Seoul celebrates historic bridge closure with massive communal chicken feast

Seoul residents participated in a record-breaking communal meal on October 25 as the city bid farewell to vehicle traffic on the historic Jamsu Bridge. Approximately 2,000 people lined a specially constructed 400-meter table along the bridge to share fried chicken and celebrate the transportation milestone before the crossing's permanent closure to cars.

The Jamsu Bridge, which has served as a key vehicular link across the Han River for 50 years, was transformed into a pedestrian-focused venue for the celebratory event. Organizers constructed the extended dining table to accommodate the massive public gathering, turning the soon-to-be car-free bridge into a venue for the community feast.

The bridge's transition to car-free status represents a significant shift in Seoul's urban transportation strategy and land use planning. The closure redirects automotive traffic to alternative routes while opening the structure to enhanced pedestrian and recreational activities along the Han River corridor.

Local authorities framed the event as both a celebration of Seoul's evolving infrastructure and a farewell to the bridge's automotive era. The fried chicken feast provided a symbolic and practical way to engage residents in the city's transition toward reduced vehicular dependency on the historic structure.