Mother's Heartbreaking Birthday Tribute to Son Lost in Itaewon Tragedy

The mother of actor Lee Ji-han, who tragically died in the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush, has shared a deeply moving tribute on what would have been his 28th birthday. Jo Mi-eun expressed her enduring grief and love for her son through a message posted on his Instagram account.

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Ji-han. On the afternoon of October 29, 2022, the words you said to Mom as you left home, Mom has never forgotten for a moment. You said your shoes kept slipping off and you needed to go buy new ones. After saying that, you never came home.

Jo recalled Lee's last words before leaving home on the day of the tragedy: "My shoes keep slipping off, I need to go buy some." She never forgot this detail and decided to fulfill his unexpressed wish by buying him a pair of shoes as a birthday gift. She described searching for the most expensive and secure-fitting shoes she could find, a task that brought her immense pain.

"The shoe store owner told me, 'If they don't fit, please come back to exchange them,'" Jo wrote. "The moment I heard that, my heart felt like it was tearing apart, and tears welled up so much I couldn't see. But I somehow managed to pay and rushed out. I then sat on a bench outside, clutching the shoe bag, and cried for a long time."

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So Mom went out for the first time in a while to buy the shoes I was going to buy with you as your birthday gift. I bought the most valuable pair of shoes you could wear, the ones that seemed least likely to slip off.

Upon returning home, Jo carefully placed the shoes by the entrance, contemplating whether to position them facing the door or the living room. She chose to place them facing the living room, "so you could come in to wear the shoes." She pleaded with her son, "My child Ji-han, whom I love as much as the sky and miss as much as the earth, please come once to try on the birthday shoes I placed at the entrance."

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The moment I heard that, my heart felt like it was tearing apart, and tears welled up so much I couldn't see. But I somehow managed to pay and rushed out. I then sat on a bench outside, clutching the shoe bag, and cried for a long time.

Lee Ji-han, who gained recognition through the second season of Mnet's "Produce 101" and was beginning his acting career, was among the 159 victims of the Itaewon disaster. His mother has been a vocal advocate for accountability, having previously appeared on television and spoken out against government inaction. She, along with other bereaved families, has filed a lawsuit against former Changwon city councilor Kim Mi-na for defamation, after Kim allegedly made disparaging remarks about the victims. The lawsuit is currently in its appellate stage. Jo has also participated in press conferences, urging for investigations into higher-ranking officials involved in the disaster response.

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My child Ji-han, whom I love as much as the sky and miss as much as the earth, please come once to try on the birthday shoes I placed at the entrance.