4,225 Apply for 20 Spots: Five Couples Formed at Naksansa's "I Am a Temple" Event

Twenty Singles from Gangwon and Seoul Metropolitan Area Participate
Tea Talk, Blind Date, and Plogging Activities Held

The nationwide singles event "I Am a Temple, Naksansa," which received applications from 4,225 people, resulted in the formation of five final couples.

Participants of "I Go to the Temple" having a rotation tea gathering at Daraeheon, Naksansa Temple. Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism Social Welfare Foundation

The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism Social Welfare Foundation announced on July 12 that, following the completion of "I Am a Temple, Naksansa," held at Naksansa Temple in Yangyang, Gangwon Province from July 11 to July 12 in partnership with the Gangwon Tourism Organization, 10 out of 20 participants were matched as couples.

This event saw a record-breaking number of applications since the program began in 2023, with a total of 4,225 applicants—1,655 men and 2,570 women. Only 10 men and 10 women were selected, resulting in a competition rate of 165.5 to 1 for men and 257 to 1 for women. The overall competition rate was approximately 211 to 1, surpassing the previous record of 2,620 applicants for the Sinheungsa edition in September of the previous year.

"I Am a Temple" is a temple stay program operated by the Social Welfare Foundation of the Jogye Order to raise social awareness of the low birth rate issue and to provide singles with natural opportunities to meet. This particular event targeted unmarried men and women in their 20s and 30s who either reside in the Seoul metropolitan area and Gangwon Province or have connections to the Gangwon region.

Participants took part in various activities, starting with the "Heart-pounding Random Date," where they drew lots and picked personal items to choose their partners. Other activities included "TMI Talk" (chit-chat session), rotation tea talk, blind date, couple yoga, and a beach plogging date.

The "Path Where Dreams Come True," leading to the Sea Water Avalokitesvara statue at Naksansa, featured a blind date activity. In this activity, one of the matched pair wore an eye mask and trusted the guidance of their partner while walking the path, encouraging the development of trust and mutual understanding between the two.

Sunil, director of the Naksansa Training Institute, stated, "Even in moments when you cannot see, by trusting and relying on each other as you walk, you can learn what kind of person someone is when facing life's twists and turns. I hope that walking the Path Where Dreams Come True together will be a precious time for you to find yourself and a lifelong companion."

Participants conducting a blind date, relying on their partners while blindfolded. Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism Social Welfare Foundation

At the Potara Cafe at Naksansa, which overlooks the East Sea, couples yoga took place. Participants engaged by sitting back-to-back and matching each other's movements, and also took part in a beach plogging date, picking up trash as they walked along the shore.

Doryun, CEO of the Foundation, said, "I hope the wishes and dreams of the participants come true at Naksansa in Yangyang, where the teachings of Great Monk of Busan are present. I also hope that this event leads to lifelong relationships for the participants."

After completing all the program activities, male and female participants each chose their preferred partners, resulting in five final couples—meaning half of the participants selected each other.

One female participant who became part of a final couple shared, "Since becoming an adult, I haven't had many opportunities to meet new people, so this event was meaningful as it gave me a chance to connect with others. I also felt grateful seeing the volunteers working quietly at Naksansa."

A male participant commented, "Since all of us met under special circumstances, every moment felt precious, and meeting someone special made the experience truly meaningful."

Naksansa also hosted "I Am a Temple" in 2024, producing six couples out of 20 participants. Among them, one couple went on to get married. At that time, 1,501 people applied for the event.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.