AI shamans predict the future: Inside South Korea’s new digital fortune-telling trend

South Korea is now embracing a fascinating blend of ancient spirituality and cutting-edge technology, where AI-powered “robotic shamans” are modernizing the traditional practice of fortune-telling.

In central Seoul, a cultural products store called Vinaida is transforming the traditional “mudang” experience into a digital one.

At the heart of this experience lies the integration of generative AI, voice recognition, and robotics along with mechanized sketching arms, and human-face projections to simulate interactions with a shaman.

The visitors visit the shop and consult virtual shamans, asking about their future and fortune. These AI shamans use saju, the four pillars of destiny, to interpret a person’s after by calculating his birth year, date and time.

Fortune-telling is deeply embedded in South Korean culture, but people perceive traditional shamanic rituals as intimidating. Given the rise of AI models, these tech-driven shamans offer a light-hearted alternative that appeals to young people.

The interesting thing is that these virtual shamans communicate in four languages, including English, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese to cater to diverse diaspora.

Since its February opening, the shop has averaged 100 visitors a day, with services priced affordably at up to 8,000 won.

"Customers have something tangible or meaningful to take away, which is probably why there aren't many who feel dissatisfied," the store manager Kim Hae-seol said.

"We thought it had the potential to succeed, so we seized on this concept.”