▲ Participants take part in a "temple stay" program held at the Buddhist Baekdam Temple in the county of Inje in Gangwon Province, in this undated file photo provided by the municipality. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

temple stay-popularity

Nearly 350,000 people enjoy overnight 'temple stays' in 2025

SEOUL, Jan. 18 (Yonhap) -- Nearly 350,000 people took part in "temple stays," or an overnight cultural program held at Buddhist temples, last year, marking the highest figure since the program was first launched in 2002, according to the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism on Sunday.

A record 349,219 people, comprising 293,704 South Koreans and 55,515 foreign tourists, participated in the program at 158 temples nationwide in 2025, up 5.1 percent from the previous year, according to the Jogye Order.

The program, which allows visitors to experience daily life at a temple, was first introduced to promote traditional Korean culture and help ease a shortage of accommodation during the 2002 World Cup, jointly hosted by South Korea and Japan.

The number of temples taking part in the program as well as visitors has sharply increased over the past two decades, up from some 2,500 participants at 33 temples in the first year. Some 4.18 million people have taken part in the program so far.

The Jogye Order said it plans to further promote the temple stay program, in conjunction with cultural and tourism resources outside of Seoul, to help boost regional economies.

It also plans to organize specialized programs focused on stress relief and mental health, as well as initiatives tailored for socially marginalized groups.

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