The couple (left) who got married after meeting on the program ‘I am at the Temple, Baekyangsa’ are taking a commemorative photo with Monk Deokun (center) and Monk Mugong (right). Provided by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism’s Social Welfare Foundation.
The first couple from the program ‘I am at the Temple’ to get married has donated 1 million KRW to the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism’s Social Welfare Foundation. The foundation announced on the 3rd that Hyunwoo Yang and Soyoun Joo (names changed for participation) established their connection on the ‘I am at the Temple, Baekyangsa’ episode last November and returned to Baekyangsa over a year later to express their gratitude.
According to the foundation, the couple registered their marriage on September 1, making them the first couple from ‘I am at the Temple’ to marry. They expressed their gratitude, saying, “We are so thankful to be able to marry with the great support of the foundation and Baekyangsa,” and noted that their donation was made in hopes for the program and Buddhist social welfare to continue to thrive.
In response, the abbot of Baekyangsa, Monk Mugong, offered words of encouragement. He said, “In Buddhism, marriage is referred to as ‘Hwahon,’ meaning ‘beautiful marriage,'” and advised, “The way to maintain a good married life is to respect each other’s character and attend to each other’s hearts.” Additionally, he gifted them with monetary support and a prayer bead bracelet made from a Bodhi tree grown at Baekyangsa.
Meanwhile, the foundation mentioned that several more couples, including participants from the ‘I am at the Temple, Naksansa’ episode, are also scheduled to get married next year.