Shamanism and its influence on modern Korea: beliefs and superstitions

Finally, in this third part of the blog, you are going to find some of the practices, beliefs, and superstitions that are still present. From the most mentioned to the least known by the international public, I invite you to keep an open mind so you can enjoy something that is an essential part of Korean culture. Without further ado, let’s get started:

• Do not stick chopsticks vertically into a bowl of rice. There is a long list of superstitions when it comes to food, but this is probably the best known. Not sticking chopsticks, or even a spoon, into rice is commonly considered part of South Korean table etiquette. However, these “manners” actually come from respect for the spirits of ancestors, being that when performing this action the chopsticks look like the rice offering and incense sticks used in funeral ceremonies to honor the deceased (SEOUL EATS, 2013). Koreans believe that by doing this, you are not only inviting a spirit to sit at the table with you, but also offending them by eating the “offering” afterwards. Being a death-related practice, it is believed that sticking chopsticks into a bowl of rice brings bad luck.
• Do not write someone’s name in red ink. In the past, Koreans used red ink to write the names of the deceased. For this reason, writing the name of a living person in red ink is understood as wishing them the same fate or seeking to harm them (Ladner, 2022).
• What to eat and not to eat before taking an exam? In a society where education is of the utmost importance, it is not surprising that another superstition about food is that it can help or bring bad luck to your studies. On one hand, it is believed that eating something sticky, like the Yeot (엿),  will help students “stick” what they have learned in their heads (ASIA SOCIETY, n.d.). Therefore, it is common to find that this sweet is distributed before the Suneung (수능). On the other hand, slippery foods, such as seaweed soup, have the opposite effect and therefore should never be eaten before taking an exam, or knowledge will “slip” from your head (Choi, 2017).
• Auspicious date. Moving out, getting married, or just starting something, whether it is a new job or opening your own business, is all calculated in the Korean calendar to avoid bad luck and spirits. According to folklore, the Soneomneunnal calendar (손없는날 달력) is the one that helps people choose the right date to evade the spirits on their ‘day off’ (90daykorean, 2023). Days ending in 9 and 0 are especially chaotic for moving companies, as this is when ghosts rest, which is why rates go up by 10-20%, as many Koreans agree with Choi Soo-ok, who explains that “It is very important to move on an auspicious day; I don’t want any misfortune to affect my family’s life in the new home” (2003). Another example of an auspicious date is also related to numbers, with 8 being the favorite for weddings, as it is not only associated with good luck and prosperity, but also with a long-lasting marriage (GlobalSecurity, n.d.).
• Alcohol for protection? The combination of alcohol and the steering wheel commonly leads to catastrophes. However, in South Korea, these two words have somewhat different connotations. Sometimes, when someone buys a vehicle, a shamanic ceremony called Gosa (고사), which is commonly performed to bring good luck and success, is given a twist by adding makgeolli (막걸리). Unlike what you might be thinking, no one drinks it, but it is poured on the tires of the car, asking the gods for the safety of those who use it (dramasROK, 2020). 
• Face reading. Physiognomy, as the art of reading faces to tell a person’s future is called, has been practiced for centuries in Korea. Face reading divides faces into two types: those with attributes that do not stand out much are Yin people, who are friendly, introverted, and indecisive; those with outstanding attributes are Yang, who are adventurous, outgoing, firm, and simple. Lifestyle and mentality are considered to change the face, and there are various sayings about someone’s facial features, such as: there is no beggar with a good-looking nose, as it represents one’s fortune; big eyes and cherry lips represent happiness for women; and someone with dark spots around their eyes is said to bring bad luck and loneliness (Lee, 2006). “From your face, I may read your capability, qualifications, feelings and thoughts” (Shin, 2011), and this is why it is no surprise that South Korea is so particular about appearance.
• Myeongdang (명당) auspicious place. To start talking about this, the divination method of geomancy, which is used to locate favorable spaces to build cities, residences, and even cemeteries, must be addressed first. The belief holds that happiness and prosperity will prevail if you live or the dead are buried in the ‘ideal place’ which is the Myeongdang (명당). The ‘ideal place’ is one surrounded by four mountains, a plain, and a river flowing in the front; what is to be built must be done in the middle. Interestingly, the capital of South Korea, Seoul, is the quintessential example of a building in a Myeongdang (명당), with mount Pugaksan (북악산) to the north, mount Naksan (낙산) to the east, mount Inwangsan (인왕산) to the west, mount Namsan (남산) to the south, and just in front flows the Han-gang (한강) River (AsianInfo, n.d.), and the transformation that the country went through is well known.