Fortunetellers often use sticks or fortune books to foresee one¡¯s fortune or misfortune. In Seoul, fortunetellers are concentrated on the hill around Miari, but you can easily find one at Fortunetelling Cafes in Seoul as well.

Confucianism

Confucianism, an ancient Chinese way of thought that has spread through much of East Asia, is often described as a religion, although it is rather a detailed code of interpersonal behavior. In cultures where it is embraced, Confucianism is a practical political and social doctrine. For centuries in Korea, Confucianism has meant a system of education, ceremony and civil administration. Confucian concepts of social harmony and moral precepts permeated the intellectual life of the old East Asia and played a pivotal role in molding Korean culture as we know it today. It is easy to see the influence of Confucianism on Koreans today. Older people are still very much respected, and even slight differences in age are acknowledged.

Buddhism

Since its introduction in the year 372, Buddhism has exerted a powerful influence over the culture, arts and social conventions of the Korean people. Today, many Buddhist temples are scattered all across the nation. Currently, the Buddhist society exerts much effort to propagate the religion, as well as to promote the social welfare of the underprivileged through the Buddhist Council for Social Welfare. About 30 welfare centers and nurseries are in operation.

* Seoul International Zen Center (Tel. 02-900-4326)
* Lotus Lantern International Buddhist Center (Tel. 02-735-5347)

Protestantism

Introduced in 1885 from the USA, churches achieved rapid growth and many Christian democratic leaders participated in a wide range of political and social affairs for the restoration of democracy and the promotion of human rights. Major denominations of Protestantism in Korea include Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist and Pentecostal.

* Seoul National University International Church (Tel. 02-888-2771. Inquiries: suninternational@gamil.com)
* Yongsan Chapel Community (Tel. 02-7918-6054)
* Onnuri English Ministry (OEM) (Homepage: http://www.onnurienglish.org, Inquiries: onnurienglish@gmail.com )

Catholicism

The number of Catholics in Korea increased steadily beginning in the mid-18th century, and grew rapidly from the late 1950s, as was the case with Protestantism. The Vatican recognized the Korean Catholic hierarchy for the first time in 1962, and appointed Stephen Kim as the first Korean Cardinal in 1968. Cardinal Stephen Kim has been preaching to the Korean people to be aware of the reality of the nation every time the nation is in crisis since the October Restoration. Myeondong Cathedral, established by a French priest in 1898, is a symbol of Korean Catholicism, where three to four thousand believers and tourists visit everyday.

* Myeongdong Cathedral (Homepage: http://www.mdsd.or.kr/)
* Seoul Catholic International Parish (Homepage: http://church.catholic.or.kr )

Cheondoism

In the late 19th century when the Joseon Kingdom came under threat from Western powers, Choe Teu developed a new religion by combining the essence of traditional religions. There are a total of 280 Cheondogyo churches and 1.13 million believers nationwide, with Seoul itself having 21 churches and 400,000 followers.

Won Buddhism

Won Buddhism was founded by Park Chungbin upon his divine enlightenment in 1916. He taught that the nature of Buddha is the very substance of existence we can see in everything, and believed that "Buddhism exists in everything in the shape of a circle." This is why the religion he founded is called Won (Circle) Buddhism. The ceremonial characteristics and the organization of the church are very similar to those of Protestant churches. There are 418 Won Buddhist churches and 1.23 million followers, with Seoul having 53 churches and 200,000 believers.

Islam

The first Koreans who were exposed to Islam were farmers who moved to Manchuria in the late 19th century. The first Korean Imam (chaplain) was elected and the mosque was built upon the establishment of the Korean Federation of Muslims in 1955. Later in 1967, the Federation was officially registered with the Korean government as the Korean Society of Islam. The Central Mosque was dedicated in 1976 in Itaewon, Seoul, with the assistance of several Islamic countries including Saudi Arabia. Currently, there are seven mosques and about 30,000 Muslims in Korea.

* The Seoul Central Masjid (Tel. 02-794-7307)

Judaism

Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people, based on principles and ethics embodied in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) and the Talmud. According to Jewish tradition, the history of Judaism begins with the Covenant between God and Abraham (ca. 2000 BCE), the patriarch and progenitor of the Jewish people. Judaism is among the oldest religious traditions still in practice today. Jewish history and doctrines have influenced other religions such as Christianity, Islam and the Faith. The Jewish population in Korea is not high, but there are a few Jewish communities, and they encourage the study of Hebrew and traditional observances.

* Jewish Center (Tel. 02-7916-6054)