Heartbroken Bus Driver Battles Guilt After Daughter’s Tragic End
When the Halloween crowd flooded Seoul’s Itaewon alleyways, a friendly bus driver named Cho Gi‑Dong was turned into an unintentional witness of grief. Moments after his 24‑year‑old daughter, Ye‑jin, tragically collapsed in the crush, Cho kept visiting a crypt nearly every day to pick up the pieces of his shattered world.
Remembering Ye‑jin
Ye‑jin was the only child he had ever known, so the loss felt like the death of a part of his own heart. While standing in the A
bombcenter city of Daejeon crematorium, he tried to play the part of a calm man:
- “My heart still throbs as if there’s a rock in it, but I can’t remove that rock.”
- He held onto the wallet she had been given when she left for college five years earlier— a small, bittersweet relic of her past.
It wasn’t just that his daughter lost her life; it was that he failed to save her. “I feel like a sinner,” Cho admitted, his voice cracking with the weight of guilt.
The Halloween Disaster
On October 29, a sudden surge of thrill‑seeking revelers turned a narrow Seoul lane into an impromptu death tunnel, claiming 158 lives. Ye‑jin was dressed as Princess Jasmine from Disney’s Aladdin and had gone out with two friends who also perished.
- Most victims were in their twenties and thirties, victims of an overwhelming crush.
- Nearly 200 people suffered injuries after escaping the tragic night.
Seeking Justice
After Ye‑jin’s death, Cho took a leave of absence from his job, dealing with insomnia and a sense that nothing could somehow bring her back. He quickly grew angry as transcripts surfaced showing that many had warned about overcrowding just hours before the disaster. Police now face “intense criticism” and a thorough investigation is underway.
Last week, the relatives of the victims gathered for a press conference demanding that the government apologize and conduct a thorough investigation. President Yoon, Interior Minister Lee, and Police Commissioner Yoon all promised transparent inquiries. But Cho says the government has only offered a form of financial “consolation money.”
- “We don’t need money. It’s not the way to console bereaved families.”
- “An apology and strict punishment for those responsible will shave my anger by just (a bit).”
Voices from the Front Lines
Human rights lawyer Lee Ju‑hee, from the collective Minbyun, points to nearly 60 families launching a campaign for justice. “The truth belongs first,” Lee says. “The lesson is why we can’t trust our streets to be safe.”
In a candid moment, Cho expresses that he would love to see the people behind the failure held to account—honesty, apologies, and a clear path forward.
While Cho continues to be a stoic figure, his story reminds us that no headline can fully capture the heartache that follows an unexpected tragedy.
