A tragic accident occurred involving Yoo Ji Won, a KAIST graduate student and running influencer, who participated in the 2026 Seoul Race half course and sadly passed away.
The Seoul Race Organizing Committee announced on October 12th, “We bring devastating news to all participants who joined the 2026 Seoul Race. At around 8:49 AM on October 11th, an emergency situation occurred when a participant in the half course collapsed at the 20.6 km mark. After immediate first aid on site, the participant was transported to a medical facility by 119 ambulance for treatment, but unfortunately, passed away.”
The Seoul Race officials expressed their condolences, saying, “We respectfully pray for the deceased’s peaceful rest and extend our deepest sympathies to the bereaved family facing this sudden sorrow.”
According to the Seoul Race, the participant in the half course suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed about 500 meters from the finish line. On-site medical staff immediately began CPR and emergency treatment, but the participant did not regain consciousness and was transported to the hospital, where they sadly passed away that day.
It was later reported that the deceased was Yoo Ji Won, a running influencer. Born in 2001, Yoo was a KAIST graduate student researching AI semiconductors and an amateur runner. Notably, Yoo completed the full 2026 Seoul Marathon on March 15 in 2 hours, 56 minutes, and 32 seconds, achieving a “sub-3” finish. Following this sudden and tragic news, fans have been posting memorial comments on Yoo’s social media accounts.