Despite South Korea’s reputation for modernity and advanced technology, shamanism is experiencing a resurgence among the younger generation, driven by economic anxiety and facilitated by social media, according to a recent report from the global press.
Under the title ‘South Korea’s young shamans revive ancient tradition with social media,’ Reuters highlights that shamanism is gaining popularity in South Korea, a country known for its modernity and advanced technology. Despite over half of the country’s 51 million population identifying as non-religious, shamanism has remained popular timelessly.
According to Reuters, shaman Lee (29), known as the “Aegi Seonnyue (Baby Angel)”, has hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. Her shrine is traditionally decorated with various Buddhist statues, deities, and candles, but she connects with clients through modern methods via social media. Lee explained that typical shamanism was considered an invisible, mystical, and spiritual world; however, since starting her YouTube channel in 2019, many Korean shamans have posted spiritual videos online to gather subscribers.
In fact, Google Trends indicates that searches for terms like “shaman” and “fortune-telling” in Korean on YouTube have doubled over the past five years. Recently, a film titled “Exhuma,” featuring young shamans was released and became a hit.
Jang Jae-hyun, the director of the film noted that during his research for the film, he discovered a significant number of young shamans. Kim Dong-gyu, a researcher at Sogang University’s Institute for Korean Religious Studies, commented that it is “natural” for shamans to turn to social media for promotion, similar to how they used newspapers in the past.
Pang (51), who has been a shaman for 20 years, explained that while shamans used to hide their profession due to stigma, today’s shamans are more eager to express and promote themselves.
Reuters detailed the various fortune-telling methods and fees of shamans. Well-known shamans charge about 100,000 KRW for a 30-60 minute consultation, typically involving rituals such as ringing bells and throwing rice grains to predict the future or interpret the current situation.
The report also noted that many Korean shamans summon gods through singing, dancing, and walking on blades, and they worship local deities like Mountain God, Great Spirit Grandmother and Dragon Kings.
There is speculation that the growing popularity of shamanism among S. Korea’s younger generation is driven by economic anxiety. With challenges in finding jobs and affording housing, many people turn to mysterious powers for comfort and relief.
For instance, Park (33), a Buddhist, found peace of mind and successfully secured a job after visiting a shaman during a difficult job search back in 2020. It is known that young people in the nation struggling with issues like high housing prices and child-rearing costs also seek shaman consultations.
Reuters pointed out that even some Christians, who are traditionally believed to reject shamanism, and members of South Korea’s so-called “elite group” consult shamans. Min Hee-jin, the CEO of ADOR, who was embroiled in a management dispute, acknowledged during a press conference held on Apr. that she consulted a shaman for a “conversation to feel better.”
Han Seung-hoon, an assistant professor at the Academy of Korean Studies, stated that young shamans living in cities can effectively communicate with young clients facing economic difficulties with no clear solutions.
