"Shin Minah Prayed for Kim Woobin with an Offering of Rice on Her Head"... Venerable Beopryun's Wedding Speech Revealed

Venerable Beopryun’s Story Shared in Jungto Society’s “A Day with the Venerable”
“A Truly Deep Connection Led to the Couple’s Marriage”

The wedding officiant speech delivered by Venerable Beopryun at the wedding of actors Kim Woobin and Shin Minah has been released.

On December 23, Jungto Society’s “A Day with the Venerable” featured the story of Venerable Beopryun, who attended the wedding of Kim Woobin and Shin Minah held at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on December 20. Earlier that day, Venerable Beopryun had a Q&A session with the Peace Foundation’s Unification Volunteers, then attended a precept ceremony for aspirants, delivering a Dharma talk. At around 7 p.m., he moved to the Shilla Hotel to officiate the wedding.

From the left, Shin Minah and Kim Woobin couple, and Venerable Beopryun. AM Entertainment Venerable Beopryun Instagram

In his speech, Venerable Beopryun began, “First of all, congratulations to the couple. I have known both of you for a long time.” The Venerable recalled that there was a time when Kim Woobin suffered from health issues, and said, “Minah carried an offering of rice on her head and prayed together in front of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva at Namsan in Gyeongju, transcending religious boundaries.” He continued, “Afterwards, Woobin regained his health, and today, the two of you are here, holding hands and promising to spend your lives together. This is truly the result of a deep connection.”

"Carrying rice on her head, praying together before Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva"

The relationship between the couple and the Venerable is said to have begun in 2017, when Kim Woobin was battling nasopharyngeal cancer. Kim Woobin reportedly received great emotional comfort through counseling with Venerable Beopryun, and Shin Minah also found strength in the Venerable’s advice and encouragement during the caregiving process. Through this connection, Kim Woobin personally asked the Venerable to officiate their wedding, and he gladly accepted.

Actors Kim Woobin and Shin Minah, who got married on the 20th. AM Entertainment

The Venerable described Shin Minah as warm-hearted and kind, noting that she has consistently supported underprivileged children for over ten years. He added, “She has also provided significant support to help North Korean defectors cope with their hardships,” and “She has always sponsored after-school programs for children who came to South Korea with their families and often struggle to adapt to Korean society.”

Speaking on the realities of married life, the Venerable said, “Living together is not easy.” He continued, “It would be wonderful if we could always feel as we do today, but as life goes on, differences in perspectives arise, and conflicts occur.” He explained, “Most people think that, because they love each other, they must become the same after marriage, but this often leads to marriage restricting individual freedom. To overcome this, it is important not only to seek warmth and reliance on each other, but also to deeply respect each other’s freedom.”

"Living together is not easy... It should be a complete union, not a joining of halves"

Venerable Beopryun stated that marriage should not be a “joining of halves,” but rather a “complete union.” He said, “If two halves come together to make a whole, even if it becomes a full moon, there is a crack in the middle. But when two complete individuals come together, there is no crack in the full moon.” He continued, “That is why, even if separation occurs for any reason, I hope you will both remain whole on your own, without suffering from losing your other half.” He added, “I hope your marriage will not be a form of confinement, but one that makes both of you even freer.”

The Venerable also remarked, “Most people think love is about liking someone, but liking is often more about desire than love. When liking fades, it can turn into dislike or even hatred.” He emphasized, “No matter how close a married couple is, their thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and perspectives can differ. Recognizing these differences is what respect is all about.”

Actors Kim Woobin and Shin Minah, who got married on the 20th. AM Entertainment

Venerable Beopryun stressed the importance of respect and understanding. He said, “On top of respect, it is necessary to understand the other’s perspective, thinking, ‘That’s how it could be from my wife’s point of view,’ or ‘That’s how it could be from my husband’s point of view.’” He warned, “Love without understanding can sometimes turn into violence.” He added, “Even parental love can become suffering for a child. Love should always be based on understanding the other’s position.”

He also spoke about responsibility. Venerable Beopryun said, “We must remember that love comes with responsibility. Not only do you have responsibilities as wife and husband, but as beloved public figures, you also have social responsibilities.” He continued, “Conflicts between the two of you are not just personal matters, but can affect society as a whole. You must always be mindful of the responsibilities that come with your reputation.”

"Marriage is a path to freedom, not confinement... Never forget your responsibilities as spouses, parents, and members of society"

In conclusion, the Venerable stated, “First, marriage should be a path to greater freedom, not confinement. Second, you must respect and understand each other. Third, never forget your responsibilities as spouses, parents, and members of society. If you keep these things in mind, today’s happiness will continue to grow even greater in the future.”

Before their wedding, Kim Woobin and Shin Minah donated a total of 300 million won to several organizations, including “Good Friends,” the Peace Human Rights Refugee Support Center founded by Venerable Beopryun. The wedding was hosted by actor Lee Kwangsoo. The ceremony was attended by BTS member V, Gong Hyojin, Ryu Junyeol, Kim Taeri, Uhm Junghwa, Yoo Haejin, Kim Euisung, Go Dooshim, Nam Joohyuk, Lee Byunghun, Park Kyunglim, producer Na Youngseok, writer Kim Eunsook, writer Noh Heekyung, and many others who offered their blessings to the couple.

Venerable Beopryun is a peace activist, thinker, and practitioner who has led “Q&A Dharma Talks” for decades. He recently published a collection of short, impactful dialogues titled “Tak! Dialogue of Enlightenment” (Jungto Publishing), which aims to instantly calm troubled minds. In the preface, “What is Enlightenment?”, the author defines these Q&A Dharma Talks as “dialogues of enlightenment to immediately free oneself from suffering, here and now.”