Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
Korea offers half-price templestay programs to boost autumn travel
Magok Temple in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization
By Lee Hae-rin
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday that it will offer a 50 percent discount on templestay programs nationwide throughout November, encouraging domestic and international travelers to experience Buddhist temple life as part of a fall travel campaign.
The initiative, dubbed "Double Happiness Temple Stay," is the key feature of the "Autumn Travel for All 2025" campaign, a public tourism drive connected to the Korea Grand Festival — a large-scale government-led shopping and cultural event that runs both online and offline through Sunday.
Second Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Kim Dae-hyun visited Magok Temple in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, Monday to inspect templestay facilities and gather feedback from staff ahead of the expected rise in visitors.
Magok Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site designated in 2018, is among 158 temples across the country currently offering the overnight experience.
A templestay is a cultural immersion program that invites participants to explore monastic life through meditation, tea ceremonies with monks, temple cuisine and chanting sessions at a Buddhist temple. It has become increasingly popular among Koreans seeking rest from bustling city life as well as foreigners interested in traditional Korean culture.
The program drew a record 332,297 participants last year, including nearly 49,000 foreigners, according to the ministry data.
Reflecting growing global interest, 31 temples now offer foreigner-friendly experiences with multilingual staff and 15 temples specialize in showcasing traditional Korean temple cuisine. The government hopes the discounted program will broaden access to the experience while promoting wellness and regional tourism.
"Templestay represents one of Korea’s most meaningful cultural assets, offering both spiritual and emotional healing," Kim said in a statement. "By joining this nationwide discount initiative, the program will also energize local economies and further spread the beauty of fall travel."
Detailed information and reservations are available on the official templestay website.