Why are young Koreans so hooked on Buddhism?

The most striking aspect of the 2026 Busan International Buddhism Expo was its demographic: Hundreds of people in their 20s and 30s packed the booths at BEXCO’s Exhibition Center 1 in Busan on Aug. 9. Young visitors took part in hands-on Buddhist cultural experiences like preparing temple food and performing 108 prostrations.

The atmosphere was markedly different from that of other religious events, many attendees said. It was also a far cry from just four or five years ago. The new trend shows young people are experiencing traditional Buddhist culture as something novel and embracing values such as compassion and self-reflection, rather than finding them difficult to understand.

Much of this change cannot be discussed without mentioning Haetal Company, a Buddhist merchandise brand that reinterprets Buddhist teachings through online memes familiar to millennials and Generation Z and prints them on clothing and household goods.

The company's strategy is to present Buddhism in a cheerful and contemporary way, rather than in the solemn manner conventionally associated with the religion — and it has proved to be far more successful than expected. The brand gained recognition through social media and opened pop-ups in department stores. Crowds lined up before the expo opened to purchase its merchandise.

The company is headed by 30-year-old Ju Yeo-jin. Ju, who found the company two years ago, was raised Buddhist by her father, Ven. Taehyun, who once belonged to the Jogye Order but returned to secular life, married and started a family. After Ju and her younger brother were born, he reentered monastic life as a member of the Taego Order, which allows monks to marry. Ju was eight when her father became a monk again.

During a phone interview with Hankook Ilbo, she attributed the popularity of her Buddhist merchandise to the comfort it offers.

“The phrases may seem like witty, offhand messages at first glance, but they contain a fundamental philosophy centered on humanity,” she said. “I think that philosophy resonates deeply with and comforts young people who are going through difficult times.”

She also expressed hope that the “hip Buddhism” trend sweeping younger generations would not end as a short-lived fad but take root. Below is an edited Q&A with Ju.

Q. Ven. Taehyun entered monastic life, returned to secular life and then became a monk again. As a child, did you resent your father for becoming a monk again?

It was a little awkward when my dad, who I thought was away on a business trip, came home as a monk. But it was not entirely unfamiliar because he had always spoken and behaved like a monk, even before becoming one again.

Still, I felt little sad and angry that I could no longer call him "Dad" and instead had to call him "Sunim" (the title used for Buddhist monks). It felt really, really awkward at first.

Q: What led you to embrace Buddhism?

Buddhism had always been a part of my life and something I took for granted. I lived in a temple. When I opened my eyes, I saw a Buddha statue; monks would give me meals or help me with my homework. My father never forced me to attend dharma services or study Buddhism, so it never occurred to me that I was a Buddhist.

Only later, when I grew up, did I realize that being the daughter of a monk was unusual. But I grew up healthy in both mind and body thanks to the earnest prayers of the monks and lay Buddhists, so I thought I should return to the world the love I had received.

Q: How did you come to create Buddhist merchandise?

I spent much of my 20s feeling lost and wondering what I should do with my life. My father advised me to try doing things that people my age would find interesting.

To me, Buddhism is hip and incredibly cool, but the people around me did not seem to know that. I wanted to show them what Buddhism was really about. At first, just for fun, I made T-shirts bearing the phrase ‘Awakened!’ and took them to a Buddhist expo. They went viral on social media and inquiries about orders poured in.

That was when I first thought I should turn the idea into a business, and I registered the company in 2024.

Q: How did you create your signature “Awakened!” T-shirt? What was the development process like?

So far, we have sold around 3,000 of them, which is quite a lot considering that everything is done by hand, from printing the design onto blank T-shirts to packaging them.

While trying to come up with ways to give traditional Korean Buddhism a younger, hipper image, the word "awakened" struck me, as awakening is one of the concepts most closely associated with Buddhism. I experimented with several shapes to visually convey the exhilarating, striking sensation of attaining enlightenment. Of those, the speech bubble commonly used to express shock came closest to the feeling I wanted.

It was quite difficult to convey my intangible image of Buddhism in a tangible form.

Q: What influence do you think your work has on millennials and Generation Z?

There was one person who came across our merchandise, became interested in Buddhism and eventually converted. When I heard that, it felt extremely rewarding because I had often faced criticism that I was merely making light of Buddhism to attract fleeting attention. So I was really happy to learn that my work had actually had a positive influence on someone.

That does not mean that people necessarily have to become Buddhists. Regardless of whether they believe in the religion, it gives me a sense of fulfillment if they find some peace of mind and gain a better understanding of Buddhism through our merchandise.

Q: Buddhism, once regarded as very traditional, is changing. Why do you think millennials and Generation Z are embracing it?

I have heard that Buddhism has always flourished in troubled times and I think we may be living through such a period now. If you look closely, millennials and Generation Z are experiencing a great deal of mental and emotional uncertainty.

People are living through unprecedented social change, from the rise of social media and advances in artificial intelligence to a rapidly aging society and problems involving employment, housing and personal finances. Amid all this confusion, I think many of them are turning to Buddhist philosophy to soothe their minds and find a sense of stability.

Q: Do you think this will become an established culture rather than a passing fad? If so, why?

Yes, because the teachings of Buddhism are that valuable. As long as the world continues to grow more chaotic and challenging to live in, more people will turn to Buddhism as a means of finding peace of mind. Its explosive and lighthearted popularity may fade somewhat, but Buddhism will remain close to people’s everyday lives and there will continue to be people like us who present it not as a religion but as a culture.

I can already feel that Buddhism is establishing itself as part of popular culture. At the recent Busan International Buddhism Expo, for example, many young people brought their parents with them. While most customers who visited us in 2024 did so out of curiosity, many are now returning with their parents because they remember the experience fondly. Young couples are also coming with their children.

Q: Some people appear to have a negative view of presenting Buddhism in a witty way, criticizing such attempts as frivolous and lacking seriousness, or saying that they stray from the true teachings of Buddhism. What do you think?

I had similar reservations myself and at one point asked my father for advice. He said, "The Buddha is not that weak." What he meant was that Buddhism had survived countless crises in the past, including religious persecution, and that its truths would not be distorted or destroyed so easily. After hearing that, I was no longer afraid.

Q: What is next for Haetal Company?

I hope to go beyond simply being a merchandise company and create content about "haetal" — liberation from worldly anguish and attachments — and the lifestyles of those who pursue it.

As part of that project, five of our employees formed a band this May. It is called "Haegolmul."

We made our debut at Beomnyunsa Temple of the Taego Order and plan to share our activities through YouTube and other channels, as well as perform at various events. As for our merchandise business, we are also preparing a department-store pop-up under the theme "A Temple Where the Mind Gets Fat." Rather than recreating a conventional Buddhist temple, we want to show people Haetal Company’s interpretation of what a modern temple can be.

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.