Call of Duty criticized for real footage of tragedy in Seoul
The footage shows the rescue of victims and bodies on the street, and the publisher stated it did not intend to diminish the tragedy's significance.
Relatives of the victims of the crowd crush in Seoul's Itaewon district demanded the removal of real footage of the 2022 tragedy from *Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4*. Several short clips were used in the game's introductory sequence to depict the aftermath of a fictional North Korean invasion.
According to *The Guardian*, the footage was noticed by South Korean players. Local television channels later matched scenes from the game with materials filmed on the night of the tragedy.
In a joint statement, an association of the victims' families and public organizations condemned the use of this footage in an entertainment product. They emphasized that witnesses and rescue workers continue to experience the consequences of the event. The Korea Game Users Association also called on the publisher to apologize and replace the controversial clips.
Activision confirmed to the Yonhap news agency that real news footage was used in the introduction as part of the artistic narrative. The company stated it had no intention of referencing specific tragic events or diminishing their significance, including the Itaewon tragedy.
The criticism emerged on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the disaster. The crowd crush occurred on October 29, 2022, during Halloween celebrations. At the time, 158 people died; later, two more deceased were recognized as victims of the tragedy's aftermath.
The plot of *Modern Warfare 4* follows a South Korean marine who resists a North Korean invasion. It was the inclusion of documentary footage of the real disaster in this fictional military context that outraged the families of the victims.
