Yesterday (7th) around 4 PM, the memorial space in front of Itaewon Station suddenly became busy.
Raindrops started to fall little by little.
In the early rain forecast, a large plastic bag was placed to wrap the memorial items around the station, but we had to move in a hurry because we never knew when the rain would become intense at any moment.
"Pull! Pull!"
The scattered volunteers gathered in an instant and began to spread the vinyl in unison.
The situation around the station, including chrysanthemums, letters, paintings, and cookie boxes, is worried that it might get wet in the rain.
Citizens passing by also rolled up their arms to help.
Since so many items were piled up, the volunteers wrapped up the memorial space for more than three hours, overlapping and overlapping several sheets of plastic.
"Are you covering it with plastic in case it rains? Why did you think that way?"
The reporter's questions are often dull.
This is because you can get an answer only by pretending not to know while guessing the other person's mind.
I thought there would be a simple explanation like “I wrap the text and pictures left behind by people with plastic because I don’t want them to get wet”, but it was a big mistake.
A man in his 60s, who volunteered at Itaewon Station for ten days from the day after the disaster, put his body in a plastic bag and wrapped it in plastic for a long time.
He gave an unexpected answer to the reporter's right door.
"Later, later. I hope that when the victims' families or friends come here, the feelings left behind by the citizens will be conveyed well. Because I won't be able to come here yet."
I was speechless.
Enlarging an image
It is said that a man in his 60s has a son the same age as the youth who died in this disaster.
He is said to live not far from Itaewon, and it was said that he suffered all night until he reached out with his son the day after the disaster.
Maybe it was because I could understand even a little bit of the feelings of the families who lost their loved ones, or was it because they lived nearby and felt more used to them?
He also says he doesn't know why he comes here every day.
He leaves at 5 a.m. and enters at 1 a.m. the next day.
I don't have time to take a break in the middle, but I receive calls from citizens who say they would like to help out, I arrange the chrysanthemum flowers in my spare time, and I take pictures of handwriting that can be damaged by rain or wind to preserve records.
When I come here at 5 in the morning, I am busy cleaning up the memorial space scattered by drunken people overnight.
It is also said to be troublesome to run with water, torn paper, or to leave open food that will attract bugs and birds.
When asked if he has anything to say to the reporter, he answers:
"I wish it wasn't a political space as much as it is here. Citizens who came to Itaewon Station didn't come with that kind of heart. How desperate and sad that the people left behind."
A volunteer Kim Kyung-sik (pseudonym), who remained until 10 pm, said that he visited the memorial space twice last week, but this time he came to volunteer.
Although the period of national mourning set by the government has ended, Mr. Kim has come here again.
"You've returned to your daily life again. Investigations related to the Itaewon disaster must be conducted in the future, and it will still take a lot of time to overcome the trauma... Also, people who have been interrupted by their activities due to the national mourning period come to mind, and various thoughts come to mind. It sounds complicated."
What someone brushed off in less than a day is a pain they will have to bear for the rest of their lives.
It will take time for each person to commemorate and recover, but is our society giving us enough time and appropriate methods?
deep in thought
From the day of the disaster until now, and for the time being, our reporters have been broadcasting on-site at Itaewon Station.
It may seem like a repetition of similar content, but everyone who comes to visit is different.
A foreign survivor is said to come here every day to commemorate the souls of his first-hand victims and to recover from their trauma.
A woman who lost her close friend in her disaster said she came here after barely finishing her funeral last week, and she wept for a while as she watched the scene.
A resident near Itaewon Station said that he was surprised and saddened that he could not find a place to commemorate.
People who visit the memorial space cry, bow their heads, or read the writings left by citizens for a long time.
So this space continues.
All kinds of mocking comments are already posted on news articles that deliver the news of the memorial space at Itaewon Station.
It's hard to tell the details, but all of this was a 'show', with sharp words running one after another.
At least not the citizens, survivors, bereaved families, and volunteers that the reporter met there.
Rather, he was wary of being misrepresented by the media.
Rather than distorting that the memorial space is being maintained for some kind of political reason, I hope that the heart of the volunteer in his 60s will be conveyed, saying, "I hope that the precious feelings left by the citizens will be conveyed when those who have lost a loved one visit this place later."