Templestay matchmaking program to open to foreigners
Foreign nationals will be able to take part in Korea's signature templestay matchmaking as early as April, according to the Korean Buddhist Foundation for Social Welfare, which has been running templestay programs for singles since 2012.
The foundation, run by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the nation's largest Buddhist sect, will hold the two-day program April 18-19 at Ssanggyesa, a temple in Hadong, South Gyeongsang Province.
'The April templestay is primarily for locals, but we will look at foreign candidates who really want to participate,' said Yoo Chul-ju, the senior coordinator at the foundation overseeing the program, referring to the 20-member gathering of men and women.
Yoo noted that applications from foreign nationals will have to show that they are serious about staying in Korea, adding that the foundation will gradually increase foreign participation. The next meeting will take place in July at Bongseonsa in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.
The search for a wider pool of singles testifies to the success of Jogye's matchmaking program, which took place six times last year, attracting 3,400 applicants in total. Only 160 made the cut and 33 couples matched up.
The program, launched to help the country fight the falling birth rate, is packed with activities like dating games, teatime chats and strolls around temples across the country that are known for scenic views.
'I think it's the general temple vibe so to speak, the kind of peaceful and serene ambiance that makes us all more open to the idea of an open date,' said Kim Young-woo, who participated in last year's Naksansa templestay in Yangyang, Gangwon Province.
Participants also speak of the trust they have in the Jogye Order, saying they expect the applicants to have been selected based on their sincerity to be matched up.
The Ven. Myojang, the foundation president, has personally assured the Jogye Order is as serious about matching up singles as those singles who bravely join an 'open date.'
'We're always looking for anyone including Buddhists and non-Buddhists who want to find a life-long partner,' Myojang said.
In another first, the Ven. Jinwoo, the Jogye Order president, will stop by the Ssanggyesa matchmaking next month in a show of support.
'It's a symbolic but powerful sign that this program won't just be a fling,' a Jogye official said. The application for Ssanggyesa templestay matchmaking program is open through March 25 on the foundation's website.
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