The concept of both good and bad luck is prominent around the world—especially in Asian cultures, says Sydney Chinchanachokchai. In Korean culture, this belief in superstition is alive and well. This is clearly evidenced by the notion that certain numbers are luckier than most. Of course, this also implies that there are several numbers that you should stay away from. So what numbers are considered lucky and unlucky in Korea?
Lucky: Number Eight
Eastern cultures place a lot of importance on wealth and good fortune. They also believe that numbers have important meanings and messages—particularly if they keep on repeating in your life. The number eight is thought to bring in money and luck so Koreans try to book special events like dates, business meetings, and weddings on dates which have a lot of the number eight in it. One of the most popular and wealthy celebrities, G-Dragon of BIGBANG, was born on the 18th of August in the year 1988. It can be argued that with so much presence of the number 8 in his existence, he’s a really lucky fellow.
Unlucky: Number Four
Tetraphobia or the avoidance of the number four is quite real in Korea. The main reason why the number four has a bad reputation is because of its pronunciation in the Sino-Korean language which is quite close to the Chinese word for “death”. As a consequence, you will not see any buildings in Korea that have the 4th floor. Incidentally, there will also be an avoidance of any door numbers and addresses that make use of the number 4. Any person born of the month of April—especially on the 4th, 14th, or 24th of that month are considered to be quite unlucky.
Lucky: Number Nine
The number nine is considered quite lucky by both North and South Korea. For North Korea, it stems from Korea’s liberation from Japanese occupation. According to the story, eight shamans from eight different Korean provinces came together and told Kim Il-Sung that his bloodline was to be forever aligned to the number nine. As such, the founding date of North Korea is September 9. In South Korea, the number nine sounds a lot like the Chinese word for “long-lasting” so it is very popular for businesses and couples.
Lucky: Number Three
The number three seems to be an odd choice for a lucky number as it doesn’t have the same auspicious reputation as numbers nine and eight. However, number three is considered lucky for its practical nature. In Korean structures, it is generally accepted that a three-legged chair is usable and sturdy. Looking at their traditional food culture, a meal must include three side dishes. The number three features to refer to hard-work, practicality, and pragmatism.
Numbers will continue to play an interesting role in how Koreans build their buildings and go about their days. In some cases, the numbers which appear in birth dates and special occasions can be seen as a sign of whether someone is destined for a good life or not. So take care to note if any of these numbers have cropped up in your life and note what it may mean in terms of Korean numerology.
