Korean Traditions and Superstitions

After hearing that a coworker who dreamed about one of her students pooping his pants needed to buy a lottery ticket, I became intrigued. I love learning about superstitions. I guess it comes from being raised in Louisiana, which is FULL of local superstitions of its own.

Here are few traditions and superstitions that seem to be unique to Korea. If you have any to add, or if any of these are incorrect, please comment!!!!

Don’t throw your toenail clippings in the fireplace or else you’ll have retarded grandchildren. (It’s best to throw nail clippings over water, in the toilet.)

When you lose a baby tooth, have your mother throw it on the roof. We even do this at school when kids loose their teeth (I don’t know why.)

Girls and women should not sit on a cold stone surface because it will make them infertile.

Don’t wear white ribbons in your hair because it is bad luck. White is the color associated with funerals and death.

OF COURSE, don't sleep in a closed room with a fan on, or you will die.

Don't touch a butterfly then rub your eyes. It will cause you to go blind.

Don't give shoes to your girlfriend/boyfriend. They will run away.

Don't wash your hair on an important day.

Shave the babies head because it'll grow in thicker.

If you shake your leg, your good luck will fall off.

If you jump over your baby, they won't grow.

Pull on your babies legs so they'll grow up to be tall.

If you are born with big huge ears, you are to be rich.

Don't tickle a newborn because it will cause him/her to stutter.

When sewing, if you use a long piece of thread, it means you'll marry a man far away.

Twirling a pen/ pencil makes you stupid.

If you have thick earlobes that are attached, you'll be rich.

If you have thick ear lobed that aren't attached, you will make money but not be able to keep it.

If your ears stick out, you hear good luck calling better.

Never sign your name in red ink because someone will die. We are NOT allowed to write our students' names on the board with a red dry-erase marker.

After giving birth drink lots of soy milk and eat lots of seaweed soup to produce breast milk.

After giving birth do not leave the house for 40 days.

Laundry detergent is the best housewarming gift because the bubbles represent money/fortune.

If your partner can place a grain of rice on the bottom of the outer ear lobe, and it stays, they will have great fortune.

After someone passes you are to mourn for 40 days.

Laying down shortly after eating/eating reclined means that you will be reincarnated as a cow.

If you kill an insect while eating, you will murder someone in the future.

If leave your shoe on the side, your soul will drain out.

When serving, always give two scoops of rice/two servings of a food, or the bond between you will drop.

Eating from the center of the rice bowl signifies that you wish your mother ill.

Resting your chin on your palm wishes your parents dead.

Having big gaps between your fingers means that you can't hold onto money.

Dreaming of a big turd is good luck.

Sleep with the head north or east, dead people are buried with their heads to the west (sunset).

Don't cross your chopsticks while eating. It is very bad luck. I always cross my chopsticks. I don't know how to use them any other way.

If you dream about a pig, that means money and/or good fortune is coming your way.