Archive · 18 Jan 2026
South Korea Temple Stays Hit Record in 2025
In 2025, almost 350,000 people stayed overnight at Buddhist temples in South Korea.
This is the most since the program started in 2002.
The program lets people experience temple life and learn about Korean culture.
It began to help with a shortage of places to stay during the 2002 World Cup.
Now, more temples and people are joining.
The Jogye Order wants to make the program even bigger and help more people, like those who are stressed or feel left out.
They also want to attract younger people to Buddhism.
However, fewer people are becoming monks, which is a problem for the future of Korean Buddhism.
Nearly 350,000 people participated in temple stays in 2025, the highest since the program's launch in 2002.
Participants included 293,704 South Koreans and 55,515 foreign tourists.
The program is held at 158 temples nationwide and aims to promote traditional Korean culture.
The Jogye Order plans to expand the program and create specialized initiatives for stress relief and marginalized groups.
Monastic ordinations have declined sharply, with only 81 people ordained in 2025 compared to 226 in 2014.
- Who
- Nearly 350,000 people, including 293,704 South Koreans and 55,515 foreign tourists
- What
- Participated in the temple stay program at 158 temples nationwide
- When
- In 2025, marking the highest figure since the program's launch in 2002
- Where
- South Korea
- Why
- To promote traditional Korean culture and ease accommodation shortages during the 2002 World Cup
- Total Participants
- 349,219
- South Korean Participants
- 293,704
- Foreign Tourists
- 55,515
- Participating Temples
- 158
- Yearly Increase
- 5.1%
- Total Participants Since 2002
- 4.18 million
- Monastic Ordinations in 2025
- 81
- Monastic Ordinations in 2014
- 226