Buddhist temple dating retreat draws record 4,225 applicants for July event
The Daraeheon pavilion at Naksan Temple, where one-on-one tea conversations will take place during the "I'm Solo at the Temple: Naksansa" event. Courtesy of the Social Welfare Foundation of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism
Matchmaking event at Naksan Temple offers young adults opportunity to meet
A Buddhist matchmaking event that offers young adults an opportunity to meet through a temple stay has attracted a record number of applicants for its July session.
According to the Social Welfare Foundation of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism on Tuesday, a total of 4,225 people applied for the "I'm Solo at the Temple: Naksansa" event before applications closed on Monday. The applicants included 1,655 men and 2,570 women.
Since the program will accept only 10 men and 10 women, the competition rate reached 165.5-to-1 for men and 257-to-1 for women.
The previous record was 2,620 applicants for the "I'm Solo at the Temple: Sinheungsa" event held in September 2025.
Participants attend a meeting at "I'm Solo at the Temple" matchmaking retreat. Captured from Instagram
Beginning this year, the Jogye Order's Social Welfare Foundation has organized the program on a regional basis, limiting participation to young adults who either live in or have ties to the host region. However, the upcoming event at Naksan Temple in Yangyang, Gangwon Province also accepted applications from residents of the greater Seoul metropolitan area, contributing to the surge in interest.
Ven. Doryun, head of the foundation, said that because of the overwhelming response, an additional "I'm Solo at the Temple" event for residents of the Seoul metropolitan area will be held in August.
The "I'm Solo at the Temple: Naksansa" program is jointly organized with the Gangwon Tourism Foundation and will take place on July 11-12. Participants will take part in activities including couples' yoga, blind dates and "plogging" dates, in which participants pick up litter while walking or jogging together.
Choi Sung-hyun, president of the Gangwon Tourism Foundation, expressed hope that many couples would be formed through the event.
Ven. Seonil, head of the Temple Stay Training Center at Naksan Temple in Yangyang County, Gangwon Province, speaks with participants. Courtesy of Naksansa Temple
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.