Jeonju Job-Seeking Youth Take a Pause and Recharge at a Mountain Temple

Seogosa Temple Offers "Temple Stay in the City"
From Early Morning Buddhist Services to Hwangbangsan Mountain Hiking

For young people in the Jeonju area who are exhausted from job searching, an opportunity has been arranged for them to take a break from daily life and recharge at a temple near the city center.

On August 18, Jeonju City announced that it will operate a "Temple Stay in the City" for job-seeking youth at Seogosa Temple, for two days and one night from August 20 to 21.

Jeonju City will operate a 'Temple Stay in the City' for job-seeking youth from the 20th to the 21st for a 2-day, 1-night schedule at Seogosa Temple. Photo by Jeonju City Hall

This program, part of the Ministry of Employment and Labor's Youth Growth Project, is designed to help participants alleviate the stress accumulated during their job search and reflect on their well-being. The program will be run by Human J&C Co., Ltd., with 20 participants joining the August session.

The program was first launched in May this year. At the first session, 70 people applied for just 15 spots, and for the expanded second session in July, which accepted 30 participants, a total of 127 applied. Participants reported that meditation and temple activities helped them feel more at ease. Many also shared that exchanging thoughts about employment with peers facing similar challenges was a source of comfort.

On the first day, participants will tour the temple grounds at Seogosa and take part in making 108 prayer beads, allowing time to organize their thoughts away from hectic daily routines. On the second day, the schedule begins with an early morning Buddhist service and a morning meditation. The program concludes with a walk on Hwangbangsan Mountain, providing a chance to relax both body and mind in nature. Key activities include: ▲Temple tour ▲Making 108 prayer beads ▲Early morning Buddhist service ▲Morning meditation ▲Hwangbangsan Mountain hiking.

Seogosa Temple is relatively close to the city, making it accessible for youth, and has previously run various temple stay programs for young people, including "Hwaryangyeonhwa" and the digital detox program "Read 100 Books." In particular, the current program focuses not just on a simple temple experience, but also on giving job seekers a chance to share their struggles, slow down the pace of life, and reflect on their future direction.

Yook Moonju, Head of the Youth Vitality Division at Jeonju City, said, "The mind health program under the Youth Growth Project is proving beneficial for unemployed young people," adding, "We hope this temple stay provides young participants an opportunity to pause, reflect on themselves, and prepare for a new tomorrow."

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