Blind fortune‑tellers fade in Seoul’s alleys as AI divination dominates society

Seoul's blind fortune-tellers, once a thriving community, are fading away as artificial intelligence takes over the practice. At 86, Song Oh-soon is one of the last practitioners in a village near Seoul, where clients have shifted to online AI-powered divination. The village's challenge is not the fading belief in fortune-telling, but adapting to digital consumption.

Song relies on "Four Pillars of Destiny" astrology in braille and her four decades of experience, skills AI cannot replicate. Despite a growing fortune-telling business worth 1.4 trillion won in 2024, many clients prefer convenient, affordable AI readings. The village, established in 1966, once had 70-80 practitioners, but now has fewer than 20.

While South Korea has prospered, some clients now turn to hospitals instead of fortune-tellers for medical advice. However, Song believes that people still value fortune-telling, as long as they seek human connection and wise decisions.