"Calling All Workers With Busy Minds"... What Is This 'Online Temple' Drawing 100,000 Visitors a Day?

Log In to Become a Young Novice Monk, with Prayer Bead-Rolling Feature
Online Churches and Cathedrals Emerge, Even Offering Confession

People no longer need to travel all the way to a temple in the mountains to calm their minds on the way to work. A new “online temple” has been making waves, allowing people to log in anytime, anywhere on a smartphone or computer, bow, roll prayer beads between their fingers, and take a moment to find peace.

Online temple service "Sansa." Screenshot from social media.

The virtual temple “Sansa,” which made headlines online on October 30, is a web-based service created by an independent developer, “metamong.dev.” It can be accessed and used immediately on a smartphone or computer without installing any additional software. Word of the service spread because users can simply spend time in a virtual prayer hall without having to talk or take part in any activities. At one point, it drew 100,000 visitors in a single day.

Log In and Become a Young Novice Monk... Bow and Roll Prayer Beads

When users enter the prayer hall, they are automatically assigned a young novice monk character with a name such as “Slow Steps,” “Little Mountain Bird,” or “Little Pine Needle.” Users can move their characters around the hall, sit on a cushion and bow, or roll prayer beads with their fingers. They can also sit quietly without doing anything while listening to the Heart Sutra being chanted and sounds from nature.

One notable feature is that users cannot talk to one another. Many people can gather in the same prayer hall and spend time there, but there is no chat or messaging function. The developer introduced the service by explaining, “You can sit together, but you can't strike up a conversation.” In other words, users can simply share the same space without feeling pressured to keep a conversation going.

Users accessing Cheongyeondang. Wish candles are also sold there, and users were seen joining their palms or performing 108 bows. Screenshot of the online temple Sansa.

Users quickly flocked to this space, which does not require any particular interaction. At 10 a.m. on October 30, a total of 4,679 users were logged into 100 “Cheongyeondang” servers. Each server can host up to 100 people, and five of them were at full capacity. The developer said the previous day on social media that the service had recorded 100,000 visitors in a single day.

As more users than expected signed on, the server capacity was expanded in stages. It initially launched with capacity for 20 people, then expanded to 100 and 1,200, and eventually to 10,000. After the sudden surge in popularity caused server issues, including access disruptions, the developer posted an apology and said the service would be improved in response to user feedback.

“When You Don't Have the Energy to Go to a Temple, Sit Here for a While”

The Sansa service is currently available on the Toss mini-app. Threads screenshot: @metamong.dev

Sansa grew out of a small inconvenience the developer experienced in everyday life. When first releasing the service, the developer explained its inspiration: “There are days when it seems like it would be nice to go to a temple, but when it comes down to it, you have to make the effort to get there.” The developer added, “You can bow once, roll your prayer beads for a bit, and then leave,” and, “If you don't have the energy to go all the way to a temple, come sit here for a while.”

Users have also said that the service helps them feel at ease. One user said, “I stopped by on my way to work to calm my mind. It was my first time visiting a temple.” Another said, “I'm not religious, but it still feels like a relief for my mind and body, and that makes me happy.” Some users welcomed not having to talk to others. One user said, “I'm a major introvert, but I like that I can sit right at the front here,” a comment that resonated with others.

Online Churches and Cathedrals Emerge as Online Temples Gain Popularity

As online temple services gained popularity, online church and cathedral services soon followed. Screenshot from social media.

As online temples have made headlines, similar services recreating religious spaces such as churches and cathedrals have begun to appear. Recently, a developer using the name “nature.soul2025” released an “online cathedral” modeled after Myeongdong Cathedral. The service recreates an interior reminiscent of a real cathedral, with a high ceiling and stained-glass windows, as well as a confessional. Users can pray or light candles in the virtual space.

The developer explained, “Inspired by the online temples that have recently become popular, I tried making an online cathedral version,” adding, “I also added confession and the option to wear a chapel veil.” One user who said they were raising a child commented, “I was exhausted, but being able to light a candle and pray with just a few taps made me feel at ease.” Another user, who described themselves as a lapsed Catholic who had not attended a cathedral in a long time, said, “I'm glad I can go to confession and pray, even if it's only this way.”

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