Short answers, pulled from the story.
Won Buddhism was founded by Sotaesan, born Bak Jungbin in 1891. He claimed enlightenment on the 28th of April, 1916, and formally named the community Bulbeop Yeongu Hoe in 1924. His successor Jeongsan renamed it Wonbulgyo in 1947.
The name comes from the Korean word won, meaning "circle," and bulgyo, meaning "Buddhism." It is literally translated as "Circle Buddhism" and is also interpreted as "Consummate Buddhism."
South Korea's 2005 census counted approximately 130,000 self-identified Won Buddhist members. Won Buddhist Headquarters estimates the worldwide total at over one million, noting that many practitioners may identify on census forms simply as "Buddhists."
Il Won Sang, the One Circle Image, is a large circle displayed above the altar in every Won Buddhist temple. It represents the Dharmakaya Buddha - the original source of all beings, the mind-seal of all Buddhas, and the original nature of all sentient beings - rather than a physical image of the Buddha.
Gender equality is a core doctrine of Won Buddhism. Female clerics, called gyomunim, hold the same status as male clerics and may be elected masters and serve on the Supreme Dharma Council. In 2019, the Supreme Dharma Council passed a resolution ensuring equal marriage access for all ministers regardless of gender.
Won Buddhism shares key Mahayana Buddhist beliefs including karma, rebirth, meditation, and the goal of saving all sentient beings. It differs by rejecting a claim of direct Buddhist lineage, using the Il Won Sang circle instead of Buddha images, drawing on Confucian and Taoist traditions, and teaching that all religions are essentially one.