Busan blends temple food, music, meditation in 2-day festival
A promotional poster for the "Gaeulen Jeollo Festa" / Courtesy of Busan Metropolitan City
Busan will hold a two-day festival at a Buddhist temple, combining temple food, concerts and meditation, the city government said Wednesday.
The southern port city and the Busan Tourism Organization will host the “Gaeulen Jeollo Festa” at Hongbeop Temple in Geumjeong District on Oct. 30 and 31, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. each day. The title is a Korean pun, with the word “jeollo” meaning both “to the temple” and “naturally.”
The event aims to turn the temple from a place for sightseeing into a space where visitors eat, watch performances and meditate. Shuttle buses will run between Nopo Station on Busan Subway Line 1 and the temple starting at 2 p.m.
The city said Buddhist temples have become tourism draws as global interest in Korean culture grows. Temple stays and meditation programs fit the trend of wellness travel, and young Koreans have been embracing Buddhist-themed merchandise, fashion and meditation. Temple food, which uses no meat and focuses on seasonal ingredients, is also gaining popularity.
“This event turns temples into spaces for staying and experiencing, offering interactive content that allows anyone to enjoy the charm of K-temples,” said Na Yoon-bin, head of the Busan Metropolitan Government's Tourism Contents Industry Bureau. “We will continue to leverage Busan’s unique cultural heritage to discover distinct tourism content that can only be experienced in our city.”
Hongbeop Temple is home to Korea’s largest statue of Amitabha Buddha. The festival features 12 programs, most of which are free.
A Buddhist nun recognized as a master of temple cuisine will display 108 temple dishes and give a lecture on temple food and natural healing. A boxed lunch made by the nun for the event is included in the paid package, which can be booked on the travel platform NOL starting 10 a.m. Wednesday.
After sunset, the temple grounds will become an outdoor stage lit by lotus lanterns. A lantern-lighting ceremony will be followed by concerts both nights.
Other programs include meditation with singing bowls, bowing, a walk with the temple’s head monk, tea tasting and natural dyeing.
More information is available at www.visitbusan.net and on Instagram at @visitbusan.kr.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.