Memorials and Mourning: Reflecting on the Jeju Airline Tragedy

instagram post from wonshik_on that features a hand-drawn white chrysanthemum and Korean that translates to “We mourn the victims of the Jeju Airflight 7C2216 accident.”

After the unfortunate crash of Jeju Airline flight 7C2216, the Acting President Choi Sang-mok declared a weeklong mourning period for South Korea.

This is the second mourning period I have witnessed while living in Korea, the first being after the Itaewon crowd crush in 2022 that killed 159 people. As I’ve written about before, I was on a KTX train to Busan when I received the news about the mourning period, and it meant that the concert I was supposed to attend, among many other events, especially those related to Halloween celebrations, had been canceled.

I live about an hour away from Seoul and was very surprised to see a memorial tent and altar for the victims of the Jeju tragedy set up outside a subway station. I snapped a photo one morning before giving my respects.

memorial altar set up in a tent with rows of white flowers, an incense burner, banners from various organizations expressing condolences, and off to the side not pictured is a large funeral wreath

There were two people sitting at a table alongside the memorial and in front of them was an open book. People write their names in the book vertically, which is difficult for foreigners, so I just stacked my last name on top of my first. (Most Koreans have three syllable names.) Then I was given a white chrysanthemum, a traditional flower of mourning in Korean culture, and ushered to place it on the memorial. I also lit some incense and took a moment to say a prayer. They allow one person at a time to offer their respects so there’s privacy. Most Koreans will bow to the altar, some will say prayers or do the sign of the cross if they’re Catholic, and those close to the tragedy may even get down on their knees and touch their heads to the ground.

There is a current debate surrounding the ways in which people grieve, and whether celebrities should be expected to post on their social media or otherwise show their condolences by canceling performances and the like.

In this article, a singer posted on Instagram, “…Not posting photos doesn’t mean you’re not sad, and not writing a post doesn’t mean you’re not mourning,” which I wholeheartedly agree with. People grieve in all sorts of ways and there is no “right” way to grieve.

A common sentiment among non-Korean foreigners is that a few days of mourning is more than perfectly acceptable, but outright canceling new year’s celebrations a few days after the tragedy doesn’t necessarily serve much of a purpose. Obviously we want to show the victims and their families solidarity, but there’s a belief in American culture (in my family, at least) that our loved ones would want to see us continue on with life, to celebrate happy occasions, rather than continue to mourn.

How does your culture grieve in tragic situations like these? Are there any specific customs? Are there “right” and “wrong” ways to grieve? How should we show respect those who are grieving over the loss of a loved one?

May all those who perished have a happy rebirth, may the two survivors find peace, and may Pudding, the dog who lost his family, find another family that loves him just as much. Om mani padme hum.