Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** Boram Group’s Via Biotechnology expands its bio-gem memorial plaques into Bongeunsa Temple’s Siwangjeon, blending eco-friendly burial culture with urban temple spaces.
[Photo: Boram Group]
[Asia A = Reporter Kim Chung-hyun] Boram Group affiliate Via Biotechnology announced on the 23rd that it will supply its bio-gem brand ‘ViaGem’ to Siwangjeon, the memorial space at Bongeunsa Temple in Seoul.
Via Biotechnology has begun supplying ViaGem memorial plaques to Siwangjeon at Bongeunsa Temple, a key temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, marking the full-scale launch of its B2B bio-gem business centered on temple memorial spaces. Siwangjeon held its opening ceremony on the 20th and began full operations.
Founded during the reign of King Wonseong of Silla, Bongeunsa Temple boasts a history of over 1,200 years. Located in the heart of urban Gangnam, Seoul, it is a representative traditional temple with significant symbolic value as a memorial space not only for Buddhist devotees but also for the general public.
Siwangjeon can enshrine up to 50,000 memorial plaques, accommodating both traditional wooden plaques and bio-gem plaques.
ViaGem is a bio-gem created by extracting elements from the deceased’s biological materials—such as hair, nails, or cremated remains—and synthesizing them with gemstone raw materials. It is an artificial gem with mineralogical properties identical to natural gems, recognized for its high transparency and clarity.
The ViaGem plaque combines a gemstone containing the biological elements with the plaque itself, serving as a symbolic memorial medium to honor and remember the deceased.
With the introduction of ViaGem plaques at Bongeunsa Temple’s Siwangjeon, the ‘gem burial’ culture—distinct from traditional urn-based memorial methods—will be realized within an urban temple space. This is significant as an alternative to the issue of overcrowded urn facilities and as a new form of remembrance integrated with traditional religious spaces.
Going forward, Via Biotechnology plans to gradually expand its B2B bio-gem business through collaboration with the Buddhist community. The opening of Siwangjeon marks an opportunity to present new options for funeral and memorial culture through partnerships with religious institutions, concretizing the gem burial model.
Meanwhile, in 2022, ViaGem became the first in the gem and jewelry industry to win the Gold Medal and Special Award at the prestigious ‘International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva’ in Switzerland. This award globally recognized the innovation and marketability of ViaGem’s technology and design.