The first baby has been born to a couple who met through "Naneun Jeolro" (roughly "Falling for a Temple"), a Buddhist matchmaking program that has ignited the romantic imagination of younger generations.
According to the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism's Social Welfare Foundation, a couple in their 30s who met through the program welcomed a healthy baby boy on Thursday.
The two participated in the August 2024 edition held at Naksansa in Yangyang, Gangwon Province — he as participant No. 5 on the men's side, she as No. 8 on the women's — and were matched as the final couple. It marks the first time the program, which launched in November 2023, has produced a full arc of meeting, marriage and a child.
"Naneun Jeolro" grafts the format of a modern dating reality show onto the serene setting of a temple stay. The Jogye Order revamped its existing "Meeting Temple Stay" program, which it had run since 2013, and the redesign sparked wide popularity. By opening the program to people of other faiths and those with no religious affiliation — not just Buddhists — it removed the barrier of religious reluctance.
The response has been strong. The most recent edition at Naksansa, held Saturday and Sunday, drew an application ratio of 211 to 1 — a record high — underscoring the intense demand among young people. The matching rate has been equally remarkable: through last year, roughly half of all participants found a partner. This year, three events held at Seonunsa, Donghwasa and Naksansa produced six, eight and five couples, respectively.
The program is also translating into actual marriages. Three couples, including the new parents, have wed so far, and another pair is set to hold their ceremony in October. Five or six more couples are in serious discussions about marriage.
"We are delighted that the first baby has been born, given that 'Naneun Jeolro' is a low birth rate initiative," said Yoo Cheol-ju, a planning and public relations committee member at the Jogye Order's Social Welfare Foundation. "The foundation plans to deliver a special birth commemorative gift to express our congratulations."
shee@heraldcorp.com
