Dating can be very difficult for young people in South Korea. Usually, people meet their partners at school, at work, or through family and friends. However, some people have few opportunities to meet others. Dating apps are not very popular, and people in big cities rarely talk to strangers.
To help young singles, a Buddhist temple named Donghwasa in South Korea organized a special dating event. For one weekend, twelve men and twelve women stayed at the temple to find love.
The event was very popular. More than 1,600 people applied, but the temple selected only 24 participants. To get a place, applicants had to send questionnaires and selfie videos to show they were serious about marriage and children. People of any religion could join.
One participant was 28-year-old Kim Ah-kyung. She moved away from Seoul for her office job and struggled to meet new people. Another participant, 30-year-old Kwon Seung-oh, works at a dairy factory where almost all his co-workers are men. He had tried blind dates ten times before but did not like them.
At the temple, the singles spent the weekend getting to know each other. They hoped to find a real connection in a quiet and peaceful place.