After Yoon Jae-hee (Jeon Do-yeon) resigns from the police force, Choi Sang-hyun (Kim Joo-hyuk) finds her at his favorite spot at the coast fishing and they come to this temple to spend time together in episode 16 of Lovers in Prague (프라하의 연인) (SBS, 2005).

Also seen in Ballad of Seodong (서동요) (SBS, 2005-06); Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin/The Immortal Lee Soon-shin (불멸의 이순신) (KBS1, 2004-05); Jewel in the Palace / Dae Jang Geum (대장금) (MBC, 2003-2004); Damo / The Legendary Police Woman (조선 여형사 다모) (MBC, 2003).

— The Sword With No Name (불꽃처럼 나비처럼) (2009)

Naesosa [내소사/來蘇寺] is a Buddhist temple located at the southern foot of Byeonsanbando National Park [변산반도국립공원] in the village of Seokpo [Seokpo-ri/석포리] in Buan’s Jinseo Township [Jinseo-myeon/진서면] — a little more than an hour to/from Buan Cine Theme Park [부안영상테마파크] by public transport. The temple was founded as ‘Soraesa Temple’ during the reign of Baekjae King Mu in 633 CE. Its contemporary name, Naesosa, means “May anyone who comes here revive their life”.

The temple owns four state-designated cultural heritage items, namely: the bronze bell Goryeodongjong (부안 내소사 동종) (Treasure #277), a copy of the Saddharmapundarika Sutra (also known as Lotus Sutra) called ‘Beophwagyeongjeolbonsabon (백지묵서묘법연화경)’ (Treasure #278), its main sanctum, the Daeungbojeon (부안 내소사 대웅보전), (Treasure #291) and the large scroll painting ‘부안 내소사 영산회괘불탱’ (Treasure #1268). The Naesosa Fir Forest Path [내소사전나무 숲길] that leads up to the temple is also known for its particular beauty.

Today, the temple also offers temple stay programs.

There is also a folktale connected with this temple. It reads like this on the temple’s website: “When the construction of the Buddha Hall was completed, an artist volunteered to paint the interior, under the condition that nobody looks inside the hall for a period of one hundred days. On the 99th day, a young monk who couldn’t restrain his curiosity any longer, peeked inside the hall and saw a golden bird grasping a brush in its peak and flying around, painting the interior. Surprised at his appearance, the bird stopped painting and flew away. To this day, one side of the hall remains bare and unpainted.”

Address
243 Naesosa-ro, Jinseo-myeon, Buan, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea
전북 부안군 진서면 내소사로 243
(진서면 석포리 268)
Geolocation: 35.617773, 126.587236

— submitted by Marion KDL