Blindfolded walks, K-pop dances and romance: Inside Korea's Buddhist matchmaking program

The Korea Times - Sep 23, 2026

Participants gathered at the Korea Culture Training Institute in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, on Saturday for the latest edition of "I'm Solo at the Temple," a matchmaking program for singles organized by the Social Welfare Foundation of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism inspired by Korea's hit dating reality series "I Am Solo." Under a clear autumn sky, men and women paired off for a blindfolded walk. The women covered their eyes with black blindfolds, and the men guided them. Reaching the trail's halfway point, they swapped roles, with the men putting on the blindfolds and the women guiding. When one person hesitated to take a step, their partner gently guided them by the elbow. Soon, some were holding hands naturally. "It was nice to walk while relying on the other person," a 32-year-old participant surnamed Kang said. "It feels like affection blossomed through small moments of physical contact." The foundation selected 20 participants from 513 applicants to spend the day together, getting to know potential matches. Organizers arranged activities to foster connection, ranging

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