Lucky-maxxing: Why South Korea’s Gen Z is shopping for luck

As artificial intelligence reshapes work, creativity, and daily life, South Korea’s younger generations are searching for something technology cannot provide: certainty. Across the country, practices once dismissed as superstition are entering the mainstream. Shamanism, saju (Four Pillars destiny readings), tarot, and physiognomy are no longer confined to private consultations or family traditions. They have become entertainment, lifestyle content, and, increasingly, consumer culture. K-content has accelerated the shift. Streaming platforms, social media creators, and technology companies are making centuries-old spiritual practices more accessible to a generation that approaches them less as religion and more as a tool for self-discovery, emotional reassurance, and decision-making. Shamanism becomes prime-time entertainment In early 2026, Disney+ Korea released Battle of Fates, a reality competition show bringing together 49 practitioners from Korean shamanism (mudang), saju, tarot, and face reading. Rather than treating fortune-telling as spectacle, the series challenged participants to demonstrate the accuracy of their predictions while documenting the rituals and traditions behind their practices. Shrines, spirit-invoking ceremonies, and consultations were presented as living cultural heritage rather than exotic curiosities. Viewers responded quickly. During the show’s February-to-March run, Disney+ Korea’s monthly active users climbed 28%, rising from 3.17 million to 4 million, while downloads increased by around 660,000. Just as significant was the cultural response. Online discussions shifted away from long-held stereotypes surrounding Korean shamanism. One Instagram user @erwiniaa commented that the program had replaced “misconceptions and ignorance around Korean shamanism with humanity,” capturing a wider change in public perception. The rise of celebrity shamans The show’s popularity also produced a new generation of public spiritual figures. Among its breakout personalities was Lee So-bin (이소빈), a 26-year-old mudang whose youthful image and confident readings helped attract a younger audience. With more than 74,000 Instagram followers, her consultation calendar is reportedly fully booked through 2029. Another standout was Seolhwa (설화, 61,000 followers), who built a following through consultations centered on communication with deceased loved ones, positioning spiritual practice as a form of emotional healing rather than simple fortune prediction. Unlike previous generations of shamans, these practitioners have embraced social media, presenting themselves as relatable creators rather than mysterious spiritual intermediaries. The result has been a new kind of cultural influencer, one whose authority comes from both tradition and digital visibility. From viral predictions to real-world travel The influence of fortune culture is now extending beyond media consumption. In February 2026, fortune-teller Park Seong-jun appeared on tvN’s You Quiz on the Block and offered viewers a simple piece of advice: “When luck is not going your way, go to Mount Gwanak.” The recommendation quickly spread online. Naver searches for “Gwanaksan” nearly tripled, reaching 78,700 in February compared with 27,300 during the same period last year. Meanwhile, visitor numbers at the Seoul Hiking Tourism Center’s Gwanaksan branch increased 41.2% year-on-year in April. The episode demonstrated how spiritual content is beginning to influence offline consumer behavior, transforming destinations into pilgrimage-like experiences driven less by religion than by the pursuit of good fortune. Fortune-telling becomes a lifestyle business That momentum was evident again in May, when Seoul hosted Fortune Adventure 2026, Korea’s first lifestyle exhibition dedicated to fortune culture. Over four days, the event welcomed around 13,000 visitors, featured 150 consultants, and hosted more than 70 consultation booths. Saju readings — a form of Korean fortune analysis based on a person’s birth date and time — proved among the busiest attractions, with visitors seeking guidance on careers, relationships, and major life decisions. Brands also used the event to reinterpret spiritual traditions through design. Companies such as Tenseoul transformed ritual objects, including purification salt, into contemporary lifestyle products, bringing symbols once associated with religious practice into modern interiors and gifting culture. At the same time, technology companies demonstrated that spirituality and AI are no longer opposing forces. Platforms including Hellobot showcased AI-generated saju portraits and personalized fortune analyses based on users’ birth information, combining traditional belief systems with algorithm-driven personalization. Rather than replacing spiritual advisers, AI is helping scale and democratize access to practices that were previously limited by geography and appointment availability. Why brands should pay attention In an era shaped by AI, economic pressure, and increasingly unpredictable career paths, younger consumers are looking for frameworks that help explain who they are and where they are going. Ancient belief systems are finding new relevance because they offer something many digital tools cannot: narrative, identity, and emotional reassurance. For brands, this opens opportunities well beyond entertainment. Fortune culture is beginning to shape travel, retail, homeware, digital services, and wellness while creating new demand for products and experiences centered on luck, destiny, and self-understanding. What is emerging is not a nostalgic return to tradition but a new consumer behavior. Heritage, technology, and spirituality are converging to create an ecosystem where rituals become content, creators become cultural authorities, and belief itself becomes part of the lifestyle economy. For brands watching shifts in Asian consumer culture, the country’s “lucky-maxxing” movement may be one of the most unexpected trends to emerge from the AI era. Juliette Duveau is founder of The Chinese Pulse is a prospective and strategic consulting agency dedicated to accompanying brands on the Asian contemporary markets (China, South Korea, Japan) in the beauty, lifestyle, fashion, luxury and hospitality industries.

Lucky-maxxing: Why South Korea’s Gen Z is shopping for luck

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Lucky-maxxing: Why South Korea’s Gen Z is shopping for luck

How Bottega Veneta weaved China’s forever it bag