Jeju Air Disaster Leads Retail Sector to Cancel New Year Events... Joining in Mourning

Lotte Corporation Lights Mourning Illumination at Lotte World Tower
Lotte World Cancels New Year Countdown and Parade
Shinsegae Department Store Postpones New Year Sale and Events

With the declaration of a national mourning period to honor the victims of the Muan International Airport Jeju Air passenger plane disaster, the distribution industry is also canceling New Year's events and joining in the mourning.

Amid the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster that resulted in 179 deaths, a mourner visiting the joint memorial altar set up at Muan Sports Park near Muan International Airport in Jeollanam-do on the 30th is touching the memorial tablet of the victims. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

According to related industries on the 30th, Lotte Property & Development will light mourning lights at Jamsil Lotte World Tower from today until the 4th of next month. The lighting hours are from 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM. Additionally, the New Year's countdown event at Lotte World Tower scheduled for the 31st has been canceled.

Lotte World has also decided not to hold any parades scheduled at Jamsil Lotte World Adventure and Lotte World Adventure Busan from today until January 4th next year. During this period, stage and street performances as well as fireworks will not take place. The New Year's countdown event "Happy New Year Electric Party," which was to be held at Lotte World Adventure on the 31st, has also been canceled. Customers who purchased the "2024 Year-End Countdown Ticket" will receive a full refund through their respective purchase channels. A Lotte World official stated, "We made this decision to join in mourning the victims during the national mourning period."

The "Countdown Show Light Now" festival, which was scheduled to be held in front of the Shinsegae Department Store main branch at Myeongdong Square at 11 PM on the 31st, was also canceled. This event was organized by the Jung-gu Office of Seoul, and Shinsegae had planned to provide the newly opened Shinsegae Square as the main screen for the festival. Shinsegae Department Store will also not carry out any promotional activities such as store exterior billboards and banners related to the New Year sale event scheduled until the 4th of next month. The "Squid Game Season 2 'Match 4.56 Seconds'" event, which was planned to be held at all stores from the 2nd to the 5th of next month, has been postponed by one week (January 10?12).

In addition, Gonjiam Resort decided not to hold the "Adieu 2024, Welcome 2025 Fireworks Festival," which was scheduled to start at 11:50 PM on the 31st, and the Grand Hyatt Seoul Hotel also canceled the fireworks event planned for the 31st to mourn the victims of the disaster. Other distribution companies, including dining franchises and hotels that had prepared New Year's countdown events, are reportedly considering canceling or postponing their plans as well.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.