Who do shamans actually serve?

Who do they serve?

We know the names of the gods,

but we do not know their world.

Mountain God.

Seven Stars God.

Dragon King God.

General God.

We have all heard these names at least once.

However, we do not really know what kind of beings they are, why Koreans have feared and revered them for hundreds of years, or why shamans still call their names. This book traces the genealogy of the gods in Korean shamanism and organizes the world of gods that is almost unknown to the general public.

This is not a book pieced together from internet horror stories.

This e-book was created based on the following sources.

✓ Publicly available shaman interviews and testimonies

✓ Korean shamanism-related folklore research materials

✓ Traditional folktales and oral records

✓ Folk paintings and shamanic religious paintings

✓ Literature related to traditional Korean beliefs

By comparing different sources,

the roles and relationships of the gods in the worldview of Korean shamanism have been organized. This book is not intended to force belief. It is a guide to understanding the system of gods that Koreans have imagined and passed down for generations.

Perhaps it is a world you already know.

"Benefiting from one's ancestors."

"Accumulated karma."

"A blessing not destined for me."

These are phrases we commonly use in daily life.

But where did these expressions come from?

Traditional Korean beliefs

understood human life not as mere coincidence,

but as a flow connected to gods, ancestors, and nature.

Through this book,

we explore how Koreans have viewed fate, blessings, ancestors, and karma.

Whom do shamans serve?

Many people think that a shaman serves a single deity.

However, in the actual shamanic worldview, countless deities exist.

A god who protects the mountains.

A god who governs the stars.

A god who rules the sea.

Historical figures who have become deities.

And ancestors and guardian spirits.

This book organizes these complex relationships in the form of a genealogy chart.

Why is the mountain god depicted with a tiger?

Mountains have long been regarded as sacred spaces.

Koreans believed that there were beings who protected the mountains,

and as a symbol of this, they worshipped the Mountain Spirit.

Why does the Mountain Spirit appear with a tiger in folk paintings?

Let's explore the meaning behind this symbol.

Why does the Seven Stars God govern human lifespan?

The Big Dipper in the night sky.

People in the past believed that stars were connected to human life.

The Seven Stars God was regarded as a being symbolizing blessings and longevity,

as well as the fate of humans.

The Dragon King who rules the sea.

In Korean folklore, the sea was not just a part of nature.

There was a king there, and people prayed to the Dragon King for abundant catches and safety. How did the Dragon King become a major deity in Korean shamanism?

The reason why historical figures became deities.

In shamanism, there are cases where real people are deified.

General God.

Longevity God.

Guardian God.

Why did people turn humans into gods?

And which figures are still worshipped as deities today?

Many occult contents consume shamanism only as horror.

However, behind that lies

the worldview of Koreans that has continued for hundreds of years.

Why did people seek out the Mountain Spirit?

Why did they value their ancestors?

Why did they talk about fortune and karma?

This book is a journey to find the answers to such questions.

Recommended for these people

✓ Those who like occult and mystery

✓ Those interested in Korean mythology and traditional culture

✓ Those curious about the shamanistic worldview

✓ Those who need creative materials for web novels, games, or webtoons

✓ Those who want to understand the Korean mindset

What you will gain after reading

This book does not promise supernatural powers.

Instead, it shares what Koreans have believed in for a long time:

Fate,

Fortune,

Ancestors,

Karma,

And it helps you understand perspectives on the gods.

As a culture, not just a ghost story,

As a worldview, not just a superstition,

You will see Korean shamanism in a new light.

Another history of Korea you didn't know about.

It was hardly taught in school.

But it is a world that has existed in people's lives for hundreds of years.

Who do shamans actually serve?

Find the answer to that question in this book.

Now, the door to forbidden knowledge opens.

Sample pages -

Table of Contents (Draft) of 'The World of Gods Explained by a Shaman'

Download link provided via Google Drive. Over 100 pages.

Prologue | Is there a god living beside you?

• The existence of 'gods' as explained by a shaman and their modern significance.

• How Korean gods watch over humans.

Chapter 1 | 'Household Gods' who protect every corner of the home

"The gods you must greet first when moving or opening a business"

• 01. Seongjushin (Master of the Main Beam): The god of the main pillar and the head of the household, guardian of the most auspicious spot.

  • Shaman Talk: "If the household deity gets angry, will the house be shaken?" The secrets of house sites and site rituals.

• 02. Jowangshin (Mother of the Kitchen): The deity who protects the fire and continues the family's fate.

  • Found in folk paintings: In a corner of the kitchen, Jowangshin's tears in a water bowl (purified water).

• 03. Samsin Grandmother (Life of the Master Bedroom): The deity who grants babies and raises them until the age of ten.

  • Shaman Talk: The reason for setting up a Samsin table when a child is sick for no reason.

• 04. Cheoksin (Goddess of the Toilet): The long-haired, furious goddess who rules over the bathroom.

  • Found in folk paintings: Why did people in the past cough three times before entering the toilet?

Chapter 2 | 'Earth Deities' Governing Villages and Nature

"The mighty masters of nature that humans dare not approach."

• 05. Sanshin (Mountain King): The master of the mountains who commands the Baekdudaegan and bestows spiritual energy.

  • Found in folk paintings: The gentle old man sitting on a tiger, the secret of the Sanshin painting.

• 06. Seonangshin (Village Guardian Shrine): The guardian deity who wards off all evil spirits and misfortune at the village entrance.

  • Shaman Talk: The feelings behind throwing three stones and making a wish before setting out on a journey.

• 07. Yongwangshin (Sea and Water): The water deity who ends droughts and holds the lives of fishermen in their hands.

  • Shaman Talk: The real reason shamans seek out 'waterfronts (prayer sites)' for prayer

Chapter 3 | 'Shamanic Gods' Who Cross the Boundaries of Life and Death

"Mysterious beings who descend to the human world by borrowing the shaman's body"

• 08. Princess Bari (Ancestor Shaman God): From an abandoned child to the first shaman guiding souls to the afterlife

  • Story: The greatest narrative of salvation and healing in Korean mythology

• 09. General Gods and Byeolsang (Gods of Authority): Heroes who became gods, bearing deep sorrow from history such as General Choi Young and Crown Prince Sado

  • Shaman Talk: "The formidable power of the general who stands atop the sharp blade"

• 10. Child Spirits and Fairies (Gods of Innocence): Young gods who sometimes give blessings playfully, sometimes sharply

  • Shaman Talk: The reason why the shrine is filled with candies and toys

Chapter 4 | 'Gods of the Underworld' Who Rule the Darkness of the Afterlife

"Strict rulers of the afterlife whom humans face after death"

• 11. Prince Gangrim and Grim Reapers: Messengers who call the soul's name three times to guide them to the afterlife

  • Found in folk paintings: When those in black hats become companions on the journey to the afterlife

• 12. King Yeomra and the Ten Kings: Ten kings who judge human sins in hell

  • Story: Good triumphs over evil—the reason we must not commit sins while alive

Epilogue | Resolution and Healing: The True Power of Gut

• Why a Shaman Wants to Communicate with the World Through YouTube

• Shamanism as a Korean Traditional Culture That Comforts the Heart, Not a Superstition