South Korea has recorded the highest suicide rate in the OECD for the eighth year running. (OECD Health Data 2012) Over 15,000 commit suicide in just one year, which is an average of 43.5 deaths per day (2011 National Statistics Office). Suicides are especially frequent near the bridges over the Han River in Seoul and among the 23 bridges, the ‘Mapo Bridge’ has the highest number of suicides. (Out of the 1090 suicides committed on a Han River bridge, 17.2% - or 188 suicides - happened on the Mapo Bridge)

In order to decrease the suicide rate on the Mapo Bridge, we installed an innovative system on the railing. Because the widely used infrared sensor system would react to wind, the vibrations of passing cars, as well as heat from exhaust fumes, an art director and a technical director collaborated to develop a sensor that combined the infrared system with the ultrasonic sensor system, with a $530,000 budget. This new type of sensor only reacts to people walking on the bridge, and then lights up the railing.

It has been installed on the Mapo Bridge for over 6 months now, and the City of Seoul and Samsung Life Insurance are planning to install it on other bridges as well.

Our idea to stop and prevent the suicides on the Mapo Bridge was not installing a physical device to hinder the suicides, but to create an interactive bridge that would change the people’s minds through communication and a human touch.

Our intention was to have the pedestrians keep reading the messages that were shown throughout the 2.2km of the Mapo Bridge through the ‘Bridge of Life’ installation, and eventually walk all the way to the other end without realizing it.

Currently, we are planning for additional installations on other bridges over the Han river, in hopes that it will help decrease the suicide rate in Seoul, as well as in the nation of Korea in the long run. We hope that this technology can be applied to bridges with a high suicide rate around the world. But primarily, this innovative technology has helped decrease the suicide rate on the Mapo Bridge by 77%, and if even just one life can be saved through this campaign, we believe in its meaning and value more than anything.

The Bridge of Life has received widespread national coverage on TV and in newspapers with 177 reports, as well as global coverage in 8 different media (Reuters, Voice of America, China TV The Tokyo Times, etc.). About 11,000 posts about the Mapo Bridge have been shared on social networks, of which 92% are positive.

06/17/2011 Project start

12/19/2011 Developed first prototype

12/23/2011 Idea pitched to Samsung Life Insurance, but turned down

01/29/2012 Contacted other clients

03/16/2012 Another pitch to Samsung Life Insurance, infraded + ultrasonic sensor developed 04~06/2012 Consultations with the Seoul Citizens, the Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster Headquarters, the Seoul HQ for Security, Management of Bridges Department, the Hangang Project HQ, and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Design

07/17/2012 Confirmed by Mayor of Seoul

08/2012 City of Seoul and Samsung Life Insurance sign MOU

09/26/2012 Opening of ' Bridge of Life'

Prior to the installation, the annual death benefit through suicide paid out by Samsung Life Insurance reached approximately 40 billion KRW (or 37 million USD), and was the No.1 reason for payment, with over 10% of the total insurance amount.

Since the opening of the Bridge of Life on Sep 26th, 2012, until today (Mar 26th, 2013),

the suicide rate has dropped by 77%.

First, we installed sensors on the guardrails, so that when people walked by, lights turned on according to their movements. On the lighted rails appeared short messages, making it seem as if the bridge was speaking to the passers-by. The 20 or so messages that were shown were not warnings or teachings, but rather kind words, comforting song lyrics, funny jokes, and other phrases that would speak to the anxious and confused minds of those attempting to end their lives.