Korean Job Discussion Forums

[schwa]

I've been curious about fortune-tellers here for a while so I took the opportunity yesterday to visit one.

Tiny room in an unmarked nondescript rooming house next to a traditional market, evidently the woman's dwelling place but the space half-filled with an altar featuring the usual mudang appurtenances, lots of brassware, scented candles. Nothing distinguishing at all about the woman herself -- she looked like a typical middleaged Emart shopper, maybe an extra twinkle in her eye. Calm & friendly manner.

A bit of smalltalk while she ascertained my name, (Korean) age, lunar birthdate. Then she went into an eyes-closed musical chant, my name recurring frequently, shaking a handful of old Chinese coins as percussion & counting off amber prayer beads. This went on a full 20 minutes, mesmerizing, until suddenly she slammed the coins down on the table. Apparently she was in the zone now, ready to speak & answer questions.

She deduced my situation & past with fair accuracy, though it wouldnt have taken much mysticism to declare I was a teacher (wow, thats right!) or that I'm particular about what I eat (I'm a skinny vegetarian). But she did come up with quite a few apt, if general, remarks about my relationship with my family.

For the record, I'm going to meet & marry a Korean soulmate within the next year or two (& have 2 more kids!), stick around Korea for a few more years, & head back to Canada in my 70s. She went on about my long life & financial success. She had me being wealthy (not! but maybe thats relative -- Korea has freed me from money worries for the first time in my life).

Or she had her eye on my wallet. Seems I'm being dogged by two 'bad lucks' in my life (failure at marriage & business, though I've never owned a business) which she is kindly willing to fix. She would take me to a remote waterfall for a dousing & prayer & offering of special foods, on an auspicious date, for a mere 870000 won. I told her I'd think about it. Heh. But I am flaky enough to seek out waterfalls now & give her words a thought.

Near the end of our session quite unbidden she came up with some direct & specific remarks about my mother's ill health, no sugar-coating. Something more than guesswork, & some advice that struck me as on the mark.

This woman has been plying her trade just 2 years -- thats a good thing I'm told. Older practitioners 'use up' their powers.

An interesting glimpse into a Korean subculture. Educated Koreans I know dismiss fortune-tellers as 'just for fun' but nevertheless consult them regularly. Typical cost is 20000 but this woman did a dual reading for my friend/translator too & charged us 30000 together. Memorable event.

[the eye]

IMO, the best fortunetellers here are the ones with swank flats and a lineup of customers at the door.

i had this kind of experience a couple years ago here.
the woman was highly reputed, and she proved why.

the history/personality guesswork is easy for them, because all they do is consult astrology charts.....
but....she really surprised me with the exactness of her remarks about my father and my sister...even the fact that my sister had a second baby with lung problems. she mentioned these things specifically.

she 'knew' how many girlfriends i had in my past. she 'knew' i was prone to migraines, and she 'knew' of my pure unbridled genius (just kidding on that one).