Visitors make their way to Gatbawi on Sunday morning, just days before the College Scholastic Ability Test on Nov. 19. With Palgongsan ablaze in autumn foliage, many who came to the site prayed for their children's high scores and their families' good health. [Photo by Kim Byung-jin]
Visitors make their way to Gatbawi on Sunday morning, just days before the College Scholastic Ability Test on Nov. 19. With Palgongsan ablaze in autumn foliage, many who came to the site prayed for their children's high scores and their families' good health. [Photo by Kim Byung-jin]

Families of college entrance exam candidates and other visitors continued to flock to Gatbawi — formally known as Gwanbong Seokjo Yeorae Jwasang, a seated stone Buddha statue on Palgongsan in Wachon-myeon, Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province — which is widely believed to grant any single wish made there.

On Sunday, with the College Scholastic Ability Test, or CSAT, set for Nov. 19, prayer lines of families hoping for their children's high scores and university admissions stretched throughout the day at the site.

Particularly as the Palgongsan area blazed with autumn foliage, hikers and day-trippers also poured in to soak up the fall scenery.

Despite the chilly weather, visitors who had settled in front of the Gatbawi Buddha clasped their hands together and prayed earnestly for their children's futures, their families' health and the fulfillment of their personal wishes.

A parent in their 50s who had traveled from Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, said: "My child has worked so hard to prepare, so I hope they can stay calm on exam day and show everything they've got. As a parent, it feels like prayer is the only thing I can do, so I came here with all my heart."

Another visitor, a resident of Sang-in-dong in Daegu, said: "With the CSAT approaching, I think the parents are even more anxious than the kids. A good result matters, but more than anything, I just hope my child stays healthy, gets through the exam well and gets into the university they want."

Lee Hong-gil, 63, a Daegu resident who came to pray for his family's health and well-being, said: "Every autumn I come here to see the fall foliage and wish for my family's health. I hope this year, too, we can take in some good energy so that everyone in the family stays well and things work out the way we hope."


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