Exploring 3 Intriguing Korean Superstitions For Visitors

South Korea is often associated with cutting-edge technology, high-speed internet, and futuristic cities. Yet beneath its modern image lies a rich collection of traditional beliefs that have been passed down for generations. While younger Koreans may not literally believe every superstition they grew up hearing, many of these customs continue to influence everyday behavior, from elevator design to something as simple as choosing the color of a pen.

For many foreign visitors, these traditions offer a fascinating glimpse into how history, language, and folklore continue to shape modern Korean culture. Here are three of the country’s most well-known superstitions and the stories behind them.

3 Traditional Korean Superstitions That Still Fascinate Foreigners / Shutterstock

1. Never write someone’s name in red ink

One of the most famous Korean superstitions warns against writing a living person’s name in red.

To many foreigners, choosing a red pen instead of a black or blue one seems completely harmless. In Korea, however, doing so has traditionally been considered a sign of bad luck. Historically, the names of deceased people were sometimes written in red on family records or memorial documents. Red was also associated with warding off evil spirits, creating a strong symbolic connection between the color and death.

As a result, writing the name of someone who is still alive in red came to be interpreted as wishing misfortune—or even death—upon that person. Although many younger Koreans no longer take the superstition literally, it remains surprisingly common for people to avoid writing names in red simply out of habit or respect.

The belief is so well known that even visitors living in Korea often learn about it quickly after accidentally reaching for a red marker.

2. Why so many buildings don’t have a fourth floor

Many visitors notice something unusual when stepping into elevators in Korea.

Instead of seeing the buttons labeled 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, they may find 1, 2, 3, F, 5 instead. In some buildings, the fourth floor is omitted entirely.

The reason lies in language. The Korean pronunciation of the number four, “sa” (사), sounds exactly like the Sino-Korean word for “death” (死). Because of this homophone, the number has long been associated with bad luck, much like the number 13 in many Western countries.

This belief, known as tetraphobia, is not unique to Korea and is also found in several East Asian cultures influenced by Chinese characters. Nevertheless, it continues to leave a visible mark on Korea’s architecture, with hospitals, hotels, office buildings, and apartment complexes frequently replacing the number 4 with the letter “F” to avoid making residents or visitors uncomfortable.

Even people who do not consider themselves superstitious often prefer this convention simply because it has become a cultural norm.

3. Dreaming about pigs could mean money is coming

Not all Korean superstitions are associated with bad luck.

One of the country’s most beloved beliefs is that dreaming of a pig is a sign of financial good fortune.

In Korean culture, pigs have long been associated with prosperity and abundance. Many people who experience what is known as a “pig dream” (dwaeji kkum) jokingly buy lottery tickets the next morning, believing that unexpected money may soon come their way.

The connection also has linguistic roots. The Sino-Korean character for pig (豚) shares the pronunciation “don” with another Korean word meaning money (돈), helping reinforce the symbolic relationship between pigs and wealth. Over time, this association became one of Korea’s best-known lucky omens.

While most people recognize it as folklore rather than fact, stories of lottery winners claiming they first dreamed of pigs continue to circulate in the media and online, keeping the tradition alive.

3 Traditional Korean Superstitions That Still Fascinate Foreigners / Shutterstock

Ancient beliefs in a modern society

South Korea’s rapid modernization has changed almost every aspect of daily life, but traditional superstitions continue to survive in subtle ways.

Elevators still replace the number four. Many people instinctively avoid writing names in red. Others smile after dreaming about a pig and wonder whether good luck might be on the horizon.

Whether people genuinely believe these customs or simply follow them out of tradition, they remain part of Korea’s cultural identity. Rather than disappearing completely, these superstitions have evolved into shared social knowledge that connects modern life with centuries of history and folklore.

For foreign visitors, they also serve as a reminder that even one of the world’s most technologically advanced societies continues to preserve small traditions that make everyday life uniquely Korean.