Dongguk International Students Experience Buddhist Rituals Beyond K-Pop

International students were among roughly 10,000 students and faculty who participated in Buddhist prayers during Dongguk University’s recent Young Camp event. Some of the international participants were Buddhist, while others were not, but they joined the ceremony together.

Participants stood in rows and bowed at the same time. For almost an hour, they chanted texts that have been passed down for centuries and repeated the bows, taking part in a ritual that differs from the K-pop concerts and other pop-culture activities often linked with studying in South Korea.

The event offered foreign students an opportunity to encounter Buddhism as part of campus life at Dongguk. Among those taking part was Pooja Rajput, a 24-year-old student from India. The ceremony highlighted another aspect of Korean culture for international students alongside the entertainment experiences that often shape views of the country.