On the afternoon of the 12th, at a four pillars café in Yeonnam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Four pillars analyst A advised an office worker seeking a reading on wealth luck, saying it's better to diversify with a fund or an exchange-traded fund (ETF) than to blindly jump in just because a stock like SK hynix is rising.
A said consultations on wealth luck have increased noticeably recently compared with romance or health. A said, "As Korea's stock market has risen, inquiries about investment-related consultations have increased," adding, "Consultations range from people asking whether it's good to start investing to those anxious about losses."
◇More Les Fourmis checking fortunes amid a whipsaw market
As Korea's stock market booms and Les Fourmis (individual investors) increase, some investors are also turning to divination such as four pillars or tarot for investment advice. Analysts say demand has grown to gain psychological comfort in a whipsaw market rather than to blindly trust stock picks themselves.
A person surnamed Ahn, 37, recently visited a four pillars shop in Jongno-gu to ask about wealth luck. After hearing that "the trend isn't bad through the second half of this year," Ahn decided not to sell the shares held for the time being. Ahn said, "Of course I don't invest based only on four pillars," but added, "It felt like I gained a kind of conviction that matched my desire to keep holding."
Many people are also seeking "investment fortunes" online. B, a 30-something investor, now checks investment fortunes daily by visiting a blog that specializes in stock tarot consultations. The blog, launched at the end of March, posts analyses of individuals' wealth luck and investment tendencies, recommending favorable industries or investment styles.
The blog operator explained, "If technical analysis is about reading charts, then four pillars and tarot are ways to read investment timing," adding, "I want to offer advice that can help people steady their minds when they're torn between buying and selling." In fact, according to Google Trends, interest in the search term "stock tarot" has surged to the highest level of the year this month.
◇A 1.4 trillion won fortune-telling market… investment fortunes gain popularity amid a stock market tailwind
As individual investors increase, the fortune-telling market itself is also growing rapidly. According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics (MODS)' nationwide enterprise survey, as of 2024 the number of "fortune-telling and similar services" enterprises totaled 10,950. That's up 21.3% (1,922) from three years earlier.
Over the same period, the number of workers rose 19.4% (1,882), from 9,711 to 11,593. The industry estimates the size of Korea's fortune-telling market at 1.4 trillion won.
Among younger people, some are heading to the mountains to gain "good energy." Investors are flocking to spots such as Gwanaksan Mountain and Inwangsan, which are known for wealth luck. A person surnamed Jang, 36, who climbs Gwanaksan Mountain twice a month, said, "I took care of my health and prayed that my account would gain strength from good energy," adding, "At the summit, I sometimes shout 'gajeua' instead of 'yaho.'"
A 20-something office worker surnamed Lee also said, "I climb Achasan every weekend, and after hearing recently that Gwanaksan Mountain can boost wealth luck, I went," adding, "I took a loss on coins last year, and this year I hope my stock investing goes well."
◇Brokerages also offer fortune services… "Don't rely on them excessively"
As investor interest grows, the financial sector is rolling out related services. Kiwoom Securities' mobile trading system (MTS) has a "Kiwoom Fortune" service. If you enter your four pillars information, you can check your daily wealth luck.
Toss also offers the "Investment Doryeong: investment fortunes" service in its app through a partnership. Users can check compatibility with the CEO of a corporation of interest or the feng shui of the corporation's headquarters location. Analysts say the financial sector is actively leveraging content that combines investment psychology with elements of fun.
There are similar cases overseas. Hong Kong-based Credit Lyonnais Securities Asia (CLSA) releases the "CLSA Feng Shui index" every year. The CLSA Feng Shui says the Hang Seng Index, in this year of the red horse, will remain sluggish until early this month and then begin a full-fledged rise afterward.
However, experts warn against relying too heavily on divination for investment decisions. A securities industry official said, "The basic demand to gain psychological stability in a volatile market is understandable," but added, "If you depend excessively on unverified advice, you can fall into confirmation bias or increase your risk of loss, so you should set your own investment principles and risk management standards."