Experiment

new phenomenon

Seoul International Buddhism Expo was held from April 4th to 7th at SETEC. This expo has been held every year since 2013. I have visited 2-3 times in different years, and each time I enjoyed it because it was never too crowded. But this year was different. Of course, I expected there to be many people because I chose Sunday, but I didn’t expect such a crowd. It was a new phenomenon. 

Great success

There was a long line at the ticket booth. Even those who had reserved tickets had to stand in line. Fortunately, our turn came soon, and we got our tickets in about 5 minutes.
And inside the expo was much more crowded than outside. There were three different exhibition halls, each with its own concept. For example, the first exhibition hall featured teas, practices, and Buddhist monk uniforms. The second exhibition hall focused on arts and crafts, while the third exhibition hall allowed visitors to meet Buddhist monks and staff from overseas Buddhist organizations. However, most of them looked similar. 

What they exhibit?

Korean Buddhist culture is known for its healthy and nature-friendly food, and they also sold healthy snacks and foods at the expo. Additionally, visitors could taste some high-quality teas. My purpose was to find incense that embodied the image of a Buddhist temple. It felt like trying to “fit a camel through the eye of a needle.” While I could smell some aroma in the incense shops, most of them weren’t to my liking. However, I did manage to find one at the electric kettle shop. 
Aside from my purpose, this expo showcased a variety of unique crafts. It appears that many people have been drawn to Buddhism over the past three years as we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic. SETEC was too small to accommodate all the visitors, indicating that they plan to hold the next expo in a much larger convention hall. 

Expecting for next expo

The ticket price is only 5,000 won, and you can even receive a complimentary ticket if you register early during a specific period. With the past two exhibitions held in April, I’m looking forward to next year.