[Arts & Culture] From 'Exhuma' to 'KPop Demon Hunters': The era of K-shamanism

It's Friday, which means it's time for Arts and Culture.

We have our culture correspondent Choi Soo-hyung in the studio.

Welcome Soo-hyung!

Happy to be here, Dami.

So, Soo-hyung, what do you have for us today?

Yes, Dami.

Currently, Korean shamanism is becoming a key part in K-content and you can see this in many works such as the Netflix original animation "KPop Demon Hunters," or "Exhuma" from last year.

It is also growing a huge interest in Korean shamanism, so I took a closer look at why it's so popular, and how shamanism has become a main part of new K-content.

Set in South Korea, "KPop Demon Hunters" follows a popular girl group that protects the human world from evil spirits, while uncovering a boy group of grim reapers, known as "Jeoseung Saja."

The Netflix original animation has become the most-viewed original animated movie ever, with its soundtrack also topping the Billboard single charts.

Last year, the Korean film "Exhuma" drew an audience of over 10 million at home, and became a hit in Asia and North America, fueled by themes such as feng shui and shamanic rituals.

Today, one of the hottest themes in K-content is K-shamanism ---or K-musok in Korean ---a traditional belief system incorporating rituals, divination, and faith in spirits and deities.

With a thousand years of history, Korean shamanism is a folk tradition where shamans ---or mudang ---guide people by praying for good fortune and driving away misfortune.

"Shamanism exists in many parts of the world. But in Korea, it is unique because of the strong role of mudang. Their traditional music, costumes and performances have deeply influenced Korean folk arts, giving Korean shamanism a distinct cultural and artistic character."

Unlike the Western view that defines the human world as good and the spirit world as evil, Korean shamanism sees shamans as mediators between the two, a belief that gives K-musok its unique power.

"Western occult stories focus on exorcists, while 'KPop Demon Hunters' shows a more Eastern view. Rumi, a half hunter-spirit, and Jinu, a grim reaper, reveal human qualities, moving beyond the simple divide of good and evil. Even Hollywood now borrows from Asian values, avoiding absolute dualism, showing how Eastern philosophy is shaping occult content."

Korean shamanism's power as occult content comes from its cultural freshness rather than religion.

"Korea is not tied to a single religion, allowing shamanism to keep its own identity alongside others. Unlike Japan, where cultural images were long ago exhausted by Japonism, Korea's shamanism remains fresh, offering untapped images that enrich today's content."

K-musok content is diversifying and becoming a key icon of K-culture with growing potential.

Wow, Soo-hyung, that seems really fascinating. Then, could you tell us more about Korean shamanism in detail?

Of course, Dami.

Korean shamanism is a traditional folk belief where shamans, or mudang, mediate between spirits and humans.

Tracing back to ancient rituals honoring heavenly gods by leaders it is considered a national faith that honors nature, spirits, local deities, and ancestors, leaving a strong cultural legacy.

As Professor Kim mentioned earlier, in Western society, ghosts are often seen as evil beings that must be driven out of the human world.

But in Korean shamanism, shaped by the sentiment of "Han," a feeling of resentment and sorrow shamans comfort spirits, ease their pain, and guide them peacefully to the heavens, acting as a bridge between people and the divine.

As seen in the film "Exhuma," the colorful and dynamic "Gut" ritual ceremony with loud music, dancing, and even knife performances is one of the most important cultural traditions of Korean shamanism, offering spirits a joyful send-off.

Right. And, just as Korean shamanism has become a key part of K-content, are there efforts to discover and develop other forms of K-content as well?

Yes, Shamanism-themed content is also being produced nonstop in South Korea, from webtoons and variety shows to dramas.

Experts say the success of shamanic content is not just about shamanism itself.

They point to Korea's positive global image, strong national brand, unique traditions, democracy, creative storytelling, and competitive cultural industry as factors that all work together.

He added that as long as we keep embracing diversity and creating fan-centered content, it will continue, but we must keep exploring what makes Korea unique.

He said that to keep Korean culture fresh, more diverse K-content is needed content that carries a Korean touch while appealing to global tastes.

Alright Soo-hyung, thank you for sharing your story.

My pleasure.