By Tim Binnall
A community of blind fortune tellers in South Korea has seen a considerable downturn in business as residents seek answers from AI rather than traditional soothsayers. Located on the outskirts of Seoul, the enclave known as Mia village once reportedly boasted dozens of vision-impaired mystics following the arrival of the first such clairvoyant in 1966. Part of the unique fabric of the city, the area has sadly turned into a veritable ghost town in recent years, with the number of practicing fortune tellers dropping from around 80 to less than 20. The remaining mystics point the finger at a rather familiar suspect: artificial intelligence.
"I don't think people are less interested in fortune-telling," Mia village clairvoyant Song Oh-soon explained, "but these days, they look online, so they do not come all the way to us." The mystic's assessment appears to have merit as, according to a 2024 study, South Koreans spent a staggering $986 million on various soothsaying services that year. However, a 2026 survey on the subject revealed that residents strongly preferred fortune-telling apps and AI chatbots over a visit to traditional mystics like those who practice at Mia village. As one might imagine, soothsayers like Song insist that their methods are far more insightful than the impersonal readings provided by AI.
Among those in Mia village, the hope is that the novelty of the technology will eventually wane and a return to tradition will ultimately prevail. Such was the case for university professor Oh Ji-hye, who had come to rely on fortune-telling apps in recent years, but sought help from a human mystic during a particularly stressful spell in her life. "It felt good that someone rather than AI was concentrating on and listening to my story," she explained. Despite the dwindling number of Mia village fortune tellers, Song expressed faith in the future of the enclave, musing, "if you put in the effort and make wise judgements, good fortune will come your way three times in your life."