No Seaweed Soup on Exam Days: An Insider Guide to 6 Common Korean Superstitions(Part.2)

You might think you know Korean culture, but some beliefs run deeper than you'd expect, influencing daily life in surprising ways. Beyond the infamous red ink or the missing 4th floor, these superstitions touch everything from our health to our biggest life moments. Here are 6 more fascinating beliefs that even logical Koreans pause for.

Superstition	Belief	Modern Relevance/Origin
Fan Death	Sleeping in a closed room with an electric fan on can be fatal.	Scientifically debunked, but fans often have timers as a precaution.
Shaking Legs	Constantly shaking your legs causes you to lose your luck and fortune.	Considered bad manners and a sign of impatience; elders still scold for it.
Midnight Nail Clipping	Clipping nails after dark attracts mice who can become your doppelganger.	Likely a practical measure to prevent accidents and messes in poor lighting.
Seaweed Soup on Exam Day	Eating slippery seaweed soup before an exam causes knowledge to 'slip' away.	Students avoid it to feel mentally sharp and avoid any perceived risk.
Sticky Yeot	Traditional taffy's stickiness helps students 'stick' to their desired university.	Parents often affix Yeot to school gates as a prayer for success.
Poop Dreams	Dreaming of feces signifies immense wealth and good luck.	Rooted in agricultural history where feces were valuable fertilizer; often prompts lottery ticket purchases.

The Lingering Myth of Fan Death 🌬️

Perhaps one of the most famous Korean urban legends is the fear of fan death. In the past, news reports frequently discussed fan death as a major headline. Although the actual causes were heart disease, heavy drinking, or fires, some media outlets reported them as being caused by the fan, which seems to have fixed the idea in Koreans minds for decades.

Even in 2026, while most Koreans sleep comfortably with fans on, you will still notice many units equipped with timers as a psychological legacy of this superstition.

Stop Shaking! Your Luck is Fleeing 💸

In Korea, the simple act of shaking your legs is believed to literally shake off all your good fortune. Elders often reprimand younger individuals with the phrase Bok i na gan da, meaning Your luck is leaving. My grandma still scolds me for this to this day, so I only allow myself to fidget when I am absolutely certain she is not watching! Beyond superstition, this is deeply ingrained as a sign of impatience and poor manners in formal settings.

Midnight Nail Clipping: A Horrifying Tale 😱

Whatever you do, avoid clipping your nails late at night. I looked into why this started: there is an old folk tale about a scholar whose discarded clippings were eaten by a mouse, which then transformed into his human doppelganger and stole his life.

Looking back, there is a practical reason. In the past, under dim lanterns, it was hard to see where clippings landed. Since people lived in a time when every grain of rice was precious, these stories were likely invented to ensure people clipped their nails in bright daylight to avoid accidentally ingesting them.

The Slippery Miyeok-guk Exam Dilemma 🍲

On the morning of a big exam, you will never see a Korean student eating Miyeok-guk, which is seaweed soup. Since seaweed is incredibly slippery, there is a strong belief that knowledge will slip out of your brain. Even though we know it is just a superstition, you do not want any lingering discomfort on a day that only happens once in a lifetime. Just like many others, I also skipped the seaweed soup on my big exam day to ensure my mind stayed sharp and slip-free!

💡 Pro tip! : If a Korean friend has a major exam, never wish them luck with seaweed soup. Instead, gift them Chap-ssal-tteok, which are sticky rice cakes, or Yeot. In November, during the national exam season, you can find beautifully wrapped gift sets in most Korean bakeries. This traditional gesture is the perfect way to show your support and help their success stick.

Sticky Yeot: Your Ticket to Success! 🍬

Complementing the avoidance of seaweed soup, Yeot (traditional taffy) is the ultimate lucky food for exams. Its notorious stickiness is believed to help students 'stick' to the passing list of their desired university. You might even see parents sticking Yeot to the gates of high schools as a prayer for their children's academic success. Just as I avoided the slippery soup, I made sure to have some sticky Yeot to help me stay focused and 'stuck' to my goals!

Dreaming of Ddong: A Sign of Wealth 💩

While many cultures might find dreaming of poop to be a nightmare, in Korea, it's the ultimate sign of luck and wealth! Dreaming of 'Ddong' (poop) is traditionally associated with riches because it was historically used as fertilizer in an agricultural society. If you wake up from a particularly vivid and dirty dream in 2026, the common advice is to go buy a lottery ticket immediately. It's a powerful motivator!

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Are Korean superstitions still widely believed in 2026?

While younger generations may be more skeptical, many common superstitions are still observed, especially around significant life events like exams or major decisions. The cultural awareness remains strong.

Q. Why are there so many superstitions related to exams in Korea?

The Korean education system is highly competitive, and exams carry immense weight for future success. This high pressure creates fertile ground for superstitions as people seek any advantage or reassurance to navigate the stressful process.

Q. Are there any superstitions about numbers or colors in Korea?

Yes, the number 4 is often avoided because its pronunciation sounds similar to the word for 'death' (사, sa). Red ink is also generally avoided when writing names, as it's traditionally used for the deceased.