Odaesan Cultural Festival opens Oct. 8 with meditation, music, food and AI sessions

Woljeongsa, the head temple of the Jogye Order's fourth district, will hold the 2026 Odaesan Cultural Festival from Oct. 8 to 10 at the temple grounds in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, and at the fir tree forest, Yeongi forest and Dongnim Seonwon, under the theme “Ask myself, connect the world”, Yonhap and Kyunghyang Shinmun reported. Korea Economic Daily also reported the Oct. 8 opening. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]

Organizers said this year's edition goes beyond introducing traditional Buddhist culture and expands participatory programs in which visitors walk, meditate and experience food and performances themselves, the two outlets reported. The main program, “Mind Ground”, includes singing bowl sound baths, seated meditation, forest bathing, walking meditation, tea ceremonies, yoga and aroma experiences, according to Yonhap. Kyunghyang Shinmun adds somatic movement, journaling workshops, earphone walking meditation, tea meditation, morning yoga meditation and aroma and scent blending, held in Yeongi forest, Dongnim Seonwon and along the fir tree forest path. [ 1 , 2 ]

On Oct. 9, the temple will hold “Hwaeom Seonbuljang – Buddha's day, our day” at Daebeopnyunjeon, connecting Buddhist wisdom with music, food, AI and the future, and visual arts. Both outlets describe it as an examination of what Buddhist practice and philosophy can mean in contemporary daily life, technology and art, with music addressing resonance and the mind, food addressing the philosophy of practice, and the AI and future segment looking at technology-driven futures. [ 1 , 2 ]

On Oct. 10, “Table above the clouds” will be held in Yeongi forest with temple food master Seonjae, described as sharing seasonal food in nature and focusing on the connection between food, people and the natural surroundings. Under the concert program “Sound Garden”, Yonhap reports a Park Wan musical gala concert on Oct. 9 and a Laventana world music concert on Oct. 10; Kyunghyang Shinmun adds that the gala features the Andy Kim Band and Raum Musical, while the world music concert features saenghwang player Kim Hyo-young and jazz vocalist Nam Ye-ji. [ 1 , 2 ]

From Oct. 8 to 10, the yard in front of Hwaeomru will host Buddhist culture experiences including lotus lantern and prayer bead making, coloring mandalas and the octagonal nine-story pagoda with singing bowls, rubbings and bell striking with monks. At Hwaeomru, ink artist Lee Yeo-un's special invitational exhibition “Thousand-year architecture blooming in ink” shows 25 works reinterpreting Woljeongsa's architecture and spaces, organized into three themes: “Thousand-year Buddhist architecture”, “The city and hanok”, and “Emptiness and meditation”. [ 1 , 2 ]

Yonhap reports the opening day, Oct. 8, will include a procession of the sacred relics, a Bodhisattva precepts grand ceremony, an opening theme performance and a pagoda-circumambulation event. On Oct. 9, it adds, there will be a Buddhist choir festival, the Tanheo Daejongsa calligraphy competition, a traditional monastic procession and tea ceremonies. [ 1 ]

A Woljeongsa official said on Oct. 6 that the temple prepared diverse programs so that the value of thousand-year Buddhist culture can be experienced directly in today's life, and expressed hope that visitors would look back on themselves in Odaesan's nature and connect with one another through music, food, art and meditation. Kyunghyang Shinmun reports that detailed programs and how to take part can be found on the official website. [ 1 , 2 ]