Hip Buddhism takes over Seoul: Gen Z flocks to buy temple merch

A visitor looks at Buddhist-themed posters at the 2026 Seoul International Buddhism Expo at Coex in Seoul, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin

Young Koreans have turned a once-traditional Buddhist trade show into one of Seoul’s buzziest lifestyle events by flocking to the 2026 Seoul International Buddhism Expo for meme-worthy merchandise and cultural content.

Under the theme, “Form Is Emptiness, Emptiness Is Form — Play With Emptiness in Your Own Way,” the expo offered up an expansive display of items that catered to younger generations in Korea seeking a blend of Buddhist messaging with a modern touch of style and practicality. The expo ended on Sunday.

A 30-something visitor stood in front of a 19,000 won statuette of Avalokitesvara, or the Bodhisattva of Compassion, promoted as a stress-relief item for office workers. “If I put this on my desk, no one at work will talk to me,” the visitor, who opted not to disclose her name, joked, before adding the item to her shopping basket.

Nearby, a woman in her 20s wearing a hair clip that read “All Beings First” and a name tag labeled “Sentient Being” tugged her friend toward another stall. “Let’s line up to get a moktak (wooden percussion instrument) keyring first and then check out that booth offering Bodhidharma portraits for 10,000 won,” she said, with three plastic bags already dangling from her wrist.

Visitors look around Buddhism merchandise at the 2026 Seoul International Buddhism Expo at Coex in Seoul, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin

Across the expo floor, similar scenes unfolded as young visitors queued to secure merchandise featuring playful punchlines that combine memes with Buddhist teachings, from “Awaken” splashed across shirts and “Wiping Away Delusions” towels to “Nirvana Express” stickers.

Lotus pants made by indie brand Bhavantu / Captured from Instagram

The booth of popular indie lifestyle brand Bhavantu was crowded with visitors. The brand gained popularity last year after BTS leader RM was spotted wearing its pants.

Many said they were drawn to Buddhism's perceived openness and calming image.

“I’m not Buddhist, but I saw these shirts on Instagram and really wanted to check them out,” said Park Ji-hyun, 28, who was shopping for shirts at a booth. “Buddhism doesn’t pressure you to believe, so it’s easy to come.”

Her friend who disclosed only her surname, Kim, 31, said the event felt more like a lifestyle fair than a solemn faith gathering.

“It feels more like a bakery or book fair than a religious event,” she said. “Religion can feel heavy, but here the messages are simple, witty and something I can enjoy with friends.”

Some booths even blasted Buddhist chants remixed with electric dance music and house beats and hung colorful posters, giving parts of the venue the feel of a hip club or prop shop in a trendy Seoul neighborhood. The organizer invited rapper Woo Won-jae and DJ Wegun, a hip-hop DJ to the electronic dance music party on Thursday and Friday night.

Stickers and talismans featuring an ajumma-styled Bodhisattva design are on display during the 2026 Seoul International Buddhism Expo at Coex in Seoul, Sunday. Korea Times photo by Lee Hae-rin

The expo’s shift mirrors broader changes in Korea’s religious landscape, where formal affiliation is declining but curiosity about Buddhist culture remains high, particularly among younger generations.

A 2025 nationwide survey by Hankook Research found that 51 percent of Koreans do not associate with any religion, while 16 percent say they are Buddhist, 20 percent Protestant and 11 percent Catholic.

Buddhism stands out in terms of its public image. In the 2025 religious perception survey, it recorded the highest favorability among major faiths, at 54.4 points out of 100, and was the only religion rated above average.

Organizers and vendors are responding to that cultural turn. One project bottles the scent of Korean temples in incense sticks and home fragrances, allowing visitors to “take the temple home” through their sense of smell.

“We wanted to show that anyone can be a Buddha,” said one young vendor, pointing to a T-shirt that reads, “I Become the Buddha.” Around it, caps and stickers riffed on phrases like “Inhale Love, Exhale Peace” and “Delusion, Are You Back?” in a nod to familiar online memes.

Visitors line up to enter the 2026 Seoul International Buddhism Expo at Coex in Seoul, Thursday. Newsis

According to the fair organizer, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, attendance at its Buddhist expos has surged in recent years, with some events drawing around 200,000 visitors — and young adults accounting for a growing share. At this year’s Seoul expo, organizers estimated roughly 120,000 visitors in the first two days and expected about 250,000 by closing, with women in their 20s and 30s forming the majority.

Meanwhile, not everyone is entirely comfortable with the merch-led boom.

“Compared with last year and the year before, it feels like there are several times more people,” said Kim, 28, a repeat visitor.

“Some of these items look like things you could buy online for a few thousand won, and there aren’t as many booths where you can experience real Buddhist culture. It feels more like a Buddhist merch expo, which is honestly a bit disappointing.”

Others raised concerns about the shallowness of the event. “I see that most young people approach it through merchandise rather than Buddhism itself,” said Jeong Hwa-seon, a faithful Buddhist who regularly comes to the expo. “It's good that more people are growing their interest in Buddhism, but next time, I hope we can create content that brings people deeper into Buddhist culture, so they can see more than one side of it.”