soompi.

Six-member boy band DRIPPIN's album release on Tuesday was also postponed by Woollim Entertainment while girl group IRRIS also called off the supposed release of their new single "Stay W!th Me," on Monday.

Three other K-pop groups, JYP Entertainment's Xdinary Heroes, YOUNITE and ICHILLIN' have all postponed the release of new music and albums this week.

South Korean YouTube content creators, too said they will not release new entertainment-related content this week in light of the mourning period.

Meanwhile, TVXQ member and "Share the World" singer Kim Jaejoong canceled his concert in Japan just two hours prior to the event on Sunday.

Thousands of people celebrated Halloween in the Itaewon district on Saturday, the nation's first no-mask event since the pandemic. As crowds swelled, panic erupted, and crammed partygoers found it hard to breathe and move, witnesses told CNN.

Many of those who died were in their teens and early twenties including 26 foreign nationals, coming from the United States, China, Iran, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Japan, Australia, Norway, France, Russia, Austria, Vietnam, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

South Korean government officials declared a period of national mourning until Nov. 5 as the investigation into the tragedy continues.