South Korea’s AI shamans foretell a future in old traditionThe technology, which combines voice recognition with a generative AI chatbot, uses a centuries-old belief system to interpret fates2-MIN READ2-MIN0ListenPublished: 12:20pm, 18 Apr 2026Updated: 12:30pm, 18 Apr 2026The sound of tinkling bells drifts through an alley in central Seoul, an unmistakable sign that a shaman is near – although in this case the mystic is a robot powered by artificial intelligence.Many South Koreans still place great value in shamanic traditions, which purport to divine a person’s future based on the day and time they were born.Practitioners, known as mudang, wear long, colourful robes and perform dances and chants to commune with the gods – sometimes even walking on sharp blades to demonstrate their spiritual connection.Select VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x
SRCSouth China Morning Post
LANGEN
LEANCenter-Right
WORDS126
ENT4
SAT · 2026-04-18 · 04:20 GMTBRIEF NSR-2026-0418-70488
NSR-2026-0418-70488News Report·EN·Technology
South Korea’s AI shamans foretell a future in old tradition
In Seoul, South Korea, a new technology combines artificial intelligence with traditional shamanic practices to predict the future. These AI shamans utilize voice recognition and generative AI chatbots to interpret fates based on a centuries-old belief system that relies on birth dates and times.
Agence France-PresseSouth China Morning PostFiled 2026-04-18 · 04:20 GMTLean · Center-RightRead · 1 min
South China Morning PostFIG 01
Reading time
1min
Word count
126words
Sources cited
0cited
Entities identified
4entities
Quality score
100%
§ 01
Briefing Summary
AI-generatedNEWSAR · AI
In Seoul, South Korea, a new technology combines artificial intelligence with traditional shamanic practices to predict the future. These AI shamans utilize voice recognition and generative AI chatbots to interpret fates based on a centuries-old belief system that relies on birth dates and times. The technology caters to South Koreans who still value shamanic traditions. Traditional shamans, known as mudang, perform rituals involving colorful robes, dances, and chants to connect with deities. This AI-powered approach offers a modern twist on an ancient practice, blending technology with deeply rooted cultural beliefs. The article was published and updated on April 18, 2026.
Confidence 0.85Claims 5Entities 4
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Article analysis
Model · rule-basedFraming
Technology
Human Interest
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AI-assessed
CalmNeutralAlarmist
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0.70 / 1.00
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Key claims
5 extracted01
Practitioners, known as mudang, wear long, colourful robes and perform dances and chants.
factual
Confidence
1.00
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Shamanic traditions purport to divine a person’s future based on their birth date and time.
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Confidence
1.00
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The technology combines voice recognition with a generative AI chatbot.
factual
Confidence
1.00
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South Korea has AI shamans that foretell the future.
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Confidence
0.90
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Many South Koreans still place great value in shamanic traditions.
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Confidence
0.80
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Full report
1 min read · 126 words§ 05
Entities
4 identifiedKey playerOppositionContext
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Keywords & salience
9 termsai shamans
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south korea
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artificial intelligence
0.70
shamanic traditions
0.70
future
0.60
voice recognition
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chatbot
0.50
belief system
0.40
mudang
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Topic connections
Interactive graph Network visualization showing 51 related topics
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