South Korean running influencer Yoo Ji-won has died after collapsing roughly 500 meters from the finish line during a half-marathon in Seoul.

Yoo was competing in the 2026 Seoul Race on October 11 when she lost consciousness near the end of the course. Medical staff administered emergency treatment before she was taken to hospital, where she later died.

Alongside sharing her running achievements online, Yoo was a graduate student at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, known as KAIST, researching artificial intelligence semiconductors.

Seoul Race organizers confirm runner’s death

According to the organizing committee’s statement, the emergency occurred at around 8:49am at the 20.6-kilometer mark.

On-site medical staff performed CPR before an ambulance transported Yoo to a medical facility. Organizers confirmed the death in an October 12 announcement and offered condolences to her family.

“We respectfully pray for the deceased’s peaceful rest and extend our deepest sympathies to the bereaved family facing this sudden sorrow,” the statement read.

Yoo, who was born in 2001, had already recorded several achievements as an amateur runner. In March, she completed the full Seoul Marathon in two hours, 56 minutes and 32 seconds, finishing under the three-hour mark.

She also won the women’s masters 10-kilometer category at the Gunsan Saemangeum Marathon in April, according to OSEN’s report published by The Chosun Daily. Friends and followers have since left tributes on her social media posts.

The incident follows another death involving a content creator at a running event. In September 2024, TikToker Caleb Graves died after completing Disneyland’s Halloween half-marathon. He collapsed after crossing the finish line and was taken to hospital.

In Yoo’s case, an official cause of death has not been confirmed. Organizers said they would examine the incident and carry out follow-up measures.