The purpose of the present study was to explore the impacts of proximity, media exposure, initial reactions and appraisal on ‘sorry feeling’ as trauma-related collective emotions.

The data were collected from a sample of 2,009 respondents (552 males and 1,457 females) using an online survey during a week at a year after Sewol ferry disaster. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to specify from proximity and media exposure to collective emotions through initial reactions at peri-disaster period (T1) and appraisals at the 1st anniversary of the disaster (T2).

The results showed that the proximity, amounts of media exposure (T1 and T2) and initial reactions (T1) influenced collective emotions through the appraisals at T2.

These results were discussed in terms of moral injury and collective emotions. Limitation of this study and directions of future research were suggested.