By Islam El-Sakka
Bereaved families in South Korea have demanded that the publisher of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 remove real footage of the deadly 2022 Seoul crowd crush from the game's opening cinematic. The clips, which appear seconds into the game, depict a figure performing CPR on a victim and rows of bodies laid out in the street, used to represent civilian casualties during a fictional North Korean invasion.
Footage from 2022 Itaewon disaster used in game
The footage originates from news broadcasts of the Halloween weekend crush in Seoul's Itaewon district, where 158 people were killed in a narrow alley. Two additional victims have since been recognized as having died from trauma caused by the disaster. The game, released recently, incorporates actual Getty news footage showing paramedics performing CPR during the event.
Families and civic groups condemn inclusion
A joint statement from the bereaved families' council and a coalition of civic groups said they were appalled that the chaotic and desperate scenes, in which countless citizens performed CPR to save one another, were used exactly as they occurred to create a game scenario. They noted that rescuers and witnesses still live with trauma, while hateful comments about the victims have spread online in connection with the game's premise. The Korean Game Users Association also called for an apology and for the footage to be replaced.
Activision responds to criticism
Activision, the game's publisher, told the Yonhap news agency that some actual news footage included in the opening cinematic was utilized as an element to convey the fictional story. The company stated it had absolutely no intention of mentioning or treating lightly any actual tragic events, including the Itaewon tragedy.
Game becomes political talking point in South Korea
Modern Warfare 4 follows a South Korean marine private fighting a North Korean invasion through recognizable Korean streets. Before its release, conservative politicians urged President Lee Jae Myung to play the game to understand what they described as the threat from Pyongyang. The title topped South Korea's sales chart on Steam within days of launch, as the country marked the fourth anniversary of the crush.
