Here’s how members of the South Korean community, from famous chefs to popstars like BTS’ J-Hope, have gathered to help those affected by the recent tragic Jeju Air crash.
South Korea’s past few months have not been easy, as the country is still reeling from political tensions caused by the now-impeached Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law, as well as the recent tragedy that struck Jeju Air flight 7C 2216, which crashed on December 29, 2024 on a trip from Bangkok due to a reported bird strike (though the exact cause remains to be seen, the black box has since been retrieved and sent to the U.S. for analysis). The incident is now considered the deadliest airplane crash in the country’s history, having taken 179 lives.
Families of the victims continue to grieve for their lost loved ones, many of whom waited at the Muan International Airport (site of the crash) for their remains and criticized the lack of updated information on the accident. Understandably, many were in a state of immense shock and pain after hearing that some of the victim’s remains could not be identified due to the extent of their physical damage.
Amid the tragic circumstances, members of the South Korean community—from various walks of life—gathered to help those suffering from the aftermath in whatever ways they could. In any situation like this, paying tribute to these acts of solidarity and compassion is one way of remembering those who passed, as it gives a face to the numbers, reminding everyone of the individual lives that were lost and the unchangeable impact this has on a whole country.
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5,500 Helping Hands
More than 5,500 South Korean citizens visited Muan International Airport to assist grieving families, reports Lee Hae-rin of The Korea Times. These volunteers participated in a number of tasks, including food service, traffic guidance, disinfection services, disaster psychology counseling, and environmental purification.
Lee’s article goes on to detail how a deaf couple who lived nearby prepared 300 servings of coffee and tea. Writer Lim Kyung-hee, who often grapples with themes surrounding death and how to cope with it through her picture books, wrote personal messages on handkerchiefs with her readers, handing them out to the grieving. Members of the Women’s Advanced Farmers’ Association Muan branch made rice cake soup on the morning of the accident for firefighters and families. Other citizens and associations, some choosing to remain anonymous, also donated goods like food items and traditional medicines.
Star chefs from Netflix’s hit show Culinary Class Wars, led by master chef Ahn Yu-seong, also volunteered to create food that would offer some form of comfort to the bereaved. He purposely served gimbap (rice rolls filled with a variety of ingredients) and abalone porridge that were easy to eat for those in shock.
“Food has the power to heal,” explained Chef Ahn, as reported by Lee Jung-soo of The Chosun Daily. “I’m grateful that I could lend a small hand during such a difficult time.”
Gathering Donations For Affected Families
A number of people have also made donations to help the families of victims during this time of need. These include celebrities like BTS’ J-Hope and actor Yim Si-wan from Squid Game 2 and the K-pop boy group ZE:A. J-Hope donated ₩100 million (around $93,100) to the relief organization Hope Bridge Honours Club, while Yim donated an undisclosed amount to the same group, according to Lim Ruey Yan of The Straits Times.
Other celebrities also pitched in, including South Korean sports announcer Lee Na-yeon and rapper DinDin, both of whom donated ₩10 million won each to the Korean Red Cross, Lim adds in the article.
Remembering Those Lost And Left Behind After The Jeju Air Crash
With every tragedy are those who are left behind—both human and animal. A dog by the name of Pudding made headlines as news outlets shared his story of searching for his family, not knowing that all nine members died in the crash.
Animal welfare organization Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (Care Korea) wrote about it in an Instagram post, detailing how the dog belonged to a five-year-old girl who was coming home from a vacation to Bangkok with her family. All three generations of the family lost their lives in the crash, including her grandfather, grandmother, and mother.
“Pudding would stare at every car that drove into town, and the locals would feed him out of sympathy for the loss of his family,” the organization wrote (translated from its original Korean post by Kimberlee Speakman of People). The group has since taken custody of the dog, with permission from a distant relative of the family, letting Pudding recuperate in a veterinarian in Seoul for re-homing.
Five colleagues in the same company were also victims of the crash, remembered by their grieving co-workers who have left white chrysanthemums on their desks, brought to tears when remembering how happy the group of friends were when they took a trip to Bangkok to celebrate their promotions.
Two Thai citizens also died in the accident, namely 22-year-old Sirithon Chaue and mother of two Jongluk Doungmanee: the former was a university student visiting her mother while the latter was an overseas agricultural worker in South Korea, reports Justin McCurry and Kate Lamb for The Guardian.
The youngest crash victim was a three-year-old, one of five recorded children below the age of 10 in the deadly flight, according to Joohee Cho and Kevin Shalvey of ABC News.
The brother of the airplane’s late pilot reportedly left gimbap near the crash site, as well as a handwritten note which read: “I feel heartbroken when I think about the struggles you faced alone (in your last moments). You were truly amazing and did so well, so I hope you can now find happiness in a warm place. Thank you, and I’m sorry.”
The only two survivors of the crash, both crew members, are being treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Banner photo from the Seoul Korea Facebook page.
