From 'Exhuma' to 'KPop Demon Hunters': The era of K-shamanism

The Netflix original animation "K-pop Demon Hunters" has become popular both in Korea and overseas, sparking growing interest in Korean shamanism.

Our Choi Soo-hyung takes a closer look at why it's so popular and how shamanism has become a key 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.

Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.