About Buddha's Birthday (Korea — Yeondeunghoe)
Buddha's Birthday — Bucheonim Osin Nal, "the day the Buddha came" — is one of South Korea's most beautiful public holidays, observed on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month. It has been a national holiday since 1975, and in the weeks beforehand temples and city streets fill with thousands of paper lotus lanterns. The countdown above shows exactly how many days remain until the next celebration.
The centrepiece is Yeondeunghoe, the Lotus Lantern Festival, whose grand evening parade winds through central Seoul with glowing floats and dancers; UNESCO inscribed it on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2020. On the day itself, worshippers visit temples decorated with hanging lanterns, hang their own lantern carrying a wish or prayer, take part in bathing-the-baby-Buddha rites and share free vegetarian temple meals such as bibimbap.
Because it follows the lunisolar calendar, the holiday usually falls in late April or May and shifts each year — for example May 13 in 2027 and May 5 in 2028. The lantern lights symbolise wisdom dispelling darkness for oneself and all beings. Add this Buddha's Birthday countdown to your own page to follow the days down to Korea's festival of lanterns.
Upcoming dates
| 2027 | Thursday, May 13, 2027next |
| 2028 | Friday, May 5, 2028 |
FAQ
When is Buddha's Birthday in Korea?
It falls on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, usually in late April or May — May 13 in 2027 and May 5 in 2028.
Why is Buddha's Birthday important in Korea?
It marks the birth of the Buddha and has been a national holiday since 1975, celebrating compassion and the light of wisdom for all beings.
How is Buddha's Birthday celebrated in Korea?
With the Yeondeunghoe lotus-lantern festival and parade, temple visits, lantern offerings, bathing-the-Buddha rites and free vegetarian meals.
What is Yeondeunghoe?
Yeondeunghoe is Korea's Lotus Lantern Festival, a centuries-old tradition of lighting lanterns; UNESCO added it to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2020.