Tan Wol Sunim is from Korea. When he was a student at Dongguk University in Seoul, he read a sentence from Zen Master Seung Sahn in the newspaper, “Understanding cannot help you!” He then went to Hwagyesa temple and started practicing there with Zen Master Seung Sahn in 1995. He became a Haengja (postulant) and then became a monk in 1996 in the Jogye Order, right after his graduation from university.

Tan Wol Sunim has practiced and worked at Hwagyesa, Providence Zen Center and Musangsa, and also has practiced at several Korean Zen monasteries.

He received Inka in 2012 and Transmission in 2022 from Zen Master Dae Bong. He is currently Seon Won Jang (co-guiding teacher) and abbot at Musangsa.