In the shadow of ultra-modern skyscrapers and neon lights, South Korea holds onto a mystical undercurrent that dictates daily behavior. Rooted in a blend of indigenous Shamanism (Muism), Buddhism, and strict Confucian etiquette, the Korean peninsula is said to harbor approximately 350 distinct superstitions. From the terrifying Gwisin (ghosts) to the precise rules of Saju (fortune telling), these beliefs are not just mythsโthey are a social code. Whether it is avoiding the number four in an elevator or eating sticky rice cake to pass an exam, these unspoken rules act as a guide to navigating luck, health, and destiny in Korean society.
Death, Taboos, and Bad Omens
The Number Four
The number 4 (sa) sounds identical to the word for Death. Elevators often use “F” instead of 4.
Red Ink
Writing a living person’s name in red ink is a major taboo; it was traditionally reserved for the deceased in family registers.
Fan Death
Many believe leaving an electric fan on in a closed room while sleeping can cause hypothermia or suffocation.
Whistling at Night
A cheerful tune after dark summons ghosts or, in rural areas, snakes.
Shaking Your Leg
“If you shake your leg, your luck flees.” Older generations will scold you for shaking away your fortune.
Stepping on Thresholds
The door threshold separates the living from the spirit world. Stepping on it brings bad luck or invites spirits in.
Cutting Nails at Night
Discarded clippings might be eaten by mice, which will then transform into a doppelgรคnger and steal your identity.
Gifting Shoes
Giving shoes to a partner means they will run away from you. Often countered by paying a small “fee” (like 100 won) for the shoes.
Butterflies and Blindness
If you touch a moth or butterfly and then touch your eyes, it is believed you will go blind.
Crow’s Caw
Hearing a crow (associated with death) in the morning is a bad omen for the day.
Throwing Salt
If you encounter someone unpleasant or bad luck, sprinkle salt over your shoulder to cleanse the energy.
Pillow Direction
Never sleep with your head facing North; that is the direction bodies are placed in graves.
Jumping Over a Baby
If you jump over a lying baby, they will stop growing.
Academic and Exam Luck
Sticky Food (Yeot)
Eating sticky taffy or Chapssaltteok (glutinous rice cake) helps knowledge “stick” to your brain before a test.
Seaweed Soup (Miyeok-guk)
Avoid this slippery soup on exam days, or you will slide right off the passing list.
Washing Hair
Don’t wash your hair on the morning of a test; you might wash all the knowledge away.
Dropping a Pen
If your pencil or pen falls during studying, it signals a coming failure.
Relationships and Marriage
Chicken Wings
Do not feed your partner chicken wings; they might “fly away” and cheat on you.
Deoksugung Wall
Couples who walk the stone wall path along Deoksugung Palace are destined to break up.
Bouquet Curse
If you catch the bride’s bouquet, you must marry within six months, or you will be single for three years.
Wedding Ducks
Carved wooden ducks (Kireogi) are given to newlyweds to ensure fidelity and peace.
Age Gap
A four-year age difference is considered the perfect, most auspicious match (Gung-hap).
Food and Dining Etiquette
Chopsticks in Rice
Sticking chopsticks vertically into a rice bowl resembles incense at a funeral. It invites death.
Pouring Your Own Drink
Pouring your own alcohol suggests you will remain single forever. Always let someone else pour.
Rice Cake Soup (Tteokguk)
Eating this soup on Lunar New Year (Seollal) adds one year to your “Korean age.”
Peaches and Ancestors
Peaches are never placed on ancestral rite tables because their spiritual energy drives away the ancestors you are trying to honor.
Housewarming and Moving
Handless Days
Koreans move house only on Son Eoptneun Nal (“days without evil spirits”). Moving prices spike on these dates.
Toilet Paper Gift
Gifting toilet paper at a housewarming means the recipient’s life will unroll smoothly.
Laundry Detergent
Detergent bubbles symbolize wealth and prosperity bubbling up quickly.
Rice Cooker First
When moving, bring the rice cooker inside first (filled with rice) to ensure the household never goes hungry.
Cleaning for Ghosts
If you move on a “bad” day, don’t clean the old house. Leaving dust confuses the resident spirits so they don’t follow you.
Dreams (Taemong) and Omens
Pig Dreams
Dreaming of a pig signals immense financial luck. Many buy lottery tickets immediately after.
Falling Teeth
Dreaming of losing a tooth predicts the illness or death of a family member or close friend.
Snake Dreams
Often a Taemong (conception dream), usually predicting a wise daughter or great authority.
Dragon Dreams
The ultimate omen of success, power, and future greatness.
Feces Dreams
Surprisingly, dreaming of touching or stepping in poop is a sign of unexpected money arriving.
Appearance and Body
Blood Type Personality
Koreans heavily rely on blood types for personality. Type A is timid/precise; Type B is passionate/playboy; Type O is energetic.
Mole Under the Eye
A mole here is a “tear mole,” signifying a life full of sorrow and weeping.
Big Ears
Large ears are not just for hearing; they are “Buddha ears” that attract wealth.
Pregnancy Aesthetics
Pregnant women should only look at beautiful things and eat mostly shapely food (like the center of Gimbap) to ensure a beautiful baby.
Spiritual and Ritualistic
Bujeok (Talismans)
Yellow paper with red calligraphy attached to walls or kept in wallets to ward off evil or attract luck.
Dokkaebi
Korean goblins. Unlike western demons, they are mischievous nature spirits that can grant wealth to good people.
Red Bean Porridge (Patjuk)
Eaten during the Winter Solstice (Dongji), the red color scares away bad spirits.
Gumiho
The nine-tailed fox. Men are warned to be wary of beautiful women in lonely places, as they might be this liver-eating spirit.
Samjae (Three Calamities)
Based on the zodiac, every person goes through a three-year cycle of bad luck every nine years.
Seasonal and Nature
First Full Moon
On Daeboreum, cracking nuts with your teeth scares away skin boils and ensures dental health.
Rain on Wedding Day
While inconvenient, rain on your wedding day means the couple will live happily and wealthy.
Magpies (Kkachis)
Seeing a magpie in the morning brings good news or a welcome guest.
New Year’s Hair Wash
Traditionally, one should not wash their hair on New Year’s Day to avoid washing away the year’s luck.
Mountain Spirits (Sansin)
Hikers often leave a small stone on cairns (rock piles) to ask the Mountain Spirit for safe passage.
Miscellaneous Daily Beliefs
Touching a Hearse
If you see a hearse, tuck your thumbs into your palms to protect your parents from death.
Dreaming of Fire
If you dream your house burns down, it indicates your household will flourish.
Eating Apple at Night
“Morning apples are gold, evening apples are poison.” It is believed to cause indigestion.
Picking Up Money
Don’t pick up coins found on the street; they may carry someone else’s bad luck.
Handkerchiefs
Never give a handkerchief as a gift; it implies you expect the recipient to cry.
Walking Over Someone
Never step over a person lying down; it mimics stepping over a corpse.
Doljabi Items
On a child’s 1st birthday, if they grab the thread, they will live a long life; if money, they will be rich.
Mirror Placement
A mirror directly facing the front door reflects good luck right back out of the house.
Eating the Last Piece
Hesitating to eat the last piece of food signals you will get a handsome/pretty spouse, or gain weight.
Dog Meat (Bosintang)
Traditionally eaten on the hottest days (Sambok) to boost stamina, though the practice is fading fast.
Hiding Shoes (Seollal)
On New Year’s Eve, spirits come to try on shoes. If they fit, they steal themโand your luck.
Sleeping Straight
Don’t sleep with your hands on your chest; it resembles how a corpse is laid out and invites nightmares.
Masks (Tal)
Traditional wooden masks should not be hung in the bedroom; spirits may inhabit them and watch you sleep.
Hair and Breakups
Women often cut their hair short after a breakup to symbolically sever the past.
Itchy Nose
If your nose itches, someone is talking about you (or you will kiss someone soon).
Authorities on Korean Folklore & Culture
- National Folk Museum of Korea โ A premier government institution dedicated to preserving the traditional life and history of the Korean people.
- VisitKorea (Korea Tourism Organization) โ The official tourism guide offering insights into cultural customs, festivals, and etiquette.
- Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (AKS) โ The Academy of Korean Studies’ comprehensive digital archive of Korean history and ethnography.
- National Museum of Korea โ Extensive collections covering Korea’s history from the Paleolithic age to the modern era, including shamanistic artifacts.
- Korean Shamanism (Muism) โ Wikipedia โ Detailed overview of the indigenous religious beliefs that form the root of many superstitions.
- Korean Taboos โ Wikipedia โ A specific look at cultural prohibitions and social etiquette.