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Korean Superstitions About Preventing Bad Luck

Find out what Koreans believe wards off bad luck!

마타티카
2 years ago

kim taehee, praying

It's a new year, so hopefully no one is feeling any negative energy around them already. But, if you're feeling some bad luck around you, don't worry, we'll take a look at what Koreans believe drives away bad luck and evil!


Salt

spread salt to prevent bad luck

Many cultures believe that salt can drive out evil and invite good things into your life, and Koreans believe this too. They believe you can easily repel bad luck by picking up a handful of salt and throwing it over your left shoulder.

You have to be careful not to accidentally throw it over your right shoulder because Koreans believe this calls bad luck into your life instead!

You can also mix two tablespoons of salt in a bath or sprinkle some salt in the corner of the room and leave some by the front door to keep bad luck from entering the house.


Avoid Broken Mirrors

broken mirror selfie, bad luckSource: Twitter @DA_E_MACO

No one would keep using a broken mirror, right? There's a superstition that broken mirrors bring seven years of bad luck! But, you can solve this by carrying the broken mirror until the next full moon. 

By the time the full moon comes, the broken glass will reflect away the misfortune. If your broken mirror is too big, you can carry a small shard of glass so it's less dangerous.


Incense

light incense, good luckSource: TMON

It's believed smoke from incense can ward off bad luck, but the trick is to light an odd number of incense sticks. People who feel unlucky can light it when they go home to drive away bad luck.

If you move into a new place, light the incense, circle the room, and leave the smoke in the room.

But if you feel bad luck at work, you probably won't be able to light it in your workplace!


Rearranging Your House

rearrange and clean house, good luckSource: wakanda

It is believed that the house is where bad luck is accumulated and that it's a place where it may be easier for negative energy to enter. So, cleaning and rearranging your house makes it feel new and gives the power to turn bad luck into good luck.

Whether dusting and cleaning the house, rearranging furniture, or opening doors and windows to let sunlight in, these will all help you and make you feel better.


Candles

light candles, good luck

Using the power of light is a way to drive away bad luck in your home. Turn on all the lights in the house and light three candles to keep bad spirits from hiding inside.

Two of the candles should be white, symbolizing purity and preventing bad luck, and the other candle should be orange, symbolizing a change of fate.


Travel Abroad

travel abroad, good luck, korea

Traveling abroad is another way to dispel bad luck, and it is said that it's like leaving bad luck behind and that it gradually disappears. The further you go go from home, the better it is, especially if you cross the ocean or go into another time zone.

A short walk from home is also like getting rid of bad luck because it gives you time to think about anything you should change in your life.


Do Good Deeds

volunteer work with kids, good luck

Doing good deeds is one of the best ways to change one's fortune by trying to actively get good luck on your own. Doing good is a way to repay for any mistakes or bad actions by doing good things. The most important thing is you must do so with selfless, helpful intentions.

But, if you only perform acts of kindness because you want your life to be better, you won't get the results you want.

Doing good deeds also gives you an opportunity to see the hardships of others and it gives you perspective on your life and can make you realize your reality isn't too horrible.


These are some ways Koreans believe they can dispel misfortune. If anyone is having a hard time these days, it can't hurt to try some of these methods!

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