Buddhist idol group, BTENS (Image courtesy of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism)
SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Korea Bizwire) – As New Jeans Nim (comedian Yoon Sung-ho) gains popularity among young people with his electronic dance music (EDM) and Buddhist chant fusion, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism is introducing its own Buddhist idol group, BTENS, as a new strategy to spread its teachings.
The Jogye Order announced on August 7 that BTENS, a Seon (Zen) meditation outreach project group composed of Buddhist monks, will make their debut at the 2024 Busan International Buddhist Expo, which opens on August 8.
BTENS is a mixed-gender project group consisting of 10 members, including Venerable Gusan, the director of the Jogye Order’s Department of Buddhist Texts and Research, along with other monks such as Gwangwoo, Gogeum, Songsan, and Junhan.
Each member brings unique talents to the group, including proficiency in flute, gayageum (traditional Korean zither), Tai Chi, singing, Buddhist drums, and lyric writing.
Buddhist idol group, BTENS (Image courtesy of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism)
The group is scheduled to perform songs like “Look at Your Mind,” “Spring in My Hometown,” and “Song of Compassion” (unofficial translations) at the expo’s opening ceremony.
BTENS’ activities will extend beyond the expo. The group plans to participate in a “Seon Meditation Temple Stay” at the Korean Culture Training Institute in Gongju on August 24 and 25, the International Seon Meditation Conference at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square next month, and a “Meeting with Korean Traditional Culture” event in New York City in October.
Venerable Gusan, the group’s leader, stated, “Our goal is to convey Seon meditation to the public in an easy and hip way through various genres.”
He added, “We will visit every corner of Korea and abroad where young people have concerns, communicating through contemporary language and gestures, creating a lively discourse.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
