SEOUL DESIGN AWARD

Until recentely, most companies often viewed people with disabilities merely as beneficiaries, overlooking their expertise and lived experiences. LG Electronics’ Bold Move Project challenges this perception. By recognizing people with disabilities not as recipients but as experts and consumers, the project combines design and technology to create a new, inclusive approach. A dedicated magazine played an instrumental role in promoting community-based participatory design and culture.

This project involving numerous workshops, interviews, and community activities with people with disabilities helped to develop the LG Comfort Kit, a user-centered product that improves daily convenience for both disabled and non-disabled users, eventually gaining wide empathy amongst larger populations. Subsequently, the project gave birth to launch Korea’s first accessibility magazine, the Bold Move Accessibility Magazine, which addresses everyday inconveniences from the perspective of people with disabilities and shares solutions — spreading the message that “inconvenience can be fixed” as a social agenda.

Participants regained self-efficacy through the belief that discomforts can be improved, and this transformation grew from personal empowerment to social solidarity and engagement.

Currently rooted within Korea, Bold Move has embedded itself in various part of local communities in cooperation with Muui and Story Society. Using LG Electronics’ global network as a leverage, LG’s Bold Move Project is evolving into a scalable model that reflects the voices of consumers on a global scale.

Looking ahead, Bold Move seeks to go beyond product-level improvements to become a global cultural movement for accessibility innovation. Grounded in a design philosophy adaptable to diverse cultures and environments, it envisions an inclusive future where everyone can lead an authentic life and participate as agents of social change.