Celebrity monk in South Korea under fire for 'lavish lifestyle'

A South Korea-based Buddhist monk is coming under criticism for his way of life after an episode of a television program that aired Nov. 7. File Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI | License Photo

Nov. 16 (UPI) -- A South Korea-based Zen Buddhist monk who's written best-selling self-help books says he's opting out of all public appearances and returning to a life of quiet meditation after a recent controversy.

Haemin, a Korean American monk whose real name is Ryan Joo, is coming under criticism for his lifestyle after he appeared on a local television program.

On an episode of a South Korean reality TV show, On & Off, Haemin is seen at his private residence in one of Seoul's most expensive neighborhoods, where he enjoys an exclusive view of Namsan Tower, a city landmark, local news service EDaily reported Monday.

Haemin's lifestyle angered South Korean viewers, according to reports. Seoul is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, where housing prices skyrocketed in 2020 amid a surge in demand despite government policies that curb lending and real estate speculation.

South Korean YouTube personalities said the show's depiction indicates the monk, who has said he lives a life of monastic discipline, was a hypocrite.

"He is the greediest person that I've ever known," said "Krocodile Choi," a heavy metal singer with local band Victim Mentality, according to JoongAng Daily.

"His meditation app requires in-app purchases," Choi said. "He is making money by ripping off those who are emotionally hurt with sugarcoated words that are far from supportive. All the content in the app is very low quality."

Haemin launched the mobile app, "Kokkiri," in August 2019. The app gained more than 330,000 subscribers in a year, according to EDaily.

Many Zen Buddhist monks are major public figures in South Korea. Several monks who have written books and gained large followings are Americans.

Hyon Gak, an American monk of Irish and German descent who goes by the moniker "blue-eyed Zen Buddhist monk" in Korea, slammed Haemin on Facebook for his alleged materialistic lifestyle.

Hyon Gak, whose real name is Paul Muenzen, called Haemin a "parasite that steals Buddha's wisdom for his greed." He later deleted the comment after a phone call, according to the JoongAng on Monday.