May 13, 2026 Dogeon Lim www.smithsonianmag.com A South Korean Buddhist temple has introduced a humanoid robot monk named “Gabi” in order to connect Buddhism with younger generations and modern technology. This event took place at Jogyesa Temple in Seoul before Buddha’s Birthday celebrations. The ordination of Gabi was carried out at a time when Buddhism is declining in South Korea. Now, only 16% of South Koreans identify as Buddhist, which has decreased from about 23% in 2005