Source: https://heyseorak.com/spots/bogwangsa-yeongnangho
Last-Updated: 2026-05-03

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# Bogwangsa Temple at Yeongnangho Lake (보광사(영랑호))

Category: temple | Type: see, learn | Area: yeongnangho | Price range: budget
Address: 69-2 Yeongnanghoban-gil, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do
Phone: +82-33-632-9800
Hours: Mon–Sun Open 24 hr (Sokcho Tourism lists the site as always available. Temple halls, services, and visitor etiquette can differ from open outdoor access.)
English menu available: Yes

## Trust and freshness
- Verification: research / 2026-05-02
- Menu freshness: updated 2026-05-03T03:29:18.217+00:00

Bogwangsa Temple is a small lakeside temple on one of the most scenic edges of Yeongnangho Lake. Founded in 1937, it adds a quieter Buddhist stop to Sokcho's lake route, with stories of a carved 'Gwaneum' rock behind the temple, a jade reclining Buddha made by Burmese monk-sculptors, and a wooden Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva connected to an unusually personal 17th-century devotional story.

Pro tip: Use Bogwangsa as a calm stop on a Yeongnangho walk rather than as a major temple visit. It works best with Song Si-yeol's inscription rock, Yeongnangho lake views, and a slow loop around the northern lake edge.

## Story

### How it started
Sokcho Tourism dates Bogwangsa to 1937 and places it on the scenic side of Yeongnangho Lake. The temple's location matters: the visit is as much about lake-and-temple atmosphere as it is about a single monument.

### Signature
The temple is noted for two unusual Buddhist images. One is a jade reclining Buddha made on site by Burmese monk-sculptors because moving the finished sculpture to Korea was considered too risky. The other is a wooden Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva whose internal document connected it to a 1654 prayer by a wife for her late husband.

### Finding the place
For a collection route, pair it with the nearby Song Si-yeol inscription rock. Together they let visitors read Yeongnangho as more than a lake: it holds Buddhist devotion, classical literati memory, and local scenery.

### Seasonal notes
Spring blossoms and autumn lake light make the approach softer. Summer heat is easier here than on exposed viewpoints, while winter can make the lakeside feel quiet and contemplative.

### For international visitors
For international visitors, Bogwangsa is a good reminder that Sokcho's heritage is layered: famous Seoraksan temples draw the crowds, but small lakeside temples preserve local stories that are easy to miss.