Temple matchmaking retreat couple welcomes first baby in Korean Buddhism birthrate campaign
A couple who met at a Jogye Order temple retreat and later married have had the program’s first baby, marking a milestone in efforts to address Korea’s low birthrate.
Participants in "Naneun Jeollo" walk the grounds of Sinheung Temple in Sokcho, Gangwon, on Sept. 14, 2025.YONHAP
A couple who met at a Buddhist temple matchmaking getaway had a baby boy on Thursday, the first child born through the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism's program to address Korea's low birthrate.
The couplemet in August 2024 at "Naneun Jeollo," or "I'm Going to the Temple," a two-day retreat at Naksan Temple in Yangyang County, Gangwon, and married in October 2025.
At the retreat, they were assigned the namesGyeonu No. 5 and Jingnyeo No. 8, after the cowherd and the weaver of Korean folklore — lovers allowed to meet just once a year.
They were a confirmed couple by the end of the two days.
The Buddhist matchmaking weekend getaways began in November 2023
"Naneun Jeollo" pairs a temple retreat with matchmaking so that single men and women can meet in an unforced setting, which the order says is also meant to encourage healthier attitudes toward marriage.
The program was designed in response to Korea's declining birthrate.
It is a trendier repackaging of the order's earlier matchmaking retreat program, which has operated since 2013. It is open not only to Buddhists but also to young people of all theological persuasions.
Participants in "Naneun Jeollo," hosted by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, talk at Naksan Temple in Yangyang County, Gangwon, on Aug. 9, 2024.YONHAP
The Naksan Temple's latest session, held on July 11 and 12, drew a record 211 applicants per spot.
Match rates run high, with about half of all participants pairing off as of last year. Three sessions this year have produced 19 couples in all: six from the 20 participants at a session at Seonun Temple in North Jeolla, eight from the 24 participants at a session at Donghwa Temple in Daegu, and five from the 20 participants at the Naksan Temple session.
Three of those couples have married, with one more due to wed in October, the order said. Another five or six pairs are dating with marriage in mind.
"'Naneun Jeollo' is a project to overcome the low birthrate, so above all, I am delighted that the first baby has been born," said Yoo Chul-ju, a planning and public relations officer at the Jogye Order's social welfare foundation. "The foundation will send a gift to mark the birth."
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
