Young South Koreans are increasingly drawn to Buddhism via social media-savvy influencers

By JUWON PARK
Associated Press

SEOUL (AP) — South Korean young people are increasingly drawn to Buddhism due to social media-savvy influencers, including a monk who went viral on Instagram and a comedian who also DJs dressed like a Buddhist monk. Religious belief has been steadily declining in South Korea for years, especially among young adults, but that might be changing. South Korean comedian and DJ Youn Sung Ho and the Venerable Beomjeong are two of the country’s biggest “Buddhism influencers,” driving youth interest toward religion on social media. Through Youn’s electronic music and Beomjeong’s posts, the perception of the ancient religion is shifting in the country.