http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/12/117_101915.html
 

Huge changes predicted for ‘Year of the Black Dragon’

By Yun Suh-young

 Around this time of year, people visit fortune tellers to have them predict what’s reserved for the New Year.

In the past, ajumma or housewives were the main customers of fortunetelling houses, but young adults in their 20s ― beleaguered by uncertain job and marriage prospects ― have emerged as main customers.

As a result, Saju cafes, modernized fortunetelling houses where customers consult fortune tellers over a cup of coffee, mushroomed in Myeong-dong and other central Seoul areas.

The end of the year is the beginning of the peak season for Saju cafes. The peak season begins with the end of winter solstice in December and lasts until March the following year.

Saju cafes offer two types of fortunetelling services ― Saju and Tarot cards.

Saju is a way of telling fortunes by looking at the year, month, day, and time of birth of a person. Tarot is a pack of cards through which the fortune teller can read the person’s mind. The person’s thoughts and tendency are captured through the meaning of the cards which in turn help the reader determine their fate.

“I came to see what the future of my love life was. I also came to ask about my new year’s fortune,” said Oh Hye-lim, 26, who visited a Saju cafe in Myeong-dong. She said she often visited Saju cafes to consult on her future and it was the second time she had visited this one.

Her friend, Seo Jung-ae, 21, says she came to the cafe upon Oh’s suggestion.

“I’ve only been to a fortune teller’s house once when I was a high school senior. At that time, I was curious about where to apply for college and how the results would turn out. This time, I wanted to ask about my general fortune. I don’t really know yet what I should do for a living,” said Seo.

Curious and insecure

 Most people in their 20s seemed curious about their careers.

“I’m an office worker right now but I plan to move to a different workplace. I came to ask about my career and what job I should look for after I quit my current one,” said a women aged 27 who declined to be named.

Her friend, aged 24, also came to the cafe to get a hint at her future career.

“I graduated from college but I don’t have a job yet. I’m not sure about what I want to do in the future so I came here to ask for consultation,” she said, also requesting anonymity. “I’m worried about my future. I’m completely at a loss. I felt anxious not knowing what career I should have. I also came to ask about the general prospects of next year.”

They both said it was their first time visiting a Saju cafe.

Why was it that customers in their 20s took up the largest proportion of visitors?

“It’s because they’re curious about everything,” said Yun Kum, a fortune teller at Mentor Saju Cafe in Myeong-dong. “People in their 20s haven’t lived life for that long so they’re curious about so many things. In contrast, not many middle-aged people visit fortune tellers. It’s because they know how life is after living life for over 40 years. For them, there’s not much to be curious about anymore.”

People in their early 20s are curious about their career and job prospects whereas those in their late 20s and early 30s are interested in wealth or marriage, or how their problems in their workplaces will be solved, he said.

Another fortune teller, He-un, at Star Saju Cafe in Myeong-dong, said, “Young people come because they’re confused about what to do with their lives. They’re curious about things like when will they get married, what job is best for them and so on.”

Transcending national boundaries

 Foreign tourists are also regular customers at the Saju cafes in Myeong-dong.

“Many Japanese tourists come to our cafe every year. They reserve a specific time slot to receive the consulting service. There’s no time limit on how long they can stay here,” said He-un. “They like Korean Saju cafes because the atmosphere is lighter than fortunetelling houses in Japan. That’s what a Japanese customer told me.”

A Japanese tourist who was there to receive Saju consulting on Wednesday said coming to Korean Saju cafes was one of the enjoyments of her tour.

“I go to fortunetelling houses once every year in Japan. It’s my first time to come to a Saju cafe in Korea but I think it’s quite accurate. I trust it very much,” said Onose, 27. She came with her Japanese friend Kojima, 28, who also received Saju consulting.

Whereas most Koreans generally ask about their job, wealth, and marriage prospects, tourists are most interested in their love life or the future of their children, said He-un, the fortune teller.

How much can we trust?

Many young people seek Saju cafes for consultation, but how much of it is creditable?

“Don’t believe it completely” say the Saju consultants.

“We often say competent fortune tellers can tell about 70 percent of a person’s future correctly whereas those less competent can only read about 60 percent. So I tell my customers not to believe 100 percent in what we say. I tell them to only believe in 60 to 70 percent of what we say because the rest can be altered by your rationality and how you do,” said He-un from Star Saju Cafe. “Within the 30 to 40 percentage range, a person’s life can be completely changed. So no one’s fate can be completely determined.”

Yun from Mentor Saju Cafe also said fortune tellers don’t know everything.

“We can’t tell the exact fate of a person. That’s impossible. We only know the general tendency of the person’s fate like whether they’ll do good next year or bad. But how they will do well and who will help them, we don’t know. And it’s wrong to know that since we’re not God,” he said.

The fortune tellers agreed that fate can change depending on how people live their lives.

“I believe that every human being has a destined fate. However, there’s always a possibility that his or her fate can be altered based on that person’s own efforts and will. It’s up to the individual to develop their life,” said Yun.

“I think it’s important to think that fate can be ‘cooked.’ In other words, just like a dish comes out differently depending on how you cook it, life is the same. I hope people keep this in mind,” he said.

Life can change for each person depending on how they cope with the situation in front of them, said He-un.

“In other words, it all depends on how you think. Everyone can be confronted with the same situation. But in the end, it’s how you cope with it that changes the consequences of that event,” said the motherly fortune teller who calls herself a “counselor.”

Year of the Dragon

So what was the outlook for next year? “Change,” the fortune tellers say.

“Generally, people come to Saju cafes a lot during the years of dragon, dog, ox, and sheep. It’s because many changes occur in these years. The year 2012 is the ‘Year of the Black Dragon.’ Many changes will occur,” said Yun.

He-un also said, “The year of the black dragon comes once every 60 years. Those are the years when change occurs most frequently.”

“In the Year of the Black Dragon in 1592, the Japanese invaded Korea. Sixty years ago, in 1952, we were in the middle of the Korean War. We don’t know what will happen next year but one thing’s for sure ― there will be a lot of change whether good or bad,” she said. “In terms of the nation’s fate, there will be a lot of exchange with foreign countries. It will become a contracting period. Many contracts like the FTA will be signed.”

For those who were born in the year of the dragon, 2012 will be a year to restart what they had given up in the past, said He-un.

“If people born in the dragon years have given up something like studying for gosi, or national exam, they will begin retrying,” she said.

In the end, it’s up to you

Yun said something interesting upon ending the interview ― that even the avid Saju-goers stop visiting them after a while.

“Some people get really into fortunetelling and visit every single fortunetelling house they can for a while. It’s like an addiction. But interestingly, after a certain amount of time passes, they stop visiting,” he said. “It’s because they know by experience that there’s a limit to what fortune tellers can tell them about their fate. They sooner or later realize that, in the end, life is completely up to them to steer in a positive direction.”

Now you’re left to encounter this bitter yet exciting conclusion ― that your fate is entirely up to you. So, let’s gear up and get ready for another year of challenge. We don’t know what year 2012 will bring, but it all depends on us to make it a year of “good” change, not bad.
 
한국어 서비스

불안한 20대 사주카페 찾는다

이맘때쯤이면 사람들이 자주 찾는 곳이 있다. 불안한 미래에 대한 해답을 얻고자 특히 젊은이들이 많이 찾는 곳은 바로 사주카페.

중년 아주머니들의 온상이었던 예전의 점집과는 달리 차 한잔 해가며 편안한 분위기에서 점도 볼 수 있는 사주카페에는 젊은 여성들이 특히 많다.

이런 사주카페들의 성수기는 바로 연말부터 연초까지. 12월 동지가 지나고 그 다음해 3월 까지가 가장 손님이 많은 시기다.

명동의 한 사주카페를 찾은 오혜림(26)씨는 “애정운을 보러 왔다”며 “신년운세도 궁금해서 사주카페를 찾았다”고 말했다. 오씨와 함께 온 서정애(21)씨는 “고등학교 3학년 때 한번 사주카페를 온 적이 있다. 그 땐 대학 입시 관련해서 물어봤었다”며 “이번에는 앞으로 뭘 해야 할 지 잘 몰라 조언을 구하러 왔다”고 말했다.

20대들은 주로 직장과 진로에 대해 궁금한 게 많아 보였다.

명동의 다른 사주카페를 찾은 27세 여성은 “이직을 하려고 하는데 어디로 가야 할 지 몰라 어떻게 하는 것이 좋을지 물어보려 왔다”며 “사주카페는 처음 왔다”고 했다. 같이 온 친구(24)도 “대학을 졸업했는데 아직 직장이 없어서 불안하다. 전반적인 내년 운세도 그렇고 진로도 어떻게 해야 할 지 물어보려고 왔다”고 말했다.

왜 사주카페를 찾는 사람들은 주로 젊은 층일까?

“그들은 궁금한 게 너무 많기 때문”이라고 역술인들은 말한다.

멘토 사주카페의 역술인 윤검씨는 “20대들은 인생을 많이 안 살아봐서 모든 것에 대해 궁금해한다. 반면 40대 이상 중년들이 잘 안오는 이유는 그들은 인생을 어느 정도 살아봐서 별로 궁금해하지 않는다”고 말했다.

20대 초반은 직업과 진로를 가장 궁금해하는 한편, 20대 후반에서 30대 초반 사이 연령대는 재물운이나 결혼, 그리고 직장에서의 문제 등을 궁금해한다고 윤씨는 말했다.

명동의 스타 사주카페의 역술인 혜운씨는 “젊은 사람들은 미래가 길기 때문에 인생의 가닥을 어떻게 잡아야 하는지 궁금해한다”며 “특히 결혼, 직장 등에 대해 많이 물어본다”고 했다.

그럼 사주는 어느 정도까지 믿을 수 있는 걸까.

“너무 맹신하지는 말라”고 역술인들은 조언했다.

“우리는 흔히 잘 맞추면 70%, 못 맞추면 60%라고 한다”고 혜운씨는 말했다. 그래서 그는 손님들에게 “우리가 말하는 것을 100% 믿지는 말고 60-70%만 믿으라고 한다”고 말한다. 나머지는 개인의 의식에 의해 좌우된다는 것이다. “나머지 30-40%는 개인의 의식과 행동, 환경에 의해 완전히 바뀔 수 있다”고 그는 말했다.

윤검씨도 “우리는 한 사람의 미래를 정확히 알 수는 없다”며 “전반적으로 좋을지 나쁠지 등을 예측할 수는 있지만 구체적으로 어떻게, 누가 도와줄 지 등은 알 수 없고 그래서도 안된다”고 했다.

운명은 개인의 의지에 의해 바뀔 수 있다고 역술인들도 입을 모아 말한다.

“저는 모든 사람의 운명이 어느 정도 정해져 있다고 생각합니다. 그러나 개개인의 생각과 의지에 의해 인생은 개발됩니다. 그걸 운명이 바뀌는 거라고 할 수 있겠죠.” 윤씨는 말했다.

인생은 “요리와 같다”고 그는 말한다. “같은 요리를 해도 어떻게 하느냐에 따라 사람마다 다르게 나오듯이 인생도 같다. 사람들이 이 사실을 기억했으면 좋겠다”고 그는 말했다.

혜운씨도 “사람들은 같은 상황에 직면하더라도 대응하는 게 다 다르다” 며 “어떻게 그 상황을 대처하느냐에 따라 운명도 달라지는 것 아니겠느냐”고 말했다.

2012년 전망을 그들은 어떻게 볼까.

“변화의 시기”라고 역술인들은 말했다.

“임진년은 60년 만에 돌아오는 흑룡의 해인 만큼 많은 변화가 있을 것”이라고 혜운씨는 말했다. “1592년 임진년에는 임진왜란이 있었고 60년 전에는 한국전쟁 중이었다. 올해는 좋든 나쁘든 변화가 많을 것”이라고 그는 말한다. 국가적으로는 계약이 많이 이루어질 것이라고 한다. “FTA같은 계약들이 많이 이루어질 것”이라고 그는 말했다.

용띠들에게 2012년은 과거에 포기했던 것을 다시 시작하게 되는 해라고 한다.

“예를 들어 고시를 하다가 포기한 경험이 있다면 다시 시작하게 되는 해일 것”이라고 그는 말했다.

인생은 결국 자기하기 나름.

운세와 운명을 점치는 역술인들도 결국은 인생은 본인 하기에 따라 바뀐다는 것에 동의했다.

윤검씨는 “사주카페나 점집 등을 열심히 찾아다니던 사람들도 결국은 뜸해지고 나중엔 안온다”며 “결국 본인들도 나중엔 역술인들이 미래를 예측하는데 한계가 있다는 것을 깨닫고 인생은 본인이 요리하기 나름이라는 것을 알게 된다”고 했다.

씁쓸할지도 모르나, 결론은 인생은 결국 자기 하기 나름이라는 것이다. 흥미진진한 미래를 향해 오늘도 “도전”을 외쳐보는 게 어떨까. 새로운 한 해를 달릴 만반의 준비를 마치고. 2012년이 어떤 결과를 가져올지는 모르나 좋든 나쁘든 내년을 요리해 가는 건 우리 몫이다.