{
  "id": 16889417,
  "title": "Call of Duty game under fire for using real Itaewon crowd crush footage",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/call-of-duty-game-under-fire-for-using-real-itaewon-crowd-crush",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-28T11:27:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/society/20261028/call-of-duty-game-under-fire-for-using-real-itaewon-crowd-crush-footage"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The latest Call of Duty game, Modern Warfare 4, has sparked outrage in South Korea after players discovered it contained genuine footage from the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush disaster. The game's storyline centers around a full-scale invasion of South Korea by North Korea, and initially gained attention for its realistic depiction of the nation. However, the game's reception shifted dramatically when viewers identified footage of citizens performing CPR during a sequence depicting civilian casualties from the fictional conflict. The Itaewon tragedy took place on October 29, 2022, and resulted in over 150 fatalities. Today marks the fourth anniversary of the disaster. The council representing bereaved families and a coalition of civic groups supporting them issued a joint statement on Wednesday, vehemently condemning the utilization of the real footage and demanding its removal. The statement expressed deep dismay over the inclusion of chaotic and desperate scenes of citizens performing CPR, with victims lying lifelessly on the cold streets, being used without any regard for the gravity of the real-life events.",
  "summary": "The latest installment in the global Call of Duty game franchise drew condemnation from bereaved families and civic groups in South Korea after players discovered that it contained real footage from the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush. The game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, depicts a full-scale North Korean invasion of South Korea, and initially drew attention in South Korea for its realistic…",
  "key_points": [
    "Modern Warfare 4 uses real Itaewon disaster footage",
    "Footage shows civilians performing CPR during conflict",
    "South Korean council demands removal of disturbing content"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Incorporating actual footage of a national tragedy into a fictional combat sequence erodes the boundary between entertainment and exploitation, causing profound distress for the families of those lost.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}