The 2025 Busan International Buddhism Expo was held 7–10 August in the South Korean city of Busan. Intended as a four-day celebration of contemporary Buddhism, the event offered attendees—young and old—a multimedia engagement with Buddhist culture, art, tradition, and practice through a variety of programs, exhibitions, and activities, along with opportunities for a little Buddhism-inspired shopping along the way.
The event, organized under the concept of “Buddhist-Core” (불교코어)—aiming to move beyond a religious context to focus on Buddhism as a new way of life, to help attendees relieve the stress of modern life and rediscover inner peace and mental well-being.
The expo was organized by Korea’s Buddhist Newspaper and BBS Buddhist Broadcasting, with support from the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, Korea’s largest Buddhist order, Busan Metropolitan City, and the Busan Metropolitan City Buddhist Association. The organizers stated that participation from organizations and companies was double compared with the inaugural Busan International Buddhism Expo in 2024, with almost 400 booths and close to 250 organizations and artists participating this year.
Highlights of the expo included: an exhibition of products related to daily meditation and practice culture; traditional and modern Buddhism-inspired crafts; traditional and modern Buddhist artworks; a meditation zone for in hands-on experience; as well as Dharma Talks on mindfulness and meditation practices, musical and cultural performances, and temple food demonstrations.
Visitors could even engaged in a “Hidden Dharma” challenge—a mission to complete various tasks inside the expo to collect a set of eight cards themed on the eight practices of the Noble Eightfold Path: right view, right thought, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi.
The fair drew the participation of Buddhist traditions from across Asia, which used the platform to share their spiritual heritage with visitors, from Sri Lanka to India, Nepal, and beyond. One expression of the expo’s expanded international reach included the participation of the tourism department of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which highlighted its sacred Buddhist sites—including Sarnath and Kushinagar—for aspiring pilgrims seeking to connect more closely with the Buddha’s teachings.*
“This four-day event has brought together monks, cultural leaders, international businesses, and travel industry professionals from across Asia, fostering meaningful dialogue and strengthening spiritual, cultural, and economic connections,” a visiting official from the International Buddhist Confederation in Delhi, Amos Simon, observed. “IBC’s presence at the Expo marks a significant step toward deepening the spiritual ties between India and Korea, and a commitment to promoting global Buddhist heritage. IBC looks forward to continued participation in such impactful religious and cultural exchange initiatives.”
One of the largest and most popular booths at the expo was set up by Jungto Society, the international Dharma community founded by the revered Korean Buddhist master and social activist Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, and the Buddhist humanitarian relief organization he established, Join Together Society (JTS). A large cohort of Jungto Society volunteers guided visitors in a variety of creative activities, ways, and means to engage with the Buddhadharma.
The occasion’s highlight events took place on the large stage, which hosted a series of lectures, cultural performances, temple food demonstrations, and meditation sessions to help visitors engage directly with Buddhist theory and practice.
Among the performances on the main stage over the course of the four days, Ven. Zhenru, abbot of Beomeo-sa, one of the head temples of the Jogye Order Temple, offered daily mindfulness guidance, while the Vietnam Sangha Association showcased sacred Buddhist rituals. Ven. Ha Jing gave demonstration of temple food such as grilled tofu, and Ven. Daolin taught visitors how to make lotus root and cucumber salad, and also lead participants in 108 prostrations and group meditation. Ven. Chang San gave an address on spiritual healing in the digital age titled “Stop Scrolling, Start Living,” while Ven. Yong Xue gave a Dharma talk on integrating compassion and wisdom titled “The Merits of Bodhicitta,” and Ven. Zhixian spoke on anger management and Buddhist methods for regulating emotions.
The expo’s organizers noted that the fair was aimed at exploring various ways for modern people—especially younger generations—to engage with Buddhist culture and thought, in the hope more people could experience practical Buddhist wisdom in daily life, and to dispel the common stereotype of Buddhism as old-fashioned and inaccessible.
According to survey data from 2024, the majority of South Korea’s population—51 per cent—holds no religious affiliation. Christians make up the largest religious segment of the population at 31 per cent, while Buddhists account for 17 per cent. Buddhism is reported to be the fastest-growing religion in South Korea in recent years, amid growth in interest among young people.
* Uttar Pradesh to Highlight Buddhist Heritage at Busan International Buddhism Expo 2025 (BDG)
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Busan International Buddhism Expo
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