Jogyesa Temple

We visited the Jogyesa Temple on 27 April 2025 for the Lantern Festival and it was an incredible experience. The temple was glowing with thousands of colorful lanterns, creating a magical atmosphere. Even though it was crowded, it was still well organized and the cultural performances were the cherry on top. I even danced with them at some point! 😁🤣🤣👌🏾 I truly loved it and it's a must visit if you ever go to Seoul one day.

Visited this very beautiful temple a couple of days ago. Beautifully decorated to commemorate Buddhas birthday month. Entered the premises to the presence of a large drum - a small stick nearby is used strike the drum thrice and to make a wish. Entered the temple premises to many people in deep meditation and chanting. Participated to this very spiritual atmosphere in awed silence on my part. The three large golden statues of the seated Buddha give a very serene aura. The traditional temple is beautifully painted, inside and out. 🙏🏽🙏🏽Very peaceful and serene atmosphere!! 🙏🏽🙏🏽

The main temple of the Jogye order of Buddhism in Korea, this place is right in the middle of the city with busy surroundings. This means the surroundings are not the usual serene and green spaces. Perhaps, that's the beauty of this place, calmness amongst the urban chaos! The small area doesn't mean it lacks peaceful corners. During the main prayer times, one cannot just enter the main hall. But, listening to the chants standing outside is a worthy experience! Looks beautiful in the night with lights too. The temple also runs a temple-stay program. Worth visiting, considering that it is close to many famous spots and does not take a lot of time.

This is a beautiful temple with incredible artwork, statues and aura surrounding it. There are specific prayer times that you can’t enter, but I was there in between them. Great place to visit and walk around for 30-60 minutes.

Colorful Buddhist temple with vibrant lanterns and decorations, but it didn’t feel very authentic to me. The most genuine part is the prayer hall (photos not allowed), where people come to truly reflect. Might be more impressive at night, but overall not a must-see in my opinion.

It's a 10 minute walk from Jongak station. The temple is open with no fencing. It's a Buddhist temple with 3 huge Buddha statue houses in the main prayer hall. Please be respectful when visiting as prayer sessions are conducted. Hundreds of lanterns are hung above the temple ground and are lited in the evening. They are very beautiful, swaying in the wind. Do note that the temple is closed at night, but you could still the temple ground as it is not fence.

Such a beautiful temple in the heart of the city! A must visit place. It's calm and peaceful and a beautiful experience.

Jogyesa Temple is a serene oasis nestled right in the middle of bustling Seoul. The moment I stepped inside, the noise of the city faded away and was replaced by the calming rhythm of chanting, incense, and the gentle rustling of ancient trees. The temple grounds are beautifully maintained, with vibrant lanterns hanging overhead and a massive, centuries-old tree standing tall at the entrance — a silent guardian of the temple’s long history. The main hall, with its intricate artwork and golden Buddha statues, was both visually stunning and spiritually grounding.