Mystic appeal of Korea’s most uncommon temples

Korea’s Buddhist temples are experiencing an unprecedented surge in visitors as the nation celebrates Buddha’s Birthday, Sunday, highlighting how these sacred spaces have increasingly evolved into premier cultural and wellness destinations for both adherents and nonbelievers.

According to data released by mobility platform Tmap Mobility, temple destination searches jumped 27 percent year-over-year last year, marking a 56 percent spike compared to data from two years prior.

The historical and architectural grandeur of these sites remains a primary draw for many visitors, with Bulguk Temple, located in the historic city of Gyeongju, South Geongsang Province, topping the charts as the nation's most-visited Buddhist site last year.

It was followed by Naksan Temple in Yangyang, Gangwon Province; Tongdo Temple in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province; and Haedong Yonggung Temple in Busan.

For younger demographics, temples have also emerged as a popular canvas for digital storytelling.

Several temples have recently gone viral on social media, becoming popular backdrops for millennial and Gen Z