Runner and online creator Yoo Ji-won dies after collapsing near finish of Seoul half-marathon

Yoo Ji-won, a running influencer, has died after she collapsed about 500 meters short of the finish line in a half-marathon. The 25-year-old South Korean runner and KAIST graduate student was taking part in the 2026 Seoul Race on October 11. Emergency responders carried out CPR before she was transported to a hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Her official cause of death has not yet been confirmed. Yoo Ji-won often documented her running experiences for a large online audience. According to a statement issued by the organizing committee on Monday, she lost consciousness at 8:49 a.m. Sunday at roughly the 20.6-kilometer mark of the half marathon in the 2026 Seoul Race. A standard half marathon covers 21.0975 kilometers. A race official discovered her unresponsive on a street downtown near Jonggak subway station, prompting a call to emergency services. CPR was administered before she was taken by ambulance to a hospital, but she did not wake up and died soon afterward. "We pray for the repose of the deceased and extend our deepest sympathy to the bereaved family facing this sudden sorrow," the committee said, adding that it would look into the matter thoroughly and take suitable measures. A preliminary remark from a race official to local media indicated that Yoo might have fainted after overexerting herself, though no formal conclusions have been made public. The event, organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper, attracted about 12,000 participants for a half marathon and a shorter 11-kilometer (6.8-mile) course through central Seoul. The route passed landmarks including Gwanghwamun and Heunginjeongmun, the city's historic eastern gate.