Original subtitles

[♪ suspenseful music plays]

[narrator] The Battle of Qi.

This face-off is…

between Young Master Plum Blossom…

-[Fate Reader] Good luck! -[Hyunmoo] This is huge.

Oh, gosh. The time has come. Here comes the big match.

Young Master Plum Blossom is the shaman

everyone's avoiding right now.

[Jiyeong] That's what I heard.

He was really impressive in the first round.

[Plum Blossom] When I gave my deity the deceased's birth date and time…

…as a firefighter.

-[♪ suspenseful music plays] -[Narae gasps]

I'm losing my mind here.

The last thing he saw was a raging fire and he died trapped in it.

It's game over.

Right from the start? What do we do?

[Hyunmoo] How did he do that?

[Sage Cheonmyeong] He channeled his deities and gave an accurate reading.

I got the feeling he'd win the whole show.

[Seolhwa] It was quite shocking.

[Young Master Byeon] I still can't forget it. He got it so accurately.

DURING HIS OPPONENT SELECTION

[narrator] Young Master Plum Blossom.

Please step forward.

-[♪ tense music plays] -[Fate Reader cheers]

YOUNG MASTER PLUM BLOSSOM 4-YEAR SHAMAN

[Plum Blossom] When I was given the title Young Master Plum Blossom,

my Granny spirit said

a white plum blossom embraces gently,

but a red one digs deep.

I'll dig deep into your fate quickly and accurately.

-[applause] -[Fate Reapers exclaim in awe]

I think he'll be good.

We must avoid that guy.

[Meta Myungri Joon] He has a strong aura. He's no ordinary guy.

It felt like I'd lose to Young Master Plum Blossom.

[narrator] The Fate Reader who volunteered

to go up against Young Master Plum Blossom is…

no one.

[Plum Blossom] I can go up against anyone.

It doesn't matter who it is.

[narrator] This face-off is

between Young Master Plum Blossom…

[♪ menacing music plays]

…and Lady Wish.

[Fate Readers exclaim in awe]

[Narae] It's finally her turn.

My top pick.

[Kookjoo] Either way, it'd be a shame to see 1 of them go.

-[narrator] Next up is Lady Wish. -[Young Master Jiseon cheers]

-[♪ suspenseful music plays] -[Sujin] She's with the dragon general.

[Jiseon] You're awesome.

My name may have the word "Lady" in it,

but I serve quite a few General spirits.

I'll give an accurate reading, gently but firmly.

Bring it on.

[Fate Reader exclaims in awe]

MANSHIN (EXPERIENCED SHAMAN) KWON SUJIN - 26-YEAR SHAMAN

[Fate Readers exclaim in awe]

[Fate Readers] Daeman!

-I want to take her on. -Really?

[Plum Blossom] It was Lady Wish's turn,

and as soon as I saw her,

I knew I wanted to go up against her.

-I just jumped to my feet. -[Fate Readers exclaim in awe]

-[♪ tense music plays] -[all] Whoa!

-Whoa! -[Fate Readers cheer]

-What? -[Fate Reader] This is huge.

[Plum Blossom] When this happens, we shamans say

our Guardian spirit gave us a push.

[Lady Wish] That's when I realized,

"Oh, he wants to use me as a stepping stone." [laughs]

I wondered if he thought I would be an easy mark.

My Granny spirit kept looking into his eyes and said,

"Young Master Plum Blossom…"

It echoed in my head.

-I choose Young Master Plum Blossom. -[Fate Readers exclaim in awe]

[applause]

[Plum Blossom] I'll read you inside out, Lady Wish.

[Joon] This is a big match.

[Cheonmyeong] Talk about a power matchup.

They're both strong enough to make it to the final round.

[Fate Reader] Let's do this.

-[Hyunmoo] It's basically the finals. -[Jiyeong] Seriously.

[Lady Wish] Your soul's so clear. Even if I had to lose,

it'd be better to lose to someone spiritually powerful.

-[Plum Blossom laughs] -And even better if I win.

[♪ uneasy music plays]

They're both so relaxed. They're all smiles.

-That makes them scarier. -[Jiyeong] Exactly.

[Fate Reader] They're wide-eyed maniacs.

This is a battle of qi for sure.

[Jiyeong] I look forward to watching these two.

[narrator] Young Master Plum Blossom goes first.

Lady Wish goes second.

Young Master Plum Blossom, please begin your reading.

-[Jiyeong] Oh… -[Narae] He's going in with the bells.

-[♪ mysterious music plays] -[Plum Blossom mumbling]

[Narae] Gosh, I'm scared. He's smiling.

He's grinning.

[Plum Blossom mumbling]

[Narae] Here come the deities.

[Jiyeong] I got the chills.

Your birth chart says you're very lonely.

-[♪ secretive music plays] -Mmm…

[Plum Blossom] You're like a tree standing at the top of a mountain,

all on its own.

[Narae] Ah…

[Plum Blossom] People with this birth chart carry

a lot on their shoulders.

And because of that, you tend to be a perfectionist,

and the people you work with

or the people around you don't stick around for long.

People tend to come and go in your life in 5-7 year cycles.

Right.

-She got divorced after about 5 years. -[Jiyeong] Right.

-[Narae] The ties didn't last. -They were short-lived.

However,

when you do something physical,

accidents and scandals

come at the same time.

Physical work just isn't your strength.

[♪ heavy music plays]

[Narae] Ah…

That must be why she ended up quitting sports.

You're right. Her shoulder.

[Jiyeong] That's why.

This is too freaky.

[Lady Wish] I was really surprised.

Before I became a shaman,

I was a competitive archer from elementary school to university.

I was pretty good,

but I tore a tendon in my shoulder,

and I couldn't shoot since.

That's when I quit archery.

I went on my knees, and cried and prayed, saying I'd take this path.

And well…

This is something my Granny spirit said.

[♪ ominous music plays]

You have men around you.

-Okay. -[Plum Blossom] Or…

She's suddenly interested.

They might approach you with affection.

But they often get cut off.

They keep being put to the test.

[♪ driving music plays]

[Lady Wish] Issues with men.

He said when I meet a man,

there's always a problem, or my Granny spirit tests him.

I thought, "That's right. That's been 1 of my concerns."

I think his spiritual power is just incredible.

If you can't rein in your heart and mind,

the work and effort you put in will come to nothing.

It would be good for you to keep that in mind.

Okay, thank you.

The fact that shamans,

especially women, are unlucky in love

-is almost a given. -[Shindong] Ah…

-[sighs] -[♪ curious music plays]

True.

My birth father is my spirit father too,

and he said I wouldn't have good luck with men.

[♪ tense music plays]

I have something embarrassing to ask.

I'm 40 years old now.

I was born in 1986, the Year of the Tiger.

As a shaman, I'm wary of dating people,

and I know it'd be best not to date.

But I met someone my deities approved of, and I'm dating him right now.

I know my birth chart says I'm unlikely to have children,

but I really want one.

I don't mind never getting married,

but I really want a child.

Would it be okay to have a child?

I have this concern as a woman

who also happens to be a shaman.

[Fate Reapers] Mmm…

It's heartbreaking that she's aware of all that.

Exactly.

-That's coming from her heart. -[Jiyeong] Mmm…

[♪ pensive music plays]

I feel terrible to have to say this to you.

But the child will become heavy later on.

The child will become heavy.

Huh?

What does that mean?

-It'll be too heavy? -[Plum Blossom] To overcome your fate

and be a mom, the weight will be too much.

You must change the baby's fate

and cleanse its soul starting from when you get pregnant.

[Plum Blossom] When I said the baby's fate would be heavy,

I meant Lady Wish's shamanic gifts will be passed down to her child.

So as the mom, she will have to pray

and work hard to change the baby's fate.

[Plum Blossom] If all goes well, the child will turn out great.

But if not, it won't get to spread its wings.

-Oh… -[Plum Blossom] If you were to be blessed

to be given a child and give birth to it,

you must hold tight to your Granny spirit.

Okay.

I'll do my best with the cleansing.

-You'll do great. -[Lady Wish chuckles]

-[handbell rings] -[applause]

That was a neat reading.

[Sobin] He gave a nice, neat reading with kind words.

-[♪ uneasy music plays] -He told her the brutal truth, gently.

[Dokyu] Young Master Plum Blossom spoke calmly and very eloquently.

-[Hyunmoo] You studied engineering, right? -[Plum Blossom] Yes.

You're the most well-spoken engineering major I know.

-[Narae] Ah… -[Fate Reapers laugh]

[Narae] You're so good.

[Lady Wish] Young Master Plum Blossom's reading was so good.

I was surprised that he only has 3 years of experience.

[narrator] Lady Wish,

please begin your reading.

-[ritual bells ringing] -[♪ stirring music plays]

She's twitching.

-[Hyunmoo] What's up with her eyes? -[Shindong] Ah…

[Jiyeong gasps] Gosh.

[gasps] Oh…

Ah…

Ah…

This is what my deities say.

Young Master Plum Blossom.

My Grandpa and Granny spirits say you couldn't be more pure.

Your Granny spirit is protecting you so very well,

so my deities find it hard to read you.

But my Granny spirit says,

"Dear child, you suffered because of the deities."

-"You were sad, and you had a hard time." -[Narae] Ah…

-She talks fast. -[♪ suspenseful music plays]

It's like she's rapping.

[Lady Wish] "You're a shaman now, and you were born to be one."

"You started feeling the deities when you were 3."

-[Narae] Wow. -[Hyunmoo] She's right.

-That's right. -[Jiyeong] She's right.

2002, AGED 3, BECAME FRIENDS WITH GHOSTS AND COMMUNICATED WITH THEM

[gasps]

[Lady Wish] Here's something.

When you were in middle or high school,

did your family go through a hard time?

-In high school? -[Lady Wish] Yes.

The deities put you through an ordeal when you were 18,

and that's when you started communicating with them.

[Jiyeong] She's right.

When he was 18,

he started feeling the spirits.

2016, AGED 18 STARTED FEELING THE SPIRITS

[Plum Blossom] When I was in my last year of high school,

my maternal grandmother passed away,

and the shamanic lineage she carried

rushed forward like a broken dam and came to me.

She got the exact time it happened,

and it felt like being cut with a blade.

I felt my energy getting sucked out of me.

A year before or after you became a shaman,

did someone pass away?

-The year I became a shaman… -[Lady Wish] Yes.

-My dad's sister passed away. -[Lady Wish] Right?

[♪ unsettling music plays]

[Plum Blossom] She died suddenly of COVID-19 complications.

[Fate Readers] Oh, dear.

Oh, no. His aunt's not mentioned here, right?

For real?

Your spiritual calling came with many signs of death.

It could've been you falling ill or getting into an accident.

Your duty now is to pray for and console those who passed away.

Okay.

I sense an illness on your father's side.

Was your father ill or something?

[Hyunmoo] Oh, my.

-His father was cursed with death. -[♪ thrilling music plays]

2016, AGED 18 - RITE TO LIFT FATHER'S DEATH CURSE

-My father's brothers were ill. -[Lady Wish] Yes. Many people

in his family are sick, and they don't live long.

They die young or die tragically.

[Shindong] Wow.

She's right.

-They died young. -[Narae] Ah…

-Yes. -My word.

-[Narae] They all died before turning 50. -His father's brothers.

I've never seen a shaman so accurate.

ALL BUT ONE OF FATHER'S BROTHERS DIED BEFORE 50

[Hyunmoo] Wow.

[Plum Blossom] It's true that the men in my family tend to die young.

My family name is Oh,

and our clan has been faced with a lot of retribution and penalties.

The men don't live long.

She got my family history right.

It was almost frightening, to be honest.

She saw right through me.

-[Shindong] How does she know all that? -[Haseon] It's like she read this book.

-I can't keep up. -[Haseon] No.

[Hyunmoo] Your father's brothers didn't live that long?

His family was cursed because of issues with the graveyard.

They've lost family members 3 years in a row.

My mother tried many rites because of that,

but it didn't help.

[♪ heavy music plays]

[Narae] The people in your father's family.

How old were they

when they passed?

[Plum Blossom] From what I remember,

his youngest brother died in his 20s.

Oh, dear. He died way too young.

[Plum Blossom] And the brother right above my father

passed in his late 40s.

[Fate Reapers murmur consolingly]

-He died young. -[Monad] They all died young.

[Plum Blossom] My concern is…

After I became a shaman,

which was in 2022,

from then until 2023,

-7 of my friends died in that 1 year. -[♪ unsettling music plays]

[Fate Reapers gasp]

That must've been tough.

-[Sujin] His friends? -[Sobin] Seven of them.

[Plum Blossom] The truth is, when the death curse hit,

I actually knew beforehand that my friends would die.

-Gosh. -[Plum Blossom] Because

in the last week of October 2022,

there was a terrible incident in Itaewon.

-[Narae] The incident in Itaewon. -[Jiyeong] Yes.

Three of my friends died there.

-[Haseon] Oh, dear. -[Narae gasps]

I was praying on Mount Worak that day,

and my friends told me to come to Itaewon when I was done.

I was going to go, but my Granny spirit screamed, "Don't go!"

So, I didn't go.

This is crazy.

[Hyunmoo, Narae gasp]

So I went back to my shrine after praying,

and I saw my 3 friends standing

by the door with broken bodies.

[exclaims]

[Seolhwa] Oh, my word.

[Narae exclaims]

I'm scared.

As soon as I entered the shrine, my Grandpa spirit told me

to put a lid over the water offering bowl,

blow out the candles, smoke myself with incense,

and keep the door closed.

That night, I made a straw rope

and hung it across the door.

My Grandpa spirit said even though he feels bad to say it,

even a friend is just a ghost once they're dead.

[sighs]

That's true.

-[Jiyeong] Oh. -[Plum Blossom] If you don't help

a ghost move on,

-they keep coming back. -[Narae exclaims]

-Do they really? -[Hyunmoo] Yes.

[sighs] Oh, my neck.

I untangled a goppae (black cloth) so that they'd move on,

and I kept praying for them,

but there was a limit to what I could do.

[Narae] Hmm.

[Plum Blossom] I know many of my close relatives

and friends are meant to die young.

[sighs]

[Plum Blossom] I'd appreciate it if you could tell me

if this is going to keep happening.

My heart breaks for him.

[Lady Wish] Well…

I haven't been a shaman for long, but…

I grew up without parents,

and my younger brother was all I had.

-[♪ heavy music plays] -But he died when I was

-in my last year of high school, -[Plum Blossom sighs]

[Lady Wish] and that's when my shamanic illness worsened,

and I struggled to compete in sports in university.

Oh, dear.

They're so similar.

We keep on facing death.

That seems to be the fate of a shaman.

So in a way,

whether it be a close family member or a friend,

you're likely to lose people,

and it runs in the family.

You must pray and cleanse the malicious energy.

That's a scary thing to hear.

She's saying more people will die.

-[handbell rings] -[Shindong exclaims]

-[applause] -[♪ tense music plays]

She's really good.

That was one heck of a reading.

-They're both so very good. -[Seolhwa] I know.

She got a lot of things right.

The most shocking was that she got that his dad's brothers died young.

[Jiyeong] Right.

This is how they do it.

-They speak as if they see it happening. -Exactly.

It's as if they see it.

[Narae exclaims] It's so freaky.

Lady Wish spoke so quickly

like she was a rapper.

-[♪ rhythmic music plays] -[Fate Reader laughs]

I couldn't keep up at first.

My nickname is Rapper Wish.

-[Haseon] She's known for it. -[Narae] MC Wish?

Once I'm possessed,

I start talking fast. "Your grandfather blah, blah…"

"That's why you run a business now."

-Something like this. -[Narae] Ah!

So, I tell my clients I'll say everything quickly first and explain afterward.

I talk first then go back to the beginning.

-[exclaims] -[Haseon] She talks that fast.

-So that's her style. -[Fate Reader] She's got rhythm.

[Daeman] Skrrt!

[narrator] Fate Reapers.

Between Lady Wish…

[♪ suspenseful music plays]

…and Young Master Plum Blossom,

choose the survivor.

[Haseon sighs]

This is so hard.

What should I do? Why am I so torn?

-[Narae] I'll just follow my heart. -[Hyunmoo] Me too.

If I were their client…

[Hyunmoo] They both did so well.

[Baekmun] It's hard this time. They're neck-and-neck.

How do you even choose who to eliminate?

-I know. It'd be really hard. -They're both incredibly good.

-[narrator] The Battle of Qi. -[Fate Reader] Here goes.

[narrator] The winner of the 1-on-1 face-off is…

[Sujin] Let's go.

[Lady Wish] It's all about confidence.

I was confident I'd win.

[Plum Blossom] I'm confident I can hold my own against others,

and I think I did an incredible job.

[Seolhwa] They're so close.

I don't know who will win.

[exclaims]

YOUNG MASTER PLUM BLOSSOM

[Kookjoo] Gosh, look.

[Fate Reader] Who is it?

LADY WISH

[Fate Readers exclaim]

LADY WISH

[Fate Reader exclaims]

LADY WISH

-[Fate Readers exclaim in awe] -[narrator] Lady Wish wins.

-[applause] -[♪ triumphant music plays]

LADY WISH SURVIVES

[Fate Reader 1] Her experience won.

[Fate Reader 2 exclaims]

[Shindong exclaims, gasps]

-It's 3 to 2. -[Hyunmoo] Oh, 3 to 2.

One person had the deciding vote.

-It was close. -[Jiyeong] It was incredibly close.

It was a close match.

-[Fate Reader exclaims] -[Kookjoo] It was 3 to 2. Really close.

[Hyunmoo] Well, I chose Lady Wish

because she got

his uncles' untimely deaths right.

That was huge for me.

[♪ stirring music plays]

[Lady Wish] This isn't something you can do with your abilities as a human.

I must say what my deities tell me to say.

I thank my Grandpa and Granny spirits.

I'm pleased that I had a match with a good person.

I'm satisfied and content

that I went against Lady Wish.

If the match we had was

a good one to watch

and one where we were neck-and-neck,

and if people will remember me

for a long time after that,

I have no regrets.

Why did they have to pick each other?

-They were both so good. -[Narae sighs]

[♪ tense music plays]

[narrator] The Battle of Qi.

The next face-off is

between Pie

and Meta Myungri Joon.

[Fate Readers cheer]

[Sujin] Myungri (the study of saju) versus myungri.

-[Hyunmoo] It's a saju (fortune-telling based on birth chart) face-off.

Saju is a science.

-Isn't saju great for guessing the past? -[Hyunmoo] Sure.

They can tell you what each decade of your life looks like.

"Likely a scandal this year, and an accident that year."

It's about how they put that together and interpret it.

[Shindong] Saju is about who interprets it better.

-[Narae] That's right. -Mmm.

We interpret things differently.

-You all have different styles, right? -Yes.

And different interpretations.

[Sujin] They're both myungri experts.

It's a battle of interpretations.

I'll see how they do, then make an appointment right away.

-[Sujin] For a saju reading? -Yes.

[Jiyeong] Saju versus saju. The battle of the century.

[Shindong] One was an IT engineer.

One used to be in finance.

META MYUNGRI JOON EX-FINANCIER SAJU EXPERT

-[Narae] IT and finance. -[Jiyeong] Yes.

[Joon] I went to high school in the US.

I worked in finance in Washington, D.C. for a while.

I was also in corporate finance

at a firm in Yeouido.

Then I started my own business.

A myungri business.

I look at my client's date and time of birth,

check their Great Luck Cycle,

then go into their Small Luck Cycle.

That's how I can see the flow of their life.

GREAT LUCK CYCLE: BIG FLOW IN LIFE THAT CHANGES EVERY 10 YEARS

[Pie] I used to work as an IT engineer

before getting into myungri.

There are 4 seasons and 24 solar terms in a lunar year.

I systemized the annual solar term data

and developed my own theory.

And I use that to read saju.

There's no escaping this.

This is

an inevitable match.

"I'll just do what I always do."

I was confident.

[Joon] This is my specialty, and my readings are very clear.

I knew I could do well.

They both brought out their tablet PCs.

-[Narae] They're definitely different. -[♪ suspenseful music plays]

[Shindong laughs] Shamans were ringing bells until just a minute ago.

Now we have 2 tablet PCs.

[Hyunmoo] Because saju is about data.

[narrator] Meta Myungri Joon goes first.

Pie goes second.

[Byeon] Meta Myungri Joon seems to have a stronger aura.

[narrator] Meta Myungri Joon,

please begin your reading.

[Joon] I wasn't nervous at all.

[♪ pensive music plays]

Pie's fate based on his birth chart was so very clear to me.

I thought I had a good chance. I wasn't really worried.

As soon as I read your birth chart,

I thought

you have the fate of a beggar.

[♪ pulsing music plays]

-[Sobin] What? -A strong opening.

[Fate Reader gasps]

"Fate of a beggar"?

That's bold.

[Joon] No Wealth Stars, Officer Stars, or Resource Stars.

I see none in your birth chart.

WEAK FORTUNE IN WEALTH, CAREER, STUDIES

I haven't seen a birth chart like this in a long time.

I see maybe 5 of these a year.

Those who study classical myungri would say

you're born to be a beggar,

and you'd have a hard time making money.

But I don't follow the classical theory. I'm a modern myungri expert.

-[♪ rousing music plays] -[sighs]

[chuckles]

This is how I interpret this birth chart.

You're a late bloomer.

A late bloomer.

You're meant to succeed on your own.

Is that why he quit his job?

He's a self-made man.

LEFT NEXON AND STARTED 'MYPIE'

[Joon] Now, your Great Luck Cycle that started at age 14.

You were very constrained then.

You faced limitations. It must've felt like you're pressed down.

This is how I describe it.

You're like a pressure cooker on the stove

that has its lid sealed tight.

Then when your next Great Luck Cycle hits at 24,

the lid flies off.

It bursts open whether you want it to or not.

[♪ tense music plays]

-The pressure cooker explodes. -[Daeman] A pressure cooker.

When you're 24, you decide to do what you want.

You take part in something new,

or you expand whatever you're doing for your livelihood, and that works out.

[exclaims]

2010, AGED 27 STARTED SOCIAL COMMERCE

[Fate Reapers exclaim]

[Shindong] That's accurate.

AND WEBSITE BUSINESS WITH BROTHER

[Fate Reader] Wow.

Now, you're in your next Great Luck Cycle, which starts when you are 34.

This one is pretty special.

A lot of great things come your way, including growth in your family.

[gasps]

He's right.

His wife got pregnant when he was 35.

[Shindong] My gosh.

-[Narae, Hyunmoo] He nailed it. -[Jiyeong] He's right.

Family growth. He got it right.

[Pie] That part gave me the chills.

Because that's what is actually happening.

I thought, "He actually got that?"

I got goosebumps. Seriously.

[Joon] From your next cycle at 44, everything starts to stabilize.

And in the cycles that start when you're 54 and 64, respectively,

you'll have enough wealth to last a lifetime.

Your birth chart suggests that you're a successful late bloomer.

That's what I got.

[handbell rings]

[Hyunmoo] What I was most curious about was…

He said you were like a pressure cooker

that burst open when you were 24.

Did something happen around that time?

It was after I turned 24

that I got a job and started working.

I put together a team to launch a start-up

-and worked on self-improvement. -[♪ pensive music plays]

[Hyunmoo] He also mentioned family growth at 34.

-That's when I got married. -[Fate Readers exclaim]

I got married and had a child shortly afterward.

[Fate Readers exclaim]

Congratulations.

[Hyunmoo] I loved the pressure cooker analogy.

-That was neat. -[Hyunmoo] Very good.

He did a good job.

It's all about big data.

[narrator] Pie, please begin your reading.

-[♪ tense music plays] -I wonder how Pie works.

-I'm so curious. -[Baekmun] Hmm.

[Pie] My saju reading is based on the 24 solar terms.

I hope it works.

Having a system of my own.

I think that gives me an edge.

[Joon] Pie reads saju with a system based on solar terms.

That's actually the old method.

I used to do that when I was in my 20s and 30s.

I did that in my early years, but it didn't suit me.

I'd never do saju reading like he does.

-[Pie] In your case, Joon, -[♪ suspenseful music plays]

you were born in September.

The Month of the Metal Rooster.

It means a very dry energy.

Cold, frigid, and dry.

There's a time when your fortune stops being dry

and moisture comes in.

-Yes. -According to my reading,

that was when you were 25 and 26.

You could've changed your occupation.

It signals a change in career.

[Fate Reapers exclaim in awe]

That's when he returned to Korea

because things didn't work out.

[Pie] Back in 2008 and 2009,

-and between 2019 and 2021. -Yes?

Did you struggle with something then?

[Hyunmoo] That's very specific.

[Haseon] He's flustered.

[Seolhwa] That means he did.

-In these 2 time periods. -[Joon] Yes.

[Pie] Did you go through a rough patch?

I did.

-I did back then. -[Pie] Hmm.

[♪ spirited music plays]

[Pie] I was absolutely thrilled then.

As for relationships,

you might've gone through a breakup.

And as for your career, you might've changed jobs.

I think that's the kind of shift you would've had around then.

Hmm.

No way.

2008, MOVED TO YEOUIDO STOCK FIRM 2009, A BREAKUP WITH GIRLFRIEND

[Hyunmoo] He nailed it.

How did he get both things right?

[Pie] By then, I had a picture in my mind.

Every 12 years, you go through a time that corresponds with winter.

The Pig, Rat, and Ox. They have winter energy.

THE YEARS OF PIG, RAT, AND OX REPRESENT WINTER ENERGY

Each time we went through a year with winter energy,

there was a global financial issue.

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.

12 years before that, in 2008, there was a global financial crisis.

And 12 years before that, the IMF bailout.

Joon's birth chart reflects winter energy with strong Water elements.

In 2008 and 2009, when he was affected by the energy of the Pig, Rat, and Ox,

signified as winter energy.

A strong yin energy was affecting him,

so things must've been particularly difficult for him during that time.

I thought

you may have had financial difficulties around that time.

Oh, I see.

I got chills.

-He got it. -[Jiyeong] He's spot-on.

It's so accurate.

[Hyunmoo] Joon is shaken.

[Haseon] Yes, it seems so. Pie hit the mark.

[sighs]

[Narae] Boy, he got thrown off.

Pie's really good.

[♪ tense music plays]

How do you get that through saju reading?

[Sobin] I know, right? Pie's so good.

[Sujin] Pie's interpretation was just amazing.

He pinpointed certain years

and explained them in detail.

I was fascinated to see you could get that from saju reading.

[Hyunmoo] Pie pointed out 2 time periods that would've been hard for you.

[Narae] Between 2019 and 2021…

[Hyunmoo] That was 1 of them. What happened then?

In 2019,

my mom passed away.

-[♪ soft music plays] -[gasps]

[Fate Reapers exclaim]

-Aww. -[Sujin] Mmm.

Oh, dear.

My mom passed then,

and she was the last person in my corner.

-That must've been the worst time for you. -[Narae sighs]

[Narae] In 2008 and 2009.

Did you go through a breakup then?

I think she was my first love.

-[all exclaim] -[♪ softly stirring music plays]

[Sobin] Oh, no…

Well…

I wasn't financially established then.

I made enough to support myself,

but I guess she thought it wasn't enough to support both of us.

I still think of her, but I know nothing can be done about it.

[Fate Readers] Aww.

He's a romantic.

-[Joon] Well, actually… -[Pie] Yes.

[Joon] I've been thinking about marriage lately.

I haven't been able to get married

because I grew up in a divorced family.

I have that trauma.

-[Pie] Mmm. -[♪ tender music plays]

I was afraid I'd make my kids feel the way I never want them to.

I've been through it myself.

But marriage is on my mind a lot more than before,

and I'd like to seek your advice on that.

-[Pie] About marriage? Okay. -[Joon] Yes.

-My parents are divorced as well. -I see.

[♪ gentle music plays]

That wasn't a problem for me

because I met a great woman

who didn't think that was a problem.

-So I'm happily married now. -[Joon] Right.

You have so many opportunities

to meet a woman like that.

-So many. -[Joon hums]

So… Yes.

He must be destined to meet a good woman.

Here's 1 trait of someone whose birth chart has a dry energy

but still contains Yang Water.

They tend to dwell on the past.

-That comes from the Yang Water. -Okay.

-You should break free of that. -[Joon] I see.

Try to let it go.

Okay.

Gosh, thank you.

Getting your fortune read is pretty good. You get to talk it out.

-It's comforting. You open up to them. -It is.

They're both saju readers, but they have different styles.

[Hannah] They interpret things in different ways.

[♪ uneasy music plays]

[narrator] Fate Reapers.

Between Meta Myungri Joon and Pie,

choose the survivor.

[sighs]

[Lady Wish] They must be nervous.

-They both did so well. -[Haseon exclaims]

It was neck-and-neck, but…

It really is a battle of qi.

-It's about whose qi was stronger. -[Hyunmoo] Yes, right.

[narrator] The Battle of Qi.

The winner of the 1-on-1 face-off is…

[Kookjoo] Such a neck-and-neck match.

They were both so good.

Who? Who is it?

[narrator] …Pie.

-[Fate Readers exclaim] -[applause]

PIE SURVIVES

-[♪ commanding music plays] -[Fate Reader] Congratulations!

-[Daeman] Congratulations! -[Pie sighs]

[Sujin] It's 4 to 1.

I should book with Pie.

It's a battle of qi,

and it's about who takes control of the whole atmosphere.

Pie said so many things that gave us the chills.

We decided he had stronger energy.

[Pie] I thought this would serve as a test

or evaluation of everything I'd studied so far.

I was delighted at the fact

that I made a breakthrough of sorts.

-[♪ suspenseful music plays] -[narrator] The Battle of Qi.

The next face-off is

between Noh Seulbi

and Young Master Jiseon.

[Fate Readers cheer]

Wow!

-[Sujin] This is huge. -[Sobin] What a matchup.

-Whoa! -Wow!

[Shindong chuckles]

[Hyunmoo] Noh Seulbi was the first to pass the previous round.

She was the first survivor.

It was easy-peasy for her.

Noh Seulbi seems powerful.

But Young Master Jiseon's no easy mark.

-[Shindong exclaims] -[Hyunmoo] A battle between the strongest.

[Joon] It's a big match.

[Joon] Noh Seulbi and Young Master Jiseon.

They're extraordinary.

They have the aura of someone spiritually powerful.

[Sobin] They're very straightforward and they speak what they see.

[Monad] It'll be a tough match.

What's that? Is that a knife?

-[Jiyeong] A knife. -He brought out a knife.

Oh, gosh.

He uses a knife.

[♪ unnerving music plays]

[Narae] I guess he's going all in with his deities.

-[Jiyeong] A gold turtle? -[Haseon] Hang on.

[Hyunmoo] Young Master Jiseon's going all out.

-Young Master Jiseon came prepared. -I know, right?

[Plum Blossom] He's determined.

[Fate Reader] Seulbi's tools are pretty simple.

But their experience…

NOH SEULBI 5-YEAR SHAMAN

There's no way she can beat Young Master Jiseon.

He's been doing this for a long time.

[Joon] How old is Young Master Jiseon?

He's 18 years old.

-[Joon] He's so young. -[Byeon] He's 18.

[Plum Blossom] He is young.

[Joon] He's a baby.

But he's not a baby.

[♪ ominous music plays]

YOUNG MASTER JISEON GOES FIRST

NOH SEULBI GOES SECOND

[Seulbi] It's a battle of qi. Will he be able to handle my qi?

Because I'm confident I can handle his.

Was I nervous? As you could see,

I wasn't.

[Jiseon] My Granny spirit has always told me

I'd always end up taking down whoever was best.

So I'll beat you today.

[Seolhwa] I'm scared.

It's tense in here.

[narrator] Young Master Jiseon,

please begin your reading.

[♪ unsettling music plays]

[chanting prayer]

His voice changed.

Oh, gosh. That scared me.

This is insane.

He sounds like an old woman.

-Seulbi looks relaxed. -[Haseon] She does.

She's so tough.

Wow, Seulbi's completely…

-The tension. -[Monad] I know.

This is the first thing I must say.

You're lonely.

-[♪ somber music plays] -You're so lonely.

For some reason, you're lacking affection.

And you're a very proud person.

You could tell tens of thousands people that you're lonely,

but you never trust anyone.

You don't like reaching out to others or holding on when they do.

She's maintaining her poker face.

Neither is backing down.

So you must have suffered many hardships so far.

I'm getting that there were family issues too.

[♪ foreboding music plays]

[Fate Reapers exclaim in awe]

[Jiyeong] That's true.

2013-14, AGED 16-17, PARENTS' DIVORCE, FATHER'S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Whatever it is,

you put your family before yourself.

Because of that,

although you weren't born strong,

you've had to pretend to be strong.

That's how you've protected yourself.

They say all shamans suffer

and have han (deep sorrow) and resentment,

but you've certainly had a tough life.

Things have only now started to get a little better.

You were a rooster that couldn't crow

and a dog that couldn't bark.

You wandered like a lost soul.

You worry even when you sleep,

and even when you eat.

The thing in your chest.

In your left chest.

[♪ mysterious music plays]

-[Narae] Her left chest. -Her left chest?

Her left chest?

You took this path to become a shaman

because you felt the deities.

Your life hasn't been easy so far,

but the good thing about taking this path

is that your deities saved your life.

They were your beacon of hope.

-[Plum Blossom] That's right. -[Byeon] The deities saved her.

-[Kookjoo exclaims] -He's right.

It's true.

[Jiseon] Your Ancestral Guardian spirit.

You have powerful spirits protecting your family,

so you'll have no worries in the future. That's all I'll say.

[handbell rings]

His Granny spirit is so eloquent.

His words… He's so admirable.

-[Hyunmoo] No 18-year-old can say that. -[Narae] No.

This is incredible.

[Hyunmoo] Noh Seulbi looks so relaxed.

-[Narae] Oh… -[Jiyeong chuckles]

[Hyunmoo] She's pretty calm.

[Pie] Seulbi's like…

She's like

-a cobra ready to strike. -Hmm.

I felt that too.

[♪ suspenseful music plays]

[narrator] Noh Seulbi,

please begin your reading.

-[Seulbi] Let me start. -Okay.

-Please-- -[Seulbi] Kiddo.

Kiddo.

[♪ intense music plays]

She's tough.

Wasn't it tough becoming a shaman at a young age?

That's the first thing I'll say.

Your life hasn't been easy.

Even now, you pretend to be fine,

but inside, you're trembling in fear.

That's what I see.

It's like a battlefield.

-This is the real war. Oh, my gosh. -I'm so scared.

[Narae sighs]

[Seulbi] I don't get how someone so shy is sitting here as a shaman.

Oh, dear.

I can see there have been a lot of shamans in your family for generations.

-[Haseon] Oh! -Right, he's from a family of shamans.

I got the chills.

I'm getting goosebumps already.

BOTH PARENTS ARE SHAMANS

She's using her coins.

The deities were with you since birth,

but your fate changed drastically when you were 5.

[♪ commanding music plays]

-[chuckles] -[Jiyeong] At age 5.

He became known as the possessed kid when he was 5.

2012, AGED 5 BECAME KNOWN AS THE POSSESSED KID

[Seulbi] Your fate changed, and you had no choice

but to take this path.

There was a time when you threw a fit to avoid becoming a shaman,

and that's when your life

became a complete mess.

And now, you're finally settling down.

All right, little boy?

That's all this Granny can tell you.

It's getting more and more intense.

Oh, it's so tense.

I guess she's speaking like that because it's actually her deity talking.

[Plum Blossom] Seulbi's Granny spirit spoke without hesitation.

She's fiery and fierce.

[Seulbi] If you hadn't become a shaman,

something terrible would've happened to you by now.

You were at death's door.

You're doing this so you can live.

-[Narae] Wow. -Oh.

-[Jiyeong] He was meant to die. -He almost died?

-[Jiyeong] That's true. -[♪ suspenseful music plays]

Gosh, you have so many worries. Is it because you're young?

Do you not know how to control your emotions yet?

You tend to make things worse because you can't let things go,

and it looks like you're fated to pretend to be tough.

When it comes to relationships,

you always pretend to be fine,

but you'll never actually be fine. That's your fate.

You must learn to accept that.

It says here that he had trouble making friends

-because they never really understood him. -[Jiyeong] Yes.

He didn't get along with his classmates.

2012, AGED 14 TROUBLE WITH CLASSMATES

Hmm.

[Narae sighs]

Oh, dear.

Are you crying?

-I must say my piece here. -[Narae] Oh, sure.

[♪ menacing music plays]

My Granny spirit taught me

to respect and speak politely

even to a novice of 2 years.

I think

you should look into your own fate and fortune

before reading others'.

Reflect upon yourself

before criticizing others.

[Hyunmoo] Oh.

Whoa.

He's hitting back hard.

One more thing.

Don't belittle others.

[Jiseon] Noh Seulbi was too disrespectful.

I gave her a warning

before things blew up.

Oh.

So scary.

-[♪ tense music plays] -[Fate Reapers exclaim]

-[Narae] This is incredible. -[Hyunmoo] They're so fierce.

I'm scared.

Whoa.

[Seulbi] This is just how I give my readings,

and I only relayed what my Granny spirit said.

[narrator] Noh Seulbi's reading is over.

I have a question.

Seulbi maintained a poker face,

but as soon as he said "your left chest,"

she seemed to open up a bit.

-The thing in your chest. -[♪ pensive music plays]

In your left chest.

-Oh. -[Hyunmoo] Is that right?

I used to have a tumor in my left breast.

-Oh? -Wow.

Oh, really?

Where does it say that?

-It's not in here. -[Shindong] It's not.

-Whoa. -[Seulbi] He was so accurate.

-[Narae exclaims] -[Jiyeong] Oh, really?

[Shindong laughs]

[Narae] I'm sorry to ask this,

but he mentioned family issues.

May I ask how things were with your parents when you were young?

Sure.

Uh… My parents…

My mother was really gentle,

and my father was overprotective of me.

And…

[sighs]

[sobbing] Darn it.

[Seulbi] It's his death anniversary today.

-[Seulbi crying] -Oh, no.

[♪ heavy music plays]

[Hyunmoo sighs]

It's her dad's death anniversary.

I had a feeling he was dead.

[Fate Reader] Oh, dear…

[Seulbi] My dad…

He really loved me, but…

He was a man of many flaws.

His love for me was a bit twisted.

[Seulbi] We weren't well-off when I was growing up,

and my father relied heavily on alcohol.

He went overboard.

He was overly involved in my life and was too possessive of me.

That love sometimes turned into obsession or violence.

There was a time when I mistakenly thought that was love.

I hate him, but I miss him.

I miss him. [sobs]

I'm sorry.

I'm welling up.

It must've been so hard for you.

Thank you for sharing it with us.

[sighs]

[Jiyeong] Young Master Jiseon said

you weren't strong from the start

and that you had to become stronger.

Did his words resonate with you?

I'm still trying to be stronger, though you could say it was in the past.

It used to be way worse.

[♪ soft music plays]

I don't think I'm a strong person yet.

You can probably tell by how I'm crying right now.

I pretend to be strong when I'm not.

-No one's strong. -[Daeman] Absolutely. We're all soft.

-[Monad] We're all soft and squishy. -Right.

Maybe I am stronger than before.

I think I just pretend to be tough.

You said I had to, and you're right.

[Seulbi] Young Master Jiseon said I had to become strong,

and that resonated with me the most.

Because I have a daughter to raise.

[sighs]

Turns out,

it's not easy raising a daughter as a single mom.

I started a business on top of being a shaman

so that my daughter would grow up in abundance.

I don't want my daughter

or anyone else to see me being weak.

I think that's why I've pretended to be strong.

[Narae] Young Master Jiseon, Seulbi said

-the deities saved your life. -Yes.

Do you agree with that?

[Jiseon] I was hit by a truck once.

But I survived without a single scratch.

Really?

[gasping]

-You weren't hurt? -No.

My gosh.

Until this day, my mother…

Well…

She still can't throw away the sneakers I wore that day, when I was 4.

[♪ wistful music plays]

-Oh, my. -[Fate Reapers exclaim]

[Shindong] Hmm.

[Jiseon] Looking back, I think that was part of my spiritual calling.

It was when we were trying to avoid it.

I was too young to remember,

but my mother held rites to avoid

making me a shaman.

OPPRESSION RITE: A RITE TO PREVENT OR DELAY ORDAINMENT

That made things worse, and more accidents happened.

My mother's a shaman herself, and she knows how hard it is.

So the whole family was against me becoming one.

They did a rite to shield me from the deities,

and 5-year-old me

touched a boiled pig's ear

and it split as if it were cut with a knife.

That meant the deities were already with me.

My mother accepted my fate

when she saw that.

He's just like me.

Oh, dear.

[Haseon] Seulbi, what…

What made you burst into tears again?

Not being able to throw away your 4-year-old child's shoes…

[Fate Reapers exclaim]

I'm a mom, and I know how she must've felt.

[Haseon] You could relate to his mother.

[♪ soft music plays]

My daughter doesn't know

that I'm a shaman yet.

How old is your daughter?

She's 8.

She's 8 years old,

but she's really smart.

She's quick to notice things.

She has her mom's eyes.

They're so very bright.

She sees 2 steps ahead.

I'm being told that when she's 12 or 13,

she'll figure it out herself.

She's very quick to pick up on things.

I realized my mom was a shaman before she told me.

[Fate Readers exclaim in awe]

[Sujin] Goodness.

That's pretty similar.

[Hyunmoo hums in agreement]

[Fate Reapers exclaim in awe]

-[Shindong] This is so… -[Haseon, Narae exclaim]

[Hyunmoo] I guess he's saying you should let her find out herself.

-You don't need to tell her. -[Sujin exclaims]

It must've been tough for your mom.

[Hyunmoo] You said you figured out your mother's a shaman

even though nobody told you.

How did you know?

At first, she lied to me and said

she was working at a fruit store.

And she'd always come home with some fruit.

Leftover fruit from the rites.

-Yes, there's lots of them. -[Narae] A lot of leftovers.

Sometimes she'd say, "I'll bring home some pork."

It was always vacuum-packed,

-though I didn't know what that meant. -[Fate Readers chuckle]

They vacuum-pack it after a rite.

-[Monad exclaims] -[♪ gentle music plays]

After using a pig in the rite.

[Cheonmyeong] Vacuum-packed meat. So relatable.

One day, I looked at my mom and said,

"I want to meet Grandpa and Grandma."

I asked her to take me with her.

[♪ pensive music plays]

My mom burst into tears when I said that.

I went to my mom's shrine,

saw the deities, and figured out who was who

all on my own.

-[Hyunmoo] Whoa. -[Narae gasps]

[sighs]

[Haseon] Seulbi, he said your daughter would find out on her own.

Do you also think your daughter's clever?

She's so…

She's a dummy.

[♪ poignant music plays]

[Seulbi crying]

Looks like talking about her child

is making her emotional.

Your heart breaks whenever you talk about your child.

It's true that she walks on eggshells around people,

and she can't read yet.

I wonder if it's because I don't spend enough time with her.

Also…

I would do absolutely anything

if what he said would just come true.

I really…

-May I say something? -[Hyunmoo] Yes.

I still can't memorize the times tables.

-What? -[♪ playful music plays]

Huh?

[Sujin laughs]

[Monad laughs]

Has it ever caused you any trouble?

Calculators are pretty good these days.

[Fate Reader laughs]

-But I'm great at handling money. -[Sujin laughs]

[Daeman laughs]

We're good at that. We are.

[Jiseon] Look, my point is,

even though I can't memorize the times tables,

I'm a shaman. I was always meant to be one.

My deities gave me the ability to memorize chants

or rite proceedings,

which are more important to me than the times tables.

I'm holding on to my fate till the day I die.

[♪ tender music plays]

Will my daughter become a shaman too?

No.

That's a relief.

-She'll be good at something, right? -[Jiseon] Of course.

It's all about figuring out what's right for her.

The deities are fair.

They give us what we need the most,

so I think that's actually a good sign.

[Narae] That's right. Hyunmoo, you went to a prestigious university.

-[Hyunmoo] Yes. -I only finished high school.

-But we're both successful. -[Hyunmoo] That's right.

Everyone's born with a different talent.

[Narae] It has nothing to do with your studies.

[Hyunmoo] That's right.

Seulbi,

you're doing so well right now.

You want to make sure your girl never feels small.

You want to help her stand tall.

That's why you're working so hard,

pretending to be fine when you're not.

Seulbi, you may be soft on the inside and might be heartbroken,

but you're a strong mother.

Right.

That's what I wanted to hear so badly.

[Kookjoo] Young Master Jiseon is so mature.

[Lady Wish] He's sweet.

That's not something an ordinary 18-year-old can say.

No.

[Hyunmoo] Seulbi mentioned

that you had trouble getting along with people.

[Narae] Wait, you were a Tagada Disco DJ?

2025, AGED 18 WORKED AS TAGADA DISCO DJ

You were a Tagada Disco DJ?

[Sobin laughs]

The star of all teenage girls.

[Kookjoo] "Let's go, let's go. It's time to go."

It says here that he blows off stress

by jumping around on a Tagada.

[Hyunmoo] Although it's not a jakdu (ritual blade).

[Narae] You need to be really outgoing and extroverted

to do that job.

But you still had trouble making friends?

Okay, so I've been a shaman

since I was 5 years old.

I had no time to myself.

-True. -[Jiseon] I just told fortunes

and held rites.

I had no one to talk to.

Then one day, I saw a Tagada ride

and people jumping on it. I thought it was so cool.

Others get paid to work as a DJ,

but I paid to be one.

-[Narae sighs] -[Fate Reader laughs]

-[Jiseon] So… -[♪ boisterous folk music]

I jump around a lot during rites.

-[♪ lively electronic music plays] -And on a Tagada.

It's my only hobby.

It's how I relieve stress.

I may be a shaman,

but I also want to live as 18-year-old Park Junpyo.

I thought the deities would allow that much,

so I got their permission.

[in baby voice] We need to help him not get sick.

I wanted to cheer him up.

So I took him to the Tagada.

So he could blow off some steam.

-[♪ music plays] -[Jiseon] With their permission,

I was able to enjoy myself as Park Junpyo the teenage boy.

In that moment, I'm not Young Master Jiseon the shaman.

I feel like myself.

He sure is something.

[Jiseon] Over there, people think I'm a Tagada Disco DJ.

[Fate Reapers laugh]

I only have 2 real friends

who know that I'm a shaman.

We have no friends.

-[♪ soft music plays] -We have no common ground.

I have a job where I talk to people

like I'm old enough to be my friends' parents,

grandparents, or aunts.

I don't really know how to talk to people my age.

[Seulbi] Hmm…

Why are our concerns so similar?

I know, right?

[Seulbi] Buddha said

humans are born to be lonely.

We are born lonely.

Family, children, friends.

You can't take them with you when you die.

Maybe the deities will gather you up.

That's it.

Everyone's lonely.

You need to give up on some things.

That's our fate, so I recommend you accept it.

If you have 2 good friends,

you can get by just fine with them.

-I agree with that. -[Haseon] That's great life advice.

Thank you.

[Seulbi] Keep your chin up.

-[♪ suspenseful music plays] -[narrator] Fate Reapers.

Between Young Master Jiseon

and Noh Seulbi,

choose the survivor.

This is driving me insane.

Who matched them up?

-They did. They chose each other. -[Narae] Oh, right.

For God's sake.

[narrator] The Battle of Qi.

The winner of the 1-on-1 face-off is…

[gasps, imitates drumroll]

I can't watch.

[♪ frenetic music plays]

Translated by Jennifer Jean Lim