The Love Life, Night-Road Walking (생명사랑밤길걷기) campaign unites students and parents each year to aid those who face seemingly insurmountable emotional pain under the slogan “One Step, One Life.” This Sept. 9, participants walked a total of 11.1km, which represented Korean suicide rates in 2023. But along with their friends and family, the three-hour-long walk passed quickly and made way for earnest conversations on the way.

The DIS Chaperone Volunteer Group joined the cause with almost 90 students and parents. From 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., participants from all around Daegu enjoyed face-painting, made badges with puns, and watched dance performances hosted by the organizers of the campaign. Then, over 3,000 volunteers carried out the motto of the event into the night. 

Volunteers sported bibs with handwritten words of encouragement and a One Step, One Life t-shirt. One message read, “You may have failed, but you are not a failure. That’s what you did, not what you are.” After the recreational activities, the DIS members roared, “Fighting!” and fell into a comfortable pace as they chit-chatted with their peers through the three-hour walk.

This year, Seoul canceled their walk because it didn’t add to service hours and required payment. However, even with the concern about cancellations and the lack of volunteer hours, in Daegu, over 3,000 people came together to show their support for the initiative and make memories through meaningful conversations. Mr. Sanggyu Lee, the president of the Korean Civilian Volunteer Society Daegu Chapter, said, “A lot of teenagers participate in this event each year, but because of the 10,000 KRW participation fee, they canceled the walk in Seoul. But in Daegu, we have the Chaperone Volunteer Organization, so I am confident that it’ll continue happening.” 

“Every day, if you look closely at the news, it’s all about ‘suicide, suicide, and suicide.’ We’re in an extremely serious situation now. Hopefully, through these activities, society can also recognize and be alert to the status quo,” said Mr. Sanggyu Lee. 

The sight of thousands of volunteers in the One Step, One Life shirts convinces people to stop and think about the magnitude of this movement. “When 3,000 people are walking together, the news catches on. We are also showing our strength that we are all collectively together. In current society, suicide rates are high. This campaign has a legacy. It’s been running for years now and promotes itself a lot. I think it’s why many people participate,” said social worker Mrs. Eunhyang Lee, who participated with her daughter in middle school. 

Moreover, this campaign provides an open space for people to come through with their emotions as they track along the calm, empty roads of a warm night in Daegu. “Kids these days are busy with school life and more, which doesn’t give them a lot of time to be able to talk with their parents. Through events like these, while walking with their family members, they get the chance to talk about a variety of topics including worries and thoughts in their heads. The event can also help inform parents what their children are thinking about,” said Mr. Sanggyu Lee. 

Despite these efforts, the Korean public still shies away from the subject of mental health. We suffer from the notion that struggling with life makes you weak, shameful, and unsuccessful, but that’s just simply not true. Hopefully, this campaign will bring suicide discussions to the table and help decrease the number of people who harm themselves instead of reaching out — and along with it, the distance we walk each year.