Monk becomes 'Buddhist world's G-Dragon' with razor-sharp dance moves
“Bad, bad, bad….” At Jajaeam Temple, nestled deep in the valleys of Soyo Mountain in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province, the silence was broken by “BAD,” a popular song by boy band ATEEZ. The man engrossed in popping moves, his gray Buddhist robes flying around him, was Ven. Deoksan, the temple’s abbot. He shot to fame after dancing to G-Dragon and Taeyang’s “Good Boy” at a Buddhist Expo in April and…
At the secluded Jajaeam Temple, perched in the hills of Soyo Mountain, Gyeonggi Province, the tranquil atmosphere was shattered by the tune of "BAD," a hit track by K-pop group ATEEZ. The individual absorbed in his acrobatic dance, donning a gray Buddhist robe, was Ven. Deoksan, the temple's abbot. In a remarkable turn of events, Ven.
Deoksan gained widespread recognition after his impromptu dancing to G-Dragon and Taeyang's "Good Boy" at a Buddhist Expo in April, and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" at the Lotus Lantern Festival in May.
Despite his advanced age of 60, Ven. Deoksan's unorthodox dance routines have garnered him endearing monikers such as the "G-Dragon of Buddhism," "Deoksan Daegong," and "Michael Sunim," a clever blend of Michael Jackson and the Korean term for monk, "sunim." Ven. Deoksan, who employs dance as a means to disseminate Buddhist teachings, was interviewed on September 30.
When questioned about the viral success of his dance videos on social media, Ven. Deoksan smiled modestly and expressed embarrassment at the attention. "As a practitioner, I hope this can aid me in effectively conveying Buddhist teachings in a more engaging manner," he said.
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