South Korean heartthrob monk's dance card full up

By Linh Le September 13, 2023 | 08:54 pm PT

A night-time tour at a Korean temple is completely booked thanks to its monk's reputation for his fetching good looks, and his emphasis on practitioners sharing their "scents" with others.

The tour of Hwaeomsa temple in the South Korean province of South Jeolla includes a tea session with the famously handsome Venerable Beomjeong, who has more than 27,000 Instagram followers.

High demand prompted the temple to expand the number of participants from 22 to 40, according to The Strait Times.

Venerable Beomjeong is widely known for his good looks. Photo from Beomjeong's Instagram

Referred to as the "flower monk," Beomjeong explained on his Instagram bio account that his nickname comes from the spirit that every practitioner should emit their "scent" to others like flowers do, according to Singaporean news site 8days.

However, his followers believe the nickname matches him well, as the word "flower" is also used to refer to young men who have delicate facial features in South Korean culture.

Venerable Beomjeong's social media presence has helped his temple attract a younger generation of people interested in exploring Buddhism. His temple has prioritized reaching the youth through various public-friendly events including a photo contest, a yoga festival, and even a film music concert, reported by The Korea Herald.