Paradise Burger (9,800 won), Reincarnation Hot Dog (8,800 won), Rebirth in the Pure Land Burger Set (23,600 won)—these are not the typical menus you would expect to find at a Buddhist temple.
But at Hwaeomsa Temple Burger, a vegan burger joint launched by Hwaeomsa and a vegan food company, these items are proving very popular. Hwaeomsa is a thousand-year-old Buddhist temple on the slopes of Jirisan, a mountain located in the southern region of South Korea. Last month, the temple introduced its unique take on fast food through a pop-up store at Times Square Mall in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul.
A temple selling burgers? At first glance, the idea seems highly unusual. But every ingredient, from the bun to the cheese and sauce, is plant-based. The patties, made from soy protein and other ingredients, were meticulously developed over a year to replicate the taste of real beef.
When comedian and DJ Yoon Sung-ho, who moonlights as a Buddhist monk character under the name “NewJeansNim,” took a bite of the vegan burger for the first time, he was stunned. “It tastes just like a regular hamburger,” he said. Luckily, no monks will be breaking their dietary vows of vegetarianism for eating a burger.
The response to the vegan burger pop-up was overwhelmingly positive. Young Koreans were particularly enthusiastic, and the buzz spread quickly on social media. “I wasn’t even hungry, but I bought it out of curiosity,” one customer admitted. Many foreign visitors, including those who follow vegetarian diets for health or religious reasons, also found the concept appealing. During its 33-day run, the pop-up store attracted over 5,000 visitors. Encouraged by its success, Hwaeomsa Temple is set to open its first Hwaeomsa Temple Burger branch next month near the entrance to Hwaeomsa Temple in Gurye County, South Jeolla Province.
“Burgers are one of the most widely enjoyed foods among young people globally, said a temple official. “We hope to introduce Buddhist philosophy through a familiar and accessible medium.”
Food is one of the easiest ways to engage people, and Hwaeomsa is expanding its efforts by launching ‘Temple Gimbap.’ Hwaeomsa is currently developing a plant-based, temple-style gimbap in partnership with a frozen food company. The temple plans to export the gimbap to the United States, Europe, and Australia, where Korean food is growing in popularity, driven by a general rise in veganism, vegetarianism, and health-conscious lifestyles.
The temple also plans to release temple-style frozen dumplings, bibimbap, natural gochujang, and beverages. “We want to introduce the vegetarian culture and life-respecting philosophy of Korean Buddhist temples to the world,” said a temple representative.
The Jogye Order, Korea’s largest Buddhist sect, has also entered the burger business with its own vegan offering—the “Spy Burger.” The name comes from its “hidden” non-meat ingredients that mimic the taste of meat. Launched last year as a frozen product in barbecue and squid flavors, the Spy Burger is part of the sect’s strategy to diversify its revenue streams.
Realizing the importance of engaging young people, the Jogye Order even hosted a burger-tasting event for children attending temple programs at Hwagyesa, a temple located in Northern Seoul. The sect’s business arm, Doban HC, has also worked with Korean food giant CJ CheilJedang to release temple-style red bean porridge and vegetable-based jang-jorim (a Korean side dish consisting of lean beef braised in soy sauce with shishito pepper).
While some have criticized these ventures as overly commercial, these initiatives have improved Buddhism’s public image. Analysts suggest that, much like its updated menu, Buddhism is now perceived as a “hip” and approachable religion.
According to a 2023 survey of 1,000 adults conducted by Embrain, Buddhism was the only religion that saw an uptick in believers, with 30.6% of respondents identifying as Buddhist. Additionally, Buddhism scored the highest favorability rating (51.3 points) in Hankook Research’s 2024 Religious Perception Survey.
