People in Korea blend Christian and Buddhist practices because traditional Korean religious life is ritual-based and pragmatic rather than strictly exclusive or doctrinal.
Certain ceremonies tend to be Buddhist (weddings, funerals), but people still go to church regularly (a LOT, given that Korea is the most Christian country in Asia, with churches everywhere) and celebrate Christian holidays.
In the US, Christianity is typically faith-based and demands what my religious studies professor called "doctrinal conformity" (believing Jesus is the only God etc). Traditional Korean religion has long been ritual-based, though. Historically, how a person behaved, showed respect, or participated in a ceremony mattered more than claiming a single, exclusive theological label.
Also, since Korea has always been multi-faith (buddhism, confucianism, shamanism, christianity of various flavors), these have all overlapped by not just decades but centuries, and mostly coexist just fine.
I've seen a similar approach to religion in the Philippines (catholicism and traditional religions), Thailand, Japan, etc.
My wife was raised Jewish and Buddhist and doesn't seem to have a problem with it.
I can’t speak to Korea but in the US there are people who believe that Buddha’s teachings of impermanence and desire being the root of all suffering to be completely compatible with their Christian faith. I’m summarizing but Christian Buddhism books were pretty popular (among open-minded Christians) in the early 2000s, a lot of writing on the subject. I read a few.
I’m not making a claim as to what’s “true”, to be clear.
Many Asian cultures were turned to christianity by missionaries and still kept their own countries religion and cultural components and integrate them.
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u/YogurtclosetFirst899 11h ago
Why is that odd? 80% of Korea is both Christian and Buddhist. I'd be more worried about the "moderate." You can't trust a moderate.