"How's My Wealth Luck?" "Surprisingly Effective"... AI Becomes Counselor for Frustrated Youth [Youth Report]

MZ Generation Consulting Fortune with Tarot and Saju
Some Use Chat GPT for Saju Readings

As the New Year approaches, there is an increasing number of young people seeking fortune-telling consultations such as tarot and Saju (Korean four pillars astrology). Initially, the act of fortune-telling was perceived as the exclusive domain of the older generation, but the situation has changed as young people, troubled by an uncertain future, have started actively visiting fortune-tellers in recent years. In particular, some young people have been found to use artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots like Chat GPT to check their Saju.

'Demand for Online Fortune-Telling Services Rises, Leading to More Related Products'

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Recently, especially among young people, there has been a rise in cases of non-face-to-face consultations conducted online rather than visiting fortune-telling shops in person. This is because consultations can be done anytime and anywhere, and there is less concern about personal information exposure. Mr. Lee (29), an office worker who had a fortune-telling session via KakaoTalk chat, said, "I wanted to change jobs, but the economy is bad these days, so I felt frustrated and decided to get a fortune-telling reading. They didn’t specifically ask for my name or birthdate, and they answered the questions I wanted to ask, which I liked. Also, it was convenient because they adjusted the time to when I wanted." He added, "I don’t completely believe in fortune-telling, but hearing hopeful words makes me look forward to next year."

As demand for 'online fortune-telling shops' increases, related products are also growing. On Naver Expert’s 'Fortune-telling, Tarot, Naming' category, there are 19,065 products listed. This is an overwhelming number compared to other categories such as 'Entrance Exams, Admissions, Study Abroad' (1,002) or 'Asset Consulting' (292). Here, users can select desired price and time options to receive customized consultations. Prices vary by expert, but tarot readings typically cost around 5,000 to 10,000 KRW for 10 minutes.

Mr. Lim (28), an office worker who had a tarot reading through Naver Expert, said, "You can have a tarot reading on any topic for 10 minutes, and surprisingly, 10 minutes is not short, so I was able to ask all the questions I was curious about." He added, "I felt relieved after receiving advice and encouragement, and I was able to talk about worries that were hard to share with acquaintances, so I plan to use the service again."

"How’s My Financial Luck Next Year?"... Asking ChatGPT

Financial fortune asked through ChatGPT. ChatGPT homepage

Meanwhile, some people are using AI to check their Saju. Recently, on social media platforms, methods like 'How to check Saju with Chat GPT' have become a hot topic. By entering one’s name, birthdate, birth time, and gender, it is said that you can get an overall Saju reading. Online communities have responded with comments such as "If you ask Chat GPT to read your Saju, it does, and it’s surprisingly accurate," "Since Saju is based on statistics anyway, AI might be better than humans," and "It answers any question, so it’s comforting."

In fact, when the reporter asked Chat GPT about financial luck for next year, a detailed response was given dividing the year into the first and second halves. Chat GPT said, "2025 is a time when financial luck can leap forward but also requires caution," adding, "Due to the strong fire energy of the Snake (巳火), it is a period when money can be earned easily, but at the same time, there is a possibility of financial loss due to increased expenses or reckless investments." It also advised, "Focus on preparation in the first half of the year and concentrate on reaping results in the second half to achieve great success."

Some also use Chat GPT not only for Saju but to talk about everyday worries. Since there is no burden in revealing secrets that cannot be told to anyone else, and it provides answers to any question, it is considered a suitable counseling channel when feeling troubled or frustrated.

"Generation Z Sees Fortune-Telling and Astrology as Ways to Understand Themselves"

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The increase in demand for fortune-telling is also related to the rise in young people suffering from anxiety and depression. According to the '2024 National Mental Health Knowledge and Attitude Survey' released by the National Center for Mental Health in July, 73.6% of all respondents answered that they had experienced mental health problems in the past year. Considering that 63.9% gave the same answer in 2022, this is an increase of 9.7 percentage points. Also, the proportion of respondents who said they had experienced severe stress rose from 36% in 2022 to 46.3% this year, an increase of 10.3 percentage points. This suggests that more people are turning to fortune-telling to alleviate uncertainties about the future.

Meanwhile, Generation Z shows a higher interest in fortune-telling compared to other generations. According to the 'Fortune-Telling and Astrology Usage Status Centered on Generation Z' report published by the University Tomorrow 20s Research Institute in July 2022, "Generation Z, who are very interested in understanding who they are, perceive fortune-telling and astrology as one of the ways to understand themselves." It added, "Generation Z has a higher purpose of understanding their tendencies and personalities through fortune-telling compared to other generations," and "The MZ generation tends to view fortune-telling and astrology simply as entertainment, with Generation Z having the highest proportion (68.4%) of those who see it as fun among all generations."