Looking for love in Korea? Try a Buddhist temple stay
Singles participate in ice-breaking games at Baegyang Temple in South Jeolla Province during the "Naneun Jeolo" matchmaking event on Nov. 2, 2024. Courtesy of the Korea Buddhist Foundation for Social Welfare
The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism’s hit matchmaking program, "Naneun Jeolo," is taking its search for love nationwide.
The Korea Buddhist Foundation for Social Welfare said Tuesday that the popular event where singles spend a night at a temple to meet potential partners will tour the country this year. The goal is to decentralize the program and offer equal opportunities to singles outside the greater Seoul area.
"To foster meaningful, lasting relationships, we will select participants by region and host the program at local temples," Venerable Doryun, the foundation's CEO, said at a New Year's press conference.
The 2026 tour kicks off from March 28-29 at Seonun Temple in Gochang County, North Jeolla Province, targeting singles in the Jeolla region. The foundation has plans for six events this year, covering the capital region, the mainland provinces and Jeju Island.
Launched in November 2023 as a successor to an earlier matchmaking temple stay program, "Naneun Jeolo" was rebranded to emphasize matchmaking over Buddhist cultural immersion. Its title plays on "Naneun Solo (I am Solo)," a hit Korean dating reality show.
The rebrand has been a major success. To date, the program has drawn 11,368 applicants across 14 events. The program reported that 138 people successfully met someone through the event. The initiative has already led to real-world unions, with two couples marrying last year and two more set to tie the knot.
The foundation is also expanding "Cheongnyeon Bapsim," a program that provides free meals to young people struggling with high living costs in areas outside the capital.
"We want more young people to visit temples and recharge their bodies and minds with positive energy," Ven. Doryun said.
The foundation also announced plans to launch a pan-Buddhist social welfare council and a new Buddhist social welfare award. It will continue its existing programs, including medical support for children with incurable diseases and disaster relief efforts.
"The Buddha was humanity's first social worker," Ven. Doryun said. "We will do our best to ensure his teachings reach beyond the temple walls to save those suffering in the field."
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.