I visited Bogwangsa Temple in Sokcho and had tea and lunch with a monk 🙏🇰🇷
Yesterday, I visited Bogwangsa Temple (보광사) in Sokcho, Gangwon-do, and what started as a simple temple visit turned into one of the most meaningful cultural experiences I’ve had in Korea.
📍 Bogwangsa Temple (보광사)
Address: 579-2 Dongmyeong-dong, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea
Road address: 69-2 Yeongnanghoban-gil, Sokcho-si
Established: 1937
Located near Yeongnangho Lake
The temple itself is peaceful and surrounded by nature. It has the main Buddha hall (Daeungjeon), Samseonggak, a reclining Buddha statue, and other Buddhist cultural treasures.
I first spent some time exploring the temple and praying. Then I had the opportunity to meet one of the monks there.
What surprised me was how welcoming he was. We sat together and shared tea, and he explained so many things about Buddhism, the temple, and especially the life of a monk.
He talked about the discipline and simplicity of monastic life, and how monks try to live with fewer personal desires and dedicate themselves to serving others and the community around them.
We talked about happiness, what makes a good life, why someone would choose to become a monk, and the lessons he had learned throughout his life.
It was fascinating to hear these things directly from someone who had actually chosen this way of life.
And the experience didn’t end with tea 😂. We eventually had lunch together as well. We continued talking, took some pictures, and I got to learn even more about Korean Buddhist culture and the daily life of monks.
One of the things that stayed with me most was the idea of living for something beyond yourself. The monk’s perspective made me think about how differently people can define happiness and a meaningful life.
As a foreign student living in Korea, I really appreciate experiences like this. You can read about Korean Buddhism, temples, and Korean culture online, but sitting down with a monk, sharing tea and a meal, and listening to him talk about his own life is a completely different experience.
I went there as a visitor, but I left with much more to think about.
A few interesting things about Bogwangsa:
The temple was established in 1937 and is associated with Bogwang Buddha. It also has several interesting Buddhist cultural artifacts, including a reclining Buddha and a wooden Jijang Bodhisattva statue dating back to 1654.
If you’re visiting Sokcho and are interested in Korean Buddhism, history, culture, or simply looking for a quiet place away from the more crowded tourist spots, this is a place worth visiting.
Have you ever visited a Korean Buddhist temple and had the opportunity to talk with a monk? I’d love to hear about your experience.
[NAVER Maps]
Bogwang Sa Temple
Gangwon-do Sokcho-si Dongmyeong-dong 579-2
https://naver.me/xrzeOkfh