Bongeunsa Temple: Gangnam Style

Bongeusna Temple is an ancient Buddhist temple on a half-mile parcel in the middle of one of the most modern, technologically advanced, richest cities in the world, Gangnam, South Korea. A beacon of peace in a chaotic city – Bongeusna dates back to 794 and houses a 91-foot stone statue of Maitreya, the Future Buddha, one of the tallest stone statues in the country.

How To Get There

Take Line 2, get off at Samseong Station, out exit #6 and then just map the mile or so walk with Kakao maps or Naver maps, or just wander and ask until you run into it. It’s a cool area to get lost in.

The Temple

Just walking onto the temple grounds, you start to feel the escape from the city. Take the paths around the grounds and explore the buildings, shrines, landscape and views of the city’s skyscrapers around this ancient temple. The juxtaposition of new and modern against ancient and spiritual is quite unique.

Make your way to the main attraction, the 91-foot statue of Maitreya surrounded by hundreds of Buddah’s transcripts.

If you find yourself in Seoul during Buddah’s birthday, May 26, during Lunar New Year or the temple’s anniversary, stopping here is a must.

You can even do a temple stay here and at many other Korean temples, which is highly recommended. Read about my temple stay at Geumsansa Temple.

Weekly 2 hour programs are available for foreigners for W10,000 ($10), no reservation required, on Thursdays from 2:00pm – 4:00pm. A temple tour, meditation and conversation with monks over a traditional tea ceremony are all included.

Read more about things to do in South Korea and more about all the temples I’ve visited around Asia.