Korean fan culture meets religion in Gen Z Buddhism
It takes an avid fan to know how to commit. That explains how the Buddha became the ultimate favorite for 28-year-old artist Gye So-young, a Gen Z creator who previously channeled her devotion into anime, K-pop icons G-Dragon and BLACKPINK's Jennie, and baseball star Shohei Ohtani. Gye, a Buddhist painter who runs the YouTube channel "Biguni Yeonseupsaeng" (Buddhist nun trainee), chronicles this…
Korean fan culture has found an unexpected intersection with religion among Gen Z Buddhists. This is exemplified by 28-year-old artist Gye So-young, who has dedicated her devotion to the Buddha in her unique way. Gye, a Buddhist painter and creator of the YouTube channel "Biguni Yeonseupsaeng" (Buddhist nun trainee), explores this spiritual shift in her debut essay collection titled "The Buddha Is My Bias: An Otaku's At-Home Exploration of Buddhism," released on July 30 by Bulkwang Publishing.
Unlike conventional religious literature, Gye's book adopts a playful and Gen Z perspective on Buddhist teachings. She draws connections between Buddhist concepts and popular culture, making the subject matter more relatable and accessible to younger audiences. One example is her mapping of the Buddhist idea of impermanence to G-Dragon's hit song "Crooked" and its refrain about nothing lasting forever.
Gye also examines the concept of karma through the lens of baseball star Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani reportedly likened picking up trash discarded by others to collecting the luck they left behind, which Gye uses to explore the idea of karma in her work. Through her unique approach, Gye's book offers readers a fresh and engaging take on Buddhism that resonates with Gen Z fans.
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- Korean fan culture meets religion in Gen Z Buddhism koreatimes.co.kr
