South Korea's blind fortune tellers face decline due to AI

Traditional blind fortune tellers in South Korea are facing a significant decline as artificial intelligence and digital applications reshape the divination industry. In Seoul’s Mia district, the community of blind practitioners, which once numbered between 70 and 80 members, has dwindled to fewer than 20.

One of the remaining practitioners, 86-year-old Song Oh-soon, utilizes the “Four Pillars of Destiny” method, using braille to conduct face-to-face consultations. While the traditional, human-centric approach is losing ground to instant AI-driven predictions and card reading, the demand for divination remains high. According to the startup InnoForest, the sector was valued at 1.4 trillion won (approximately 856 million euros) in 2024.