Outcry after Call of Duty maker uses real footage of deadly Seoul crowd crush in new video game
Bereaved families in South Korea are demanding that Call of Duty makers remove real footage of the deadly 2022 Seoul crowd crush from their latest video game.
The clips appear in the opening moments of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, showing scenes of chaos with figures performing CPR on victims and rows of bodies laid out in the street. The footage was taken from Getty news broadcasts during the Halloween weekend 2022 incident that killed 158 people in Seoul's Itaewon nightlife district.
Families demand removal
In a joint statement, the bereaved families' council and coalition of civic groups expressed their outrage. 'We are appalled that the chaotic and desperate scenes were used exactly as they were to create a scene in a game,' they said, noting that rescue workers and witnesses still live with trauma while hateful comments about victims spread online.
We are appalled that the chaotic and desperate scenes, in which countless citizens performed CPR to save one another and victims lay on the cold street, were used exactly as they were to create a scene in a game.
Activision's response
Activision defended their decision, stating that 'some actual news footage included in the game's opening cinematic was utilised as an element to convey the fictional story within the work.' They emphasized they had 'absolutely no intention of mentioning or treating lightly any actual tragic events, including the Itaewon tragedy.' The Guardian has contacted Activision for further comment.
Game's political context
The demand comes as South Korea marks the fourth anniversary of the crush. Players identified the clip after the game's release, with Korean broadcasters comparing it side by side with footage from the night of the disaster. Modern Warfare 4 follows a South Korean marine fighting a North Korean invasion through recognizable Korean streets and had already become politically charged before release, with conservative politicians urging President Lee Jae Myung to play it to understand the threat from Pyongyang. The title topped South Korea's Steam sales chart within days of its release.
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