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South Korea’s shamans are now online

How do you become one and why do people visit them?

Korean shamans hold significant cultural importance in Korean society. They are often shown in Korean dramas and films, adorned in shiny and colourful traditional attire, dancing on sharp knives, summoning spirits, and banishing demons. They offer fortune telling services and perform rituals to help people with their personal issues.

In South Korean media, shamans are often portrayed as deceitful characters who misuse their status to manipulate people and profit from others… but that negative image is slowly changing as young shamans are modernising their approach. They now have shrines in the busy centre of Seoul and they've become big on social media, even offering consultations online. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ journalist Soo Min Kim has been speaking to shamans and their customers about why people go to see them and how social media is making them more accessible.

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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart with Soo Min Kim
Producers: Emily Horler and Adam Chowdhury
Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

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15 minutes

Last on

Sat 20 Apr 2024 02:50GMT
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only

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    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only

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