What is the dress code for Bongeunsa Temple in Gangnam, and how do you visit the giant Maitreya Buddha statue?

Dress Code & Temple Visitor Etiquette

Because Bongeunsa is located right in the trendy Gangnam shopping and business district, many travelers arrive dressed for casual city exploring or shopping. However, Bongeunsa is an active, revered place of Buddhist worship with hundreds of resident and visiting monastics.

Wear respectful, modest clothing: ensure shoulders and upper thighs are covered. Avoid beach tank tops, gym workout crop-tops, and revealing mini-skirts. When stepping into any prayer hall or temple building, remove your shoes and place them in the shelves, and always wear socks. Maintain quiet voices and do not speak loudly on cellphones in the courtyard.

The 23-Meter Maitreya Buddha (Mireuk-daebul)

The crowning highlight of Bongeunsa is the monumental Mireuk-daebul (Maitreya Buddha), standing 23 meters (75 feet) high on an elevated stone plaza carved into the hillside. Completed in 1996 after a decade of dedicated craftsmanship, it is one of the tallest stone Buddha statues in South Korea.

In the open-air stone courtyard at the Buddha feet, worshippers kneel on individual mats to perform prostrations. Standing at the base of the statue and looking back toward Gangnam reveals an iconic photographic framing: the serene stone Buddha framed directly against the glass towers of the COEX trade center.

Panjeon Woodblock Library: Historic Treasures

Tucked into the quieter upper reaches of the hillside sits Panjeon, the oldest surviving wooden building in the temple complex, constructed in 1855. This hall houses over 3,400 historic hand-carved woodblocks of the Avatamsaka Sutra (Flower Garland Sutra).

The calligraphy on the wooden signboard hanging above Panjeon was written by Kim Jeong-hui (Chusa), Korea most celebrated calligrapher, just three days before his death in 1856. The quiet walking trail surrounding Panjeon winds through fragrant pine groves and bamboo thickets.

Daily Temple Chanting & Tea Ceremonies

Bongeunsa holds four daily Buddhist chanting services (Yebul), with the dawn service (4:00 AM) and evening twilight service (6:00 PM) featuring the resonant striking of the Four Instruments: the Dharma Drum, Wooden Fish, Cloud Gong, and Great Bronze Temple Bell.

The temple hosts an authentic Dado (Korean Tea Ceremony) experiential program for international visitors every Thursday afternoon, introducing traditional meditation techniques, mindful tea brewing, and temple etiquette.

Access from COEX Mall & Subway Lines

Bongeunsa is exceptionally easy to reach via public transit. Take Seoul Subway Line 9 to Bongeunsa Station (Exit 1), which brings you directly to the temple entrance gate within a 2-minute flat walk.

Alternatively, if you are visiting the famous Starfield COEX Library or shopping mall, exit through the northern ground-level doors of COEX and cross the street at the pedestrian crosswalk to step immediately into the quiet temple grounds.

Frequently asked questions