Young South Koreans are getting locked on Buddhist keyrings
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The product has a playful premise that has helped drive its popularity: Every press adds to your “gongdeok”, or Buddhist merit.
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SEOUL – Keycap keyrings have been taking off in South Korea since the beginning of 2026.
Now, there is a new twist on the trend: a Buddhist edition. Called the “gongdeok keyring”, the product has been selling out quickly at Buddhist temples in Seoul, including Bongeunsa and Jogyesa.
Press a button, and the keyring makes a familiar clicking sound of a keyboard key, followed by the sound of the moktak, a wooden percussion instrument used by Buddhist monks. The keyrings usually feature designs based on the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac.
The product also has a playful premise that has helped drive its popularity: Every press of the button adds to your gongdeok, or Buddhist merit. Each keyring costs 10,000 won (S$9.40).
Yoon Su-yeon, 32, recently visited Bongeunsa and bought one despite not being Buddhist. “The design is cute, and the sound it makes is really soothing. Also, I am considering changing jobs, so I hope it will bring me some good fortune,” she said.
Ahn Han-sol, 26, said she bought one out of curiosity. “I saw them on social media and wanted to know what the hype was all about.”
According to local news reports, Jogyesa initially stocked about 500 gongdeok keyrings on Sept 17. They sold out within a day, and subsequent restocks have also sold out quickly. Most customers are in their 20s and 30s.
Bongeunsa saw a similar rush. The temple reportedly restocked about 6,000 gongdeok keyrings on Sept 23, but they were sold out on the same day.
The trend comes as Buddhism has increasingly found a place in popular culture among younger South Koreans.
About 250,000 people attended the Seoul International Buddhist Expo in April, with those in their 20s and 30s accounting for 73% of visitors. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK