Running influencer Yoo Ji-won, who collapsed and died during a marathon race, has sparked a controversy as some runners post proof shots of memorial runs on social media.
On October 11, Yoo collapsed suddenly about 500 meters before the finish line while participating in the 2026 Seoul Race half marathon held downtown in Seoul.
Although rushed to the hospital, Yoo ultimately passed away, and the exact cause of death has not yet been revealed.
Yoo had been researching AI semiconductors at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) graduate school while participating in various marathon events and working as a running influencer.
A wave of condolences followed online upon hearing the sudden tragic news.
However, controversy began when some runners started running themselves to honor the deceased and posted their workout records on social media under names like "memorial run" or "mourning run."
One runner posted a message saying, "I ran from my location early this morning to mourn Yoo Ji-won."
The runner added, "Feeling the hearts of runners and the hearts of parents, I express my deepest condolences," and wrote, "Yoo Ji-won, we will run the remaining 500 meters for you."
The accompanying photo showed a workout record of running 25.01 kilometers for 2 hours and 29 minutes.
Another runner also certified a 10km run record under the name of a "memorial run" along with a message praying for the repose of the deceased.
Mixed reactions are emerging online regarding this trend.
Some netizens pointed out that it is difficult to understand expressing condolences through running once again, especially at a time when concerns over the safety of running have grown due to the fatal accident.
In particular, criticism arose asking whether there is any need to publicly share the intention of mourning along with exercise records on social media.
On the other hand, there are opinions that it should be understood as a unique form of mourning characteristic of the running community.
The argument is that sharing the activity of running, which the deceased enjoyed during their lifetime, can itself be an expression of condolence.
In fact, there have been cases overseas where memorial runs were held to honor fallen runners.
In 2022 in the United States, runners in various regions ran together along the path where Eliza Fletcher used to run to mourn her after she was murdered while running.
Domestically, one runner left the opinion, "People might not understand, but runners mourn and remember in a runner's way."
Reported by Kim Minjeong | Video by Ahn Jun-hyeok | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News
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