Even if you are not Buddhist, Buddha’s Birthday is hard to miss in Korea. By May, temples across the country begin to fill with colorful lanterns, and many people stop by to take part in the atmosphere whether they are Buddhist or not.

Today, roughly 17% of Koreans identify as Buddhist and though Korea does not have an official state religion, Buddha’s birthday is still observed as a public holiday. For many Koreans, Buddhism functions not just as a faith but as a way of life. Buddhism has shaped Korean life since the fourth century. For more than 1,600 years, it has influenced the country’s architecture, language, art and culture.

In 2026, Buddha’s Birthday falls on May 24 (Sunday) with a substitute public holiday on May 25 (Monday). You do not have to be Buddhist to take part but knowing what the day means and how it is observed offers a great way to experience one of the most visible spring traditions in Korea.

Buddhism began in ancient India with Siddhartha Gautama who left behind a royal life to search for an answer to human suffering. What he taught later became the foundation of Buddhism: suffering exists, it has a cause and there is a way through it.

Buddha’s Birthday marks the day he was born. However, in Buddhism, the meaning of the day is tied not only to his birth, but to what followed, his enlightenment and the life he spent teaching others.

That is also why lanterns matter on this holiday. In Buddhist tradition, darkness represents ignorance and light represents wisdom. People hang lanterns in temple courtyards to carry a wish, a prayer or a hope for more light in their own lives.

The best way to experience Buddha’s Birthday in Korea is through Yeon Deung Hoe (연등회), the lantern festival held in Seoul. It is also one of the country’s largest public celebrations.

The tradition goes back more than 1,300 years to the Silla Kingdom period and continued through the Goryeo Dynasty to the present. In 2020, UNESCO added Yeon Deung Hoe, the Lotus Lantern Festival in the Republic of Korea to the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The main event is the lantern parade, held on the Saturday before Buddha’s Birthday. Participants carry handmade paper lanterns through central Seoul, moving from Heunginjimun Gate along Jongno to Jogyesa Temple, a route of about 3.5 kilometers (2.17 mi). The lanterns come in many shapes and sizes including lotus flowers, fish, dragons and traditional palace structures. After sunset, the lantern light changes the whole street.

The parade is free to watch and does not require advance registration. Since it is one of Korea’s biggest festivals, the area gets very crowded, but visitors can watch from anywhere along the route. Arriving early around the Jongno street usually secures a better view. The festival period includes other programs as well including lantern-making workshops. For more details, visit their website (llf.or.kr.)

• Date: May 16, 2026 (Sat.), 7 p.m.–9:30 p.m.

• Route: Heunginjimun Gate (parade start) along Jongno to Jogyesa Temple

• Subway: Line 1 and 4, Dongdaemun Station / Line 1, Jongno 5-ga Station / Line 1, Jonggak Station

• Website

Note: Roads along the parade route will be closed during the event. Buses in the area will be affected. Take the subway.

Beyond the lantern festival in Seoul, one of the easiest ways to experience Buddha’s Birthday is to visit a temple in the weeks leading up to the holiday, usually from late April to Buddha’s Birthday in May. Around that time, many temples begin filling their grounds with rows of colorful lanterns, and each one usually carries a written wish from a visitor.

Special prayer services continue through the holiday period. On Buddha’s Birthday, many temples hold a ceremony called gwanbul (관불) that visitors pour water over a small statue of the infant Buddha as a gesture of blessing and renewal. Temples also serve a free communal meal called gongyang (공양) to anyone who comes, regardless of religious background.

These temples are worth visiting any time of year. Around Buddha’s Birthday, most are filled with lanterns and hold special ceremonies. Admission is free.

Tongdosa Temple (Yangsan), Naver Map

One of Korea’s three sacred temples, known for housing relics of the historical Buddha. It is also home to one of the country’s largest Buddha’s Birthday celebrations. About one hour from Daegu. 

Haeinsa Temple (Hapcheon), Naver Map

One of Korea’s three sacred temples and home to the Tripitaka Koreana, more than 80,000 wooden printing blocks of Buddhist scripture. Its storage halls are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. About one hour from Daegu.

Songgwangsa Temple (Suncheon), Naver Map

One of Korea’s three sacred temples, known for its tradition of great monks and for having some of the most beautiful temple grounds in the country.

Jogyesa Temple (Jongno, central Seoul), Naver Map

It serves as the chief temple of Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and the center of the Lotus Lantern Festival.

Bongeunsa Temple (Gangnam, Seoul), Naver Map

Located near COEX, it is known for the massive Maitreya Buddha statue facing Gangnam’s skyscrapers.

Bulguksa Temple (Gyeongju), Naver Map

A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Korea’s most important historic temples. It is best paired with a Gyeongju trip.

Haedong Yonggungsa Temple (Busan), Naver Map

Built along seaside cliffs overlooking the ocean, it offers a unique setting unlike any other temple in Korea.

Gakwonsa Temple (Cheonan), Naver Map

Known for its giant bronze Buddha and two rounds of cherry blossoms through April. About 40 minutes from Camp Humphreys. 

Korean Buddhist temples are still active religious spaces. Monks and practitioners who live there follow daily routines including early morning prayer, meditation, work and communal meals.

At the same time, most Korean temples are accessible even to people who are not Buddhist. Historically, they were not only places of worship, but also places where ordinary people came to pray for health, family and a good harvest. That sense of openness has lasted for centuries.

Most temples in Korea today are in the mountains. During the Goryeo Dynasty, Buddhism held a central place in public life, and many temples stood closer to cities. However, after the Joseon Dynasty was founded in 1392, Confucianism became the governing order and Buddhism was pushed out of public life. Many temples moved deeper into the mountains where many still remain ever since.

Admission to most major temples has been free since 2023 when the government abolished a cultural heritage fee that had been in place for more than 60 years. Anyone can simply walk in.

As a temple is a place of worship, loud talking is not appropriate. There is no dress code, but highly revealing clothing is out of place. Public displays of affection should be avoided.

When entering the main prayer hall, use the side door. The front entrance is reserved for senior monks. Take off your shoes before stepping inside. Photography may be limited inside some halls, so it is best to check for signs or ask first.

Hapjang banbae (합장반배) is a half bow done with hands placed together in front of the chest. It is the basic gesture of respect in a temple and is appropriate for any visitor. You may use it when entering or leaving the main hall, when passing in front of a Buddha statue, or when greeting a monk.

Sambae (삼배), or three full bows, is a Buddhist prayer practice. It involves kneeling and lowering your forehead and elbows to the ground, then rising again, repeated three times. People usually do this in front of the Buddha altar when they want to pray or make an offering.

Buddhism has shaped the Korean language in ways most people never notice. Many Korean words used every day including compassion and the world trace back to Buddhist teachings.

Words

• Temple and bow: Jeol (절) *The same word means both.

• Monk: Seunim (스님)

• Lantern: Yeondeung (연등)

• Lotus flower: Yeonkkot (연꽃)

• Free communal meal: Gongyang (공양)

• Karmic connection: Inyeon (인연)

• A fleeting moment: Chalna (찰나)

• Compassion: Jabi (자비)

• The world: Segye (세계)

Phrases

• May I take a photo?: Sajin jjikeo-do doelkkayo? (사진 찍어도 될까요?)

• It’s beautiful: Areumdawoyo (아름다워요)

• Please speak quietly: Joyonghi haejuseyo (조용히 해주세요)

• Wishing you good fortune: Bok manhi badeseyo (복 많이 받으세요)

USAG Yongsan

Camp Casey

USAG Daegu

Fleet Chinhae

Kunsan Air Base