The products on display were unique. They were engraved with Buddhist-related phrases mixed with 'B-grade humor,' such as 'Nirvana Rocks' (극락도 락: 극락/Geung-nak means 'Paradise' or 'Nirvana', 락 is also the phonetic way to write the English word 'Rock') or 'Up for asceticism? Or are you chicken?' (쫄 is derived from 쫄다, often used in a teasing, playful way). In one corner of the store, a 'Karma Cleaning' booth was held for visitors to write down something from the past year they regretted doing and put the paper into a shredder. Visitors were seen filming themselves turning the shredder handle and posting the videos on social media.
The pop-up store was run by a brand that produces Buddhist-themed merchandise. Based on sales trends, it was estimated that more than 80,000 people visited over the 8 days, which means over 10,000 visitors per day.
Among young people, 'Light Faith' is becoming a trend. It means viewing religion not as something heavy but as something to enjoy. This is not limited to Buddhism. Around last Christmas, various events titled '2025 Jesus Birthday Cafe' were held across the country. Some attracted so many visitors that people had to wait in line. These events combined Christian themes with K-pop fandom culture. Just like how fans rent cafes for their favorite idols' birthdays to decorate the interior with photos, distribute merchandise, and hold quiz events, these cafes celebrated the birth of Jesus in a similar way. Most visitors were young people who learned about the events through social media.
Compared to other generations, only small proportion of young people identify themselves as religious. According to the '2025 Religious Awareness Survey' released by Hankook Research last December, 72% respondents aged 18-29 identified as having no religion, this is the highest rate among all age groups. Despite this, religion-related events are gaining popularity. Because of the 'fun' content and 'trendy' merchandise, many non-religious young people as a form of cultural content and feel comfortable visiting them. In fact, according to an organization that hosted a '2025 Jesus Birthday Cafe' last year, 1 out of every 5 visitors was not Christian.
Many visitors of this type of events said that they found them 'fun, unlike traditional religious events.' Im (24), who visited the Buddhist brand's pop-up store on the 4th, said, "I saw an image of the Buddha lying down with his arm propped up in the advertisement. I thought t looked funny, so I came here."
Other visitors said that it was nice that the events offered a sense of 'healing,' which sets these apart from typical events. Heo (21), who visited the pop-up store with friends on the 7th said, "I'm atheist, but I feel calm when I think about Buddhist philosophy. I've always been interested in Buddhism, that's why I decided to visit the pop-up store." On the same day, Ha (25), a Catholic, also browsed the products, saying, "Even though this is not my religion, I often enjoy meditating while playing Buddhist music in the background."
Experts say that the 'Light Faith' trend shows that young people's way of engaging with religion have diversified. Lee Wongyu, Professor Emeritus of Religious Sociology at Methodist Theological University, said, "It seems like young people are enjoying religion in their own comfortable ways to find a peace of mind, without being bound by the rigid formalities of traditional religion." A professor of religious studies at a university in Busan also commented, "Rather than simply believing in a specific religion, the younger generation today appears to use religion as a tool to find answers to their individual concerns."
