[Jihye Choi's Trend 2026] The 'Market of Fortune' Unfolding in the Palm of Your Hand

The Spread of Fortune Culture in Daily Life of Millennials and Gen Z

Saju, Romance... A New Language for the Digital Generation

Beyond a Passing Fad, Now a Bridge to New Markets

Spring 2026, Yeonjudae (Gwaneum Rock), located 629 meters above sea level on Gwanaksan Mountain. Inside Eungjinjeon, a hall perched atop a cliff, young people are bowing with their hands clasped together. On weekends, the small temple becomes so crowded that those who cannot enter stand outside the door, palms pressed together in prayer. Coins wedged into cracks in the rocks gleam in the sunlight, and small stone pagodas, each made by stacking palm-sized stones, line the hiking trails. The scene in front of the summit marker is even more striking. People in their 20s and 30s, wearing light backpacks and crossbody bags, wait in line for nearly an hour to take photos as proof of their visit. The catalyst for this change came from a single comment by fortune teller Park Sungjun on tvN's "You Quiz on the Block" in January: "If you feel your luck isn't turning around, go to Yeonjudae on Gwanaksan Mountain. If you make the same wish three times, it will come true."

"Lucky hiking" (Gaeun sanhaeng) is more than just hiking. It refers to climbing mountains with the intention of inviting good fortune, and has recently emerged as a new weekend routine among Millennials & Gen Z. Fortune-related cultures such as saju (Korean fortune telling) and tarot have become deeply embedded in the daily lives of Gen Z. According to a survey by Trend Monitor, the proportion of people who said they were interested in saju or tarot reached 68.0% among those in their 20s and 67.5% among those in their 30s. Fortune-telling, long criticized as unscientific, is being reinterpreted in a new language by the most digitally savvy generation.

The most noticeable change is that the stage for fortune-telling has shifted from "apps" to "artificial intelligence (AI)." In January 2026, fortune-related GPTs ranked among the top in the lifestyle category of the ChatGPT Store. By entering just your name and date of birth, you can receive analyses of character, wealth, and movement luck within 10 seconds. The financial sector has quickly joined this trend. KB Kookmin Bank has incorporated over 10 free fortune-telling services, ranging from New Year's fortunes to inner thoughts tarot, within the KB Star Banking app. Shinhan Life also offers Tojeong Bigyeol and compatibility content. The monthly active users of the saju app "Forteller" reached approximately 628,000, a 28% increase from the previous year. Fortune-telling is no longer confined to fortune-teller shops; it now unfolds in the palm of your hand during your daily commute.

Fortune-telling is also rewriting the rules of the dating market. According to data released by global dating platform Tinder last month, mentions of "saju" in Korean users' profiles increased about fourfold compared to the previous year. Mentions of "compatibility," "destiny," and "zodiac sign" tripled, while "tarot" more than doubled. Tinder's pilot "Zodiac Sign Mode" boosted "likes" from female users by about 20%. In May, the company plans to expand this offline by operating "Zodiac Sign Mode Experience Zones" at Konkuk University, Kyung Hee University, and Hanyang University, collaborating with astrology and saju creators for offline events. In effect, zodiac signs and saju have filled the space vacated by MBTI.

It is noteworthy that fortune-related content you "experience with your body" is increasing beyond just the screen. Posts tagged "lucky hiking" on Instagram have surpassed 320,000, and during the same period, the transaction value for hiking apparel increased by 138%, while the transaction value for athleisure rose by 286%. According to the Seoul Tourism Organization, 5,217 people visited the Gwanaksan Center in February 2026, up 9.6% from the same month the previous year. The market for lucky goods is also growing alongside this trend. The number of "amulet pollack" products on KakaoTalk Gift increased by about 39%, and the proportion of people who said they had possessed a "lucky item" reached 49.5% among teenagers and 40.5% among those in their 20s. For Gen Z, climbing mountains, handling talismans, and drawing tarot cards—experiencing fortune with all five senses—have become a kind of self-care routine.

Why is this phenomenon occurring? The most powerful reason is the "chronic anxiety about the future." According to the "2026 Employment Outlook" report by the Korea Employment Information Service, the number of employed youth aged 15 to 29 is expected to decrease by 213,000. In an environment where employment, assets, and even relationships feel uncertain, fortune-telling serves as an affordable and instantly accessible "emotional safety pin." The second reason is "the desire to know oneself more deeply." According to a survey by College Tomorrow 20s Research Lab, 43% of those in their teens and 20s said they consult fortune-telling to understand their own tendencies and personalities. This reflects a desire to examine oneself more specifically and narratively than what MBTI offers. The third reason is the "restoration of experience." In a world where algorithms bombard us with comparisons and stimuli around the clock, physically climbing a mountain or drawing cards with one's own hands provides a sense of reclaiming control over one's life.

The fortune-telling market is no longer a fringe culture. The number of institutions issuing private tarot certificates has increased from 65 to 105 in just two years, and everyone from the ChatGPT Store to dating apps and financial super-apps is rushing to make fortune-telling a core content offering. It is evolving beyond a temporary trend into a "lifestyle category" that encompasses self-understanding, emotional management, and relationship exploration. For companies, this signals a new market opportunity and a new consumer language. Fortune-telling is not just content, but data that reads users' "feel," and it serves as a bridge connecting digital services, offline experiences, and commerce. We are now in an era where people do not just "visit fortune-telling," but "live within fortune-telling" as part of their daily routine. Observing how far this market—unfolding in the palms of Gen Z—will expand may offer clues to understanding the next big trend.

Choi Ji-hye, co-author of Trend Korea

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.