Superstition in Korea

Character

Some Korean superstitions are similar to Chinese or Japanese superstitions. Many Korean superstitions are related to being afraid of uncertain situations or avoiding certain actions.

Examples of Korean superstitions

These are some common superstitions in Korea:

1. Writing names in red is thought to bring bad omens, including failure and death. This superstition originated in China as the colour red symbolises the emperor of China. Only emperors can sign their name in red colour. So, it is in one's favour not to use red because Korea was a vassal state of China.
2. If someone dreams of pigs, it is a good omen. In Korea, the pig is a symbol of fertility. Moreover, Chinese pronunciation of "pig" is similar to the pronunciation of money, so the pig is synonymous with riches. In early Korea, pigs were associated with wealth. Until the 1970s, a pig was so expensive that students could pay their university entrance fees by selling a pig. Dreaming of pigs became a symbol of good luck and of future riches.
3. The number 4 is a symbol of bad luck. In elevators, the letter F indicates the fourth floor instead of the number 4. The pronunciation of the number 4 sounds similar to the word '死' which means death in Chinese characters. In China and Japan, the number 4 is also associated with misfortune or death.
4. The swallow is thought to bring good luck and is viewed as a positive figure.
5. When crows cry, it is believed that bad luck will follow. Since crows are attracted to dead bodies, Koreans associate crows with misfortune.
6. Sleeping with the fan turned on is believed to bring possible death. Some Koreans believe that it can cause lack of oxygen and hypothermia during sleep.
7. If someone is presented with shoes for a gift, it could cause his or her significant other to run away.
8. If people shake their legs, they can lose their luck.
9. Setting foot on a threshold can bring misfortune. This superstition comes from the Mongol invasion of Koryo. In funeral culture, the house of a deceased person was enshrined in condolence. Leaving the house was a means to dispose the lingering attachment to the world as the threshold was thought to be a boundary between this world and the afterlife. The casket was a way to break out of the threshold.
10. It is bad luck to cut one's nails or toenails at night. The Japanese pronunciation is similar to night and death.
11. It is thought that if one eats sea mustard soup on the day of an exam, one will fail the test. Sea mustard is slippery, so it is thought that one will "fall down" and fail. On the other hand, if a person eats sticky rice cake or Korean hard taffy, he or she will pass the exam. Rice cakes and Korean hard taffy are sticky, so it is thought to help the person "stick" instead of slip, and thus pass the test.

Related Korean films

The following movies deal with Korean superstitions:

1. Whispering Corridors
2. The Wailing (film)
3. The Face Reader
4. The guest
5. The Priests

Controversy

In modern society, relying on superstitions has declined as there is more of an emphasis on rationality. As a result, many people rebut the use of blind beliefs and superstition. Blindly turning to superstition, however, can still comfort the mind.

There is a debate on whether ancestral rites (Jesa) or jwibulnori, which are famous Korean traditional plays, are viewed just as superstitions or as a country's culture.

Legal aspects

1. Nonofficial surgery Jara ddagi: This surgery involves intentionally scarring hands to pull negative energy out of a body. In the past, South Korean children suffered from malnutrition. Many ancestors thought malnutrition was a result of the body's negative residue rather than a lack of food. As a result, this surgery became famous and was used as a treatment. Many evaluations have proved that the surgery was an inadequate treatment and left many side effects.
2. Being cured by a shaman and possession: In this ancestral rite, the shaman can pray or sing or dance for the future.
3. Theory of divination based on topography: Feng shui is used to orient a house site or a grave site and is often regarded as superstition or faith relief. Feng shui derives from ideas about geomancy and unscientific ideas from China. After prescribing feng shui as traditional knowledge and scientific experience, scholars insist it can be helpful when evaluating the energy of sites. Scholars admit that feng shui is not superior to modern knowledge, but point out that feng shui presents an alternative to problems that that cannot be resolved by modern science.