Original subtitles

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

The winner of the 1-on-1 face-off is…

Young Master Jiseon.

[applause]

YOUNG MASTER JISEON SURVIVES

[♪ soft music plays]

[Hyunmoo] We agreed that Young Master Jiseon's energy was more powerful.

You both gave very accurate readings, though.

[Narae] Everything Young Master Jiseon said

was more touching, and that's why I voted for him.

Thank you.

[applause]

-Experience gives you depth. -Yes.

[Jiseon] I think I read Seulbi's fortune

just like I would for any other client.

As shamans, we understood each other better,

so I think she was a good opponent.

[Seulbi] I think Young Master Jiseon gave a good reading.

The fact that I was eliminated

is probably my fate too.

I'm proud of myself for coming this far.

So, I have no regrets.

[narrator] The next face-off is

-between Shaman Junghwa… -[♪ tense music plays]

[Narae exclaims]

[narrator] …and Yoon Daeman.

[Sujin] I heard Yoon Daeman also does Gugak (traditional Korean music).

-[♪ traditional Korean music plays] -[singing]

[Daeman] I got into Gugak first,

and then I became a shaman.

[narrator] Guess which body parts he had the surgeries on.

I saw him walk in, and he looked this big to me.

It just came to me naturally. "Gastrectomy."

[narrator] Seo Minsu weighed 150 kg, which is considered severely overweight.

He had a gastrectomy.

Gosh.

[♪ tense music plays]

[narrator] Look at the address and guess what kind of place it is.

When I tried to imagine this place, I smelled a lot of incense.

So, I wonder if it's a columbarium.

[Fate Reapers] Wow.

He's right.

[Fate Reader] He's not an ordinary guy.

[♪ thrilling music plays]

[Narae] They both look flashy.

They have the most colorful outfits.

[Monad] It's a match between the flashiest people.

[Young Master Byeon] It's tradition versus tradition.

SHAMAN JUNGHWA GOES FIRST YOON DAEMAN GOES SECOND

[Junghwa] A shaman

can't do the job if they don't believe that their deities are the best.

[♪ dark music plays]

[narrator] The fate for you to read is the deceased's cause of death.

The first word that came to my mind was "firefighter."

[Narae, Hyunmoo exclaim]

He couldn't breathe.

He inhaled smoke or something and suffocated to death.

[narrator] Find students that go to Seoul National University.

[Junghwa] Number 3, Han Boyeong. I think she got into SNU as well.

She's got the patience to sit and study for hours.

She's got that grit, and she's determined.

-"To sit and study." Right. -[Narae] Yes, it's about endurance.

[Junghwa] I believe I've got my own style,

and that I'm the best at what I do.

[Young Master Plum Blossom] Shaman Junghwa was very good.

[Seolhwa] She has that invincible aura.

[♪ driving music plays]

-[Narae] Double fans. -[Jiyeong] Wow.

-[Hyunmoo] She has 2 fans? -[Narae] Uh…

[Sujin] Her fans are unusual.

-She's got such beautiful fans. -They're pretty.

Nice fans.

The first thing my Granny spirit says is…

I'll just be honest. I hope you don't get offended.

I don't see parents in your life.

There are no parents.

Your parents didn't raise you. Your grandmother did.

[♪ tense music plays]

HIS GRANDMOTHER TOOK CARE OF HIM BECAUSE HIS FATHER HAD TO WORK

-He was raised by his grandmother, yes. -[Narae] Yeah.

Isn't there a grandma who used to serve deities?

She was someone like us.

That's right.

[Jiyeong] His great-grandmother was a shaman.

His great-grandmother.

-[exclaims] -[Narae] Oh…

HIS GREAT-GRANDMOTHER WAS A SHAMAN

You're kind-hearted.

You're a kind soul,

but you have fiery outbursts.

You have a short fuse.

You have a short fuse.

[Jiseon laughs]

-"Short fuse." -[Yuljae] That's expert lingo.

-[♪ playful music plays] -So you could be smiling 1 second,

but if you suddenly dislike that person, you'd go…

[bleep]

and turn your back on them.

-[Joon] She's swearing. -She is.

[Seolhwa laughs]

[Junghwa] That's who you are.

I told you I do spiritual divination and tarot too, right?

-Oh, really? -[Hyunmoo] She does what too?

-Tarot. -[Haseon] Huh?

-She does tarot reading too? -[Haseon] Oh, unbelievable.

-[Narae] Yes, I had no idea. -She does tarot too.

-[Hyunmoo] She does tarot too? -Oh.

I brought my deck, so I'll entertain you with it.

-Can I have a go? -[Daeman] Yes.

What a shaman thing to say. "Entertain you."

[dramatic sting]

[♪ suspenseful music plays]

[Hyunmoo] I've never seen a tarot master dressed like that.

Santong sticks (fortune-telling sticks).

She's using santong sticks.

[♪ thrilling music plays]

[Daeman] They're called santong sticks.

It's a fortune-telling method

the blind used to use.

DIVINATION USING MARKED STICKS

She's multi-talented.

[Daeman] She read my fortune using various tools,

and that was pretty fun.

Still, it was a competition,

so it got me a little nervous.

[Plum Blossom] She doesn't hesitate.

She does both tarot reading and Hexagram Divination.

A whole package.

Don't worry.

I think starting this year, things are looking up for you.

You're likely to travel overseas too.

-[♪ pensive music plays] -I see you traveling not just as a shaman,

but as a singer too.

-[Fate Reapers] Oh. -Wow.

-[Hyunmoo] He's a great singer. -She knows he sings.

He's a great singer.

[Junghwa] Don't worry too much.

The latter half of the year is looking good.

The only problem is…

I see a death in the family.

Someone in your family will pass away.

[♪ suspenseful music plays]

Oh, no.

Things will get bad this year, and they'll pass away next year.

The heavens decide when someone dies, so there's nothing we can do,

but you should brace yourself.

Someone will pass away?

[Narae] Ah…

That's really scary.

-[Jiyeong] Someone will pass away? -[sighs] Well…

[Junghwa] Now, I'm getting that you've always been feeling frustrated.

[Daeman] Hmm…

Things haven't been going as well as you hoped.

[Daeman] Mm-hmm.

[Junghwa] It's like you've been missing that 1 big breakthrough.

-He didn't get a big breakthrough? -[Narae] Hmm.

Right. He was on Mr. Trot too.

That's right.

FAILED TO MAKE THE MAIN ROUND OF MR. TROT

[Daeman] Well, first of all,

I grew up

in crushing poverty. I was so sick of it.

I lived with my grandmother.

-[♪ tender music plays] -Uh…

We'd even eat food that had gone bad.

We'd add baking soda to make it safer to eat.

Oh, dear…

Oh, my word.

[Hyunmoo] They were that poor.

I worked really hard to get into a high school for the arts,

but I had to drop out

because I couldn't afford the tuition.

The tuition at the time was 900,000 won a month.

That much every month…

-It was a lot to us. -Yes.

-To me and my grandma. -[Junghwa] It still is a lot of money.

So my father worked at construction sites,

but he got into an accident that broke his spine.

He ended up with a severe spinal disability.

Oh, dear.

-That's terrible. -[Daeman] So then…

I had to look after him,

so I had no choice but to drop out of high school.

I don't know why, but the teachers were so mean back then.

They'd put up a list of kids who didn't pay for school meals.

-Yes, they'd even read it out loud. -[Daeman] Those who didn't pay tuition.

-Oh, no! -[Haseon] Yeah, they did.

Yes, they did that.

[♪ heavy music plays]

My name would be on all the lists.

Well, but I could endure that much.

But then a kid called me a beggar. He said, "You darn beggar."

Oh, that hurts.

[Seolhwa] Oh…

As soon as I heard that…

Gosh, in that moment,

it felt like…

the world was crumbling down.

That's when I gave up on Gugak.

You've been through a lot.

Everyone here has a sad story.

I worked part-time instead.

Then a friend I used to do pansori (traditional musical storytelling) with

called me up one day

and said, "I'm learning from an intangible heritage master."

"Come by the studio." So I went.

That master was so generous

and taught me for free.

-He's blessed. -[♪ hopeful music plays]

[Sobin] He was blessed with someone special.

What a blessing.

That's when I started learning pansori.

When I won prize money in a contest,

I gave it all to my teacher.

[Fate Reapers exclaim in awe]

That's admirable.

So, because my job isn't a very stable one,

I worry I'll end up in poverty again.

I'm afraid of poverty.

That could be a real concern.

[Junghwa] But you know,

you're a very blessed person, Mr. Yoon.

You were given a way out each time.

That's how you were able to go to school

and learn how to sing.

You couldn't have done any of that without the deities' help,

and of course, your own hard work too.

-Things are looking up starting this year. -[Daeman] Right.

Prepare for that opportunity.

-Keep your energy up. Good luck. -[Daeman] Okay.

[♪ gentle music plays]

[Daeman] I think

I've been lucky

to have good people help me throughout my life.

While telling my story today,

I was reminded of the people I'm grateful to.

Now I feel like I can take another step forward.

I feel more at ease.

He's got good people around him because he's a good person.

[narrator] Yoon Daeman,

please begin your reading.

[♪ curious music plays]

[Byeon] From what I've seen, Mr. Yoon Daeman is…

Well, every shaman has a special skill, and he's extremely talented.

[Lady Wish] I was really excited to see him giving a reading.

Your name, please.

-My real name, not Shaman Junghwa? -Yes.

-It's Lee Minkyung. -Lee Minkyung.

[Junghwa] Yes.

[chanting prayer]

Wow, his voice changed.

[chanting continues]

[Hannah] He was chanting

like he was performing a rite, not reading fortune.

I was really surprised.

He sounds amazing.

[Daeman's chanting continues]

Here is what my Granny spirit is saying about you.

You are very lonely

and unable to stay with just 1 husband.

You cannot stay with just 1 husband,

-and you end up shedding tears over men. -[♪ tense music plays]

-Oh, wow. -[Hyunmoo] She's divorced.

2003, AGED 36 DIVORCED AFTER 7 YEARS OF MARRIAGE

-[Narae] Ah… -Oh…

[Daeman] And when you were in your 20s,

you got lost and wandered.

There were so many flashy people around you.

…flashy people around you.

-In my 20s? Right. -[Daeman] Yes.

And before you became a shaman,

you had so many skills and talents.

In arts or music, if someone had given you a little push,

you could have been quite successful.

But I'm getting that you had no one offering help.

-[Narae] Hmm. -Goodness. She used to dance.

-She was a dancer. -[Haseon] Oh…

1981-83, AGED 14-16, MAJORED IN KOREAN AND MODERN DANCE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL

They say you are financially comfortable.

Your relationships never come together.

-You should never lend or borrow money. -Right.

There are thieves and rats with big eyes and big feet around you.

All sorts of thieves and rats.

You give money easily, but you struggle to get it back.

Wow.

[whispering] Do the deities keep talking, telling you what to say?

[Daeman] Before you became a shaman, you must've had your own business.

You can't work under other people.

Let's see. Perhaps, you sold drinks or something.

I'm being told you were a great salesperson.

Oh!

-Oh… -[Narae] She's run a lot of businesses.

A coffee shop and a Japanese bar. Both sell drinks.

[Shindong laughs]

What on earth?

2008, AGED 41 TOOK OVER HER BROTHER'S CAFÉ

[Daeman] After you turned 40,

you suffered lots of hardships.

Your business hit rock bottom.

It was the worst time for you financially.

[Fate Reapers exclaim in awe]

She lost the security deposit.

2006, AGED 39, CLOSED BAR AFTER 2 YEARS, LOST ALL OF SECURITY DEPOSIT

And like I said, your family was cursed

because of issues with the graveyard.

There must've been back-to-back deaths.

…back-to-back deaths.

-Oh. Wow… -[Hyunmoo] What? Where? Deaths?

Ah…

-[Haseon] Oh, my. Her parents. -Back-to-back deaths.

FATHER DIED IN 2024, MOTHER DIED IN 2025

-It's game over. -[Narae] Wow…

[Hyunmoo] He's on a roll.

-That'll be all. -[handbell rings]

-[applause] -[Fate Reader cheers]

[Fate Reapers] Whoa. Wow…

-He got so much right that I'm lost. -[Haseon] Yes, me too.

It's like he laid out her entire life story for us.

[♪ stirring music plays]

[Fate Reader] They're certainly on another level.

Wasn't it like watching the White Tiger and the Azure Dragon fight?

That's how I felt.

First of all,

although this show is called Battle of Fates,

it's not an actual battle, right?

But watching you guys compete

reminded me of the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

[Jiyeong laughs]

[Pie] Seriously.

-[Sage Cheonmyeong] Yes, seriously. -[Pie] That's what I said.

[Narae] It was as if 2 martial arts masters

were having a sword fight.

-[Hyunmoo] It was so intense. -[Narae] With different types of swords.

Before we say anything,

-tell us what gave you the chills. -[Narae] Wow…

[Hyunmoo] Things that made you wonder how he found out.

-For me, it was the back-to-back deaths. -[Haseon] Oh…

I lost someone this year and another last year.

[♪ tense music plays]

My father passed away of old age,

and my mother passed last week of an illness.

-[Haseon] Oh… -[Junghwa] Yes.

Oh, dear. She didn't even have enough time to grieve properly.

[all] Ah…

Oh, dear. I see.

[Jiyeong] He said that in your 20s,

there were lots of flashy people around you.

Back then…

When I was in my 20s,

-I was young and pretty. -[♪ energetic music plays]

-[Fate Readers cheer] -I think what he saw was me.

[Daeman] Yes, I saw a vision. You were pretty.

[Jiseon] Good for you! You're awesome!

She's a queen. A girlboss.

"Saw her in a vision," he said.

It could be that you were pretty and popular,

but he said "flashy people," and I wondered what that meant.

You went clubbing a lot.

-Yes, that's right. -Yes, I saw flashing lights.

He's good.

He was spot-on.

And when I went clubbing, I danced.

[Jiyeong] Shaman Junghwa, it says here you often went clubbing,

and you think that was a symptom of your shamanic illness.

That was because

after I went to college,

I started seeing things.

But then I went to a club with all the bright lights and loud music,

and it put me in a trance.

For a moment, I could forget everything.

That was a symptom of my shamanic illness too.

-[♪ lively music plays] -I used to dance a lot

before becoming a shaman too.

I loved that, so I partied hard for about 2 years.

Two years?

Two years makes you a hardcore clubber.

[Narae] He was right about your artistic talents.

That's so funny.

[narrator] Fate Reapers. Between Shaman Junghwa and Yoon Daeman,

-choose the survivor. -[♪ suspenseful music plays]

Gosh, this is so…

[Plum Blossom] I just can't get used to this.

I can't watch.

It's a shame they went against each other.

-[Hyunmoo] They got so much right. -Yes.

[Junghwa] Honestly? You want my honest take?

Of course, I want to beat them all. Are you kidding me? [laughs]

[Daeman] I'll keep going, trusting in my deities.

-[Jiseon] Oh, gosh. They voted. -[Plum Blossom] Oh, no.

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

-Yoon Daeman. -[applause]

YOON DAEMAN SURVIVES

[♪ arousing music plays]

-His energy was stronger. -Yes.

-[Yuljae] It was. -Yeah.

[Jiyeong] Yoon Daeman, Shaman Junghwa,

your match was actually incredibly close.

Yes. It was close.

But Daeman got a lot more details

that were accurate and to the point.

[Daeman] Everyone here is incredibly formidable,

and I was chosen as the winner.

I'm really grateful for that.

[Junghwa] I could only say about a quarter or a fifth of what I'd normally tell

a client at my own shrine.

But I won't make excuses because that was the limit of my skills.

Even if I lost, I didn't want to embarrass myself. That's what mattered.

By the way, I loved the way Daeman sang as his Granny spirit.

♪ I think that's all I have to say ♪

-That was a terrible impression. -[Hyunmoo laughs]

[narrator] The next face-off is…

[♪ curious music plays]

…between Lee Kookjoo

and Kim Baekmun.

He's so admirable.

He has over 30 years of experience.

[Sujin] Wow, for real?

[Kookjoo] I can't beat his skills that come from years of experience,

but with my energy,

maybe I can take control.

[Baekmun] To be honest, I have lots of experience,

so I'm confident.

I got into foot reading

because I wanted a unique skill of my own.

It's quite unusual.

I don't want to be ordinary.

You can tell someone's personality or situation from their feet,

and if you go even deeper,

you can even read their thoughts.

[Jiyeong] We have different genres now.

[Narae] Oh…

[Hyunmoo] A foot reader and a tarot master.

[Narae] Yes.

-This should be fun. -[Haseon] Yeah.

How will he read her fortune?

Wait a minute.

-Will Kookjoo be showing him her feet? -[Hyunmoo] She has to.

[Kookjoo] My feet will air on Disney+?

-[♪ cheeky music plays] -My bare feet?

[Kookjoo laughs]

No way!

My gosh.

Which foot? Left or right?

I need to see both.

-[Fate Readers laugh] -I need to look at both for foot reading.

[Kookjoo] Oh, geez.

Because I have to show him my feet,

I rubbed my Chanel lip balm on my soles 4 hours ago.

Rumor has it that you used 2 whole sticks.

[Kookjoo] Yes, but I left them in the dressing room.

I hope no one uses them on their lips.

She's worried about someone using them, not about getting them stolen.

[Hyunmoo] Kookjoo's bare feet

will be broadcast in more than 150 countries.

K-foot.

It used to be just K-food.

-It's not "food." It's "foot." -[Kookjoo] Ah…

This will haunt her forever.

Oh, no…

[narrator] Kim Baekmun goes first. Please begin your reading.

-[Baekmun] Let's see your feet. -[dramatic sting]

[Shindong] He's holding something.

A magnifying glass?

It's a magnifying glass.

[♪ arousing music plays]

[Baekmun] No 2 people in the world have the same feet.

You won't find out anything with a slight glance at the feet.

You must look closely.

I've never seen anything like this.

Same here.

What kind of match is this?

[Baekmun] Well, Kookjoo.

I must say, you have very nice feet.

There are calluses on the soles, but you should be proud of them.

Oh!

Yes, it means she's worked hard.

[Baekmun] Her feet are bent backward.

That means…

She has itchy feet. The urge to travel.

-I do. -[Baekmun] She needs to be

moving around a lot to thrive.

-[Narae] She's never in 1 place. -[Haseon] Oh…

-She travels between Korea and Japan now. -[Hyunmoo] Yes.

2025, AGED 40, VISITS JAPAN OFTEN FOR YOUTUBE CONTENT

[Narae] Even if it's not for work, she's always on the move.

Oh, really?

-Your second toe is the biggest. -[Kookjoo] Yes.

-It's the longest. -That means

-your mother has a strong presence. -[Kookjoo] Yes.

-She does. -[Baekmun] That's what it means.

[Hyunmoo] Her mom is a church deaconess.

She's a strong character.

[Baekmun] The second toe also means honor.

Okay.

-You have strong leadership. -[Kookjoo] Ah…

[Hyunmoo] Her second toe is particularly long.

[Baekmun] You know how to bring people together.

[Kookjoo] Mmm.

-You draw your juniors closer to you. -[Kookjoo] Hmm.

If you move, people flock to you.

You're a generous person,

so your friends really like you.

Oh…

-Totally. -[Shindong] Ah…

-She always looks out for her juniors. -[Hyunmoo] Yes.

-He's good. -[Kookjoo] Wow.

The heels look good too.

Wide and clean.

That means good health and comfortable latter years.

[Kookjoo] Oh…

-If you invest in real estate later, -[Kookjoo] Yes?

you could make good money from it.

-Oh! -[♪ spirited music plays]

That's the best.

She owns a building.

She does. I guess the price will go up.

-Foot reading is so fascinating. -I know.

I'd love to try myself.

[Seulbi] He's good.

I want mine read too.

-I'd like him to read my feet. -[Plum Blossom] Yes.

I'm curious.

[Baekmun] Now, I'll look at your birth chart and explain in detail.

[Kookjoo] Yes.

[Shindong] This is the real deal.

[Baekmun] Kookjoo, yourbirth chart shows a change of occupation.

-[♪ mysterious music plays] -Between last year and this year.

-And documents. -[Kookjoo] Yes.

It looks like you tried to get one.

A document?

[Baekmun] A document isn't just a land deed or a house deed.

-A contract is a document too. -[Kookjoo] Right.

[Baekmun] There seems to be some sort of contract

-that you hoped to get signed. -[Kookjoo] Mmm.

You really wanted it to go through.

A document?

Did she sign with a new agency?

-February or March this year. -[Kookjoo] Yes.

That's probably when you signed it or almost did.

You're right.

[♪ thrilling music plays]

She said, "You're right."

-She said he's right? -[Haseon] Yes, she did.

Who did?

-Kookjoo. -[Jiyeong] Oh, really?

There must be something we don't know.

[Kookjoo] The truth is,

I'd signed a 10-year contract with my previous agency,

and it expired this March.

Oh…

That's the document that changed.

Right now, I don't have an agency.

I'm working alone.

I came to this studio in Ilsan on my own today, too.

-For real? -[Shindong] Oh, really?

[Hyunmoo] That could be what the document thing meant.

Yes, it's a change in a document.

You didn't know she was without an agency, did you?

-I didn't know. -[Narae] I had no idea.

[♪ secretive music plays]

Kookjoo didn't let it show.

[Kookjoo] But instead of struggling,

I'm working with the grit I had back in my 20s.

I think I definitely feel more upbeat.

-[Baekmun] You'll have offers coming in. -[Kookjoo] Good.

Yes, I think things are looking up for her.

Yes, right.

[narrator] Lee Kookjoo, please begin your reading.

[♪ energetic music plays]

But her specialty is love and dating.

[narrator] Please figure out whether they intend to reunite.

He needs this woman.

But she thinks it's over.

That's crazy.

-[narrator] The survivor is Lee Kookjoo. -[Narae gasps]

[Hyunmoo] She sure is the love expert tarot master.

[Narae] But Mr. Kim was born in 1969.

Is this doable?

She can look into his past relationships, can't she?

Can she?

I am curious for sure.

[♪ sprightly music plays]

Please pick the cards as you think about your life.

Let's see how attractive you are to women.

Pick a card for your teenage years.

Think of your teen years.

-My 20s. -[Kookjoo] Your 20s. And 30s?

-This is traditional tarot reading. -[Daeman] That's right.

-They pick the cards, and you read them. -Yes.

Well, Mr. Kim.

-[♪ bright music plays] -As a teen,

you wanted to date but didn't know how.

A shy young boy. That's what this card implies.

An innocent boy that goes, "What is love?"

In your 20s,

you were making progress in dating.

In your 30s,

rather than women approaching you, you approached them.

If you found someone you liked, you would've gone after them.

-[Narae] That's true. -[Hyunmoo] "Actively pursued."

-"Actively pursued." -See? I told you she's good.

In order to date someone,

you took action to meet people.

Back in my 30s,

-if I liked someone… -[Kookjoo] Yes.

-I chased after her. -[Kookjoo] Yes, right. You pursued her.

[♪ mysterious music plays]

1999, FIRST MARRIAGE TO WOMAN HE ACTIVELY PURSUED

2004, SECOND MARRIAGE TO CURRENT WIFE

Sounds like she studied tarot cards a lot.

She's definitely good at love and relationships.

[Sujin] I'd love to get a reading from her.

[narrator] The Battle of Qi.

-[♪ suspenseful music plays] -The winner of the 1-on-1 face-off is…

"KIM BAEKMUN"

Kim Baekmun!

-Thank you. -[♪ arousing music plays]

KIM BAEKMUN SURVIVES

-Ah! -[Monad] Wow.

Seeing Baekmun is believing.

Congratulations, Mr. Kim. Seriously.

Good game, Kookjoo. [exclaims]

-[Hyunmoo] The last one. -[Shindong] It's the last match.

-[Narae exclaims] -[narrator] The next face-off is…

-[Fate Reader] Oh… -[♪ tense music plays]

[narrator] …between Lee Sobin…

-[Fate Reader 1] Sobin, Sobin! -[Fate Reader 2] Wow!

LEE SOBIN 20-YEAR SHAMAN

[narrator] …and Rumi.

[Fate Reader] Good luck! Way to go!

RUMI 7-YEAR SPIRITUAL TAROT MASTER

-I looked forward to this the most. -[Plum Blossom] Yes.

I look forward to Sobin's reading. I wonder what she'll do.

-[Yuljae] She's a very seasoned shaman. -[Dokyu] Yes.

[narrator] Guess which body parts

-he had the surgeries on. -[♪ suspenseful music plays]

I saw his stomach was cut.

I also saw him with a tube in his neck.

I say stomach and neck.

[narrator] Seo Minsu

had a gastrectomy.

This is insane.

Whoa…

Lee Sobin is incredible.

[narrator] The survivor

is Lee Sobin.

[Fate Readers exclaim in awe]

[Heoyu] Wow, one shot, one kill.

-It was her first time. -Yes, on her first try.

-One shot, one kill. -[Sage Kim] One shot, one kill.

[Fate Reader] I think Sobin will come in first of all the shamans.

[Yuljae] She's been a shaman for a long time.

She has the confidence. I think she'll win the whole thing.

I'm excited to see her fortune-telling.

[Joon] I bet she'll be stern and direct.

-I'm scared. -[♪ uneasy music plays]

A shaman is scared of another shaman?

-Is that possible? -[Seolhwa] Yes, sometimes.

Especially when I see shamans with years of experience.

-Because I'm just a novice. -[Joon] Right.

[Sobin] I became a shaman when I was 7 years old.

My Guardian spirits are my Granny spirit and the Child spirits.

When I was young, none of my friends could see the kids I saw.

The kids were ghosts.

Those young ghosts, the Child spirits, are still my friends.

I'll just go up and say what my deities say.

I'm always smiling,

but once I start my reading,

I won't be so soft.

Wow!

Wow, look at that.

She just opened her fan, and she looks badass.

-[Daeman] The Granny's here. -[Monad] Is she?

[Daeman] Her expression changed. Her eyes too.

She has amazing charisma.

-But Rumi's really good too. -[Hyunmoo] Ah, she's powerful.

-Oh… -[Narae] She also does spiritual tarot.

-[Hyunmoo] Spiritual tarot? -[Shindong] She does?

[♪ tense music plays]

[Rumi] I do spiritual tarot reading,

so I see, hear, and feel things too.

You never know the result until it's over.

Rumi is certainly intimidating.

She's a wide-eyed lunatic.

-[♪ curious music plays] -[Rumi] ♪ Riddle me this ♪

♪ Who is the doctor? ♪

Ta-da!

[ding]

Mmm! I feel good now.

I'll show you the ultimate sunshine energy.

I'm one of those wide-eyed maniacs, you know.

[Fate Readers exclaim in awe]

[Kookjoo] I'm excited about Rumi.

She's so bubbly.

Wow. They're both so extraordinary.

[Seulbi] They have such different vibes.

[narrator] Please decide the order of the reading.

[♪ intriguing music plays]

[giggles]

-Whoa. -[Haseon] Whoa.

-[Haseon laughs] -She scared me.

-Sorry. -[Daeman laughs]

She's so innocent.

-Her energy's damn strong. -[Jiseon] For sure.

That's true madness.

-You're right. True madness. -[Plum Blossom] Yes.

[narrator] Lee Sobin goes first.

Rumi goes second.

Lee Sobin,

please begin your reading.

Do you need my date of birth?

No, just your surname and year of birth.

-It's 1989, and the surname is Jeon. -[Sobin] 1989.

[♪ resolute music plays]

-[ritual bells jingle] -[fan snaps open]

-[Seulbi] Ooh! A handmade fan. -[Seolhwa] Wow.

-Rumi. -Yes.

How are you living in Korea?

Why do you say that?

You're not supposed to be in Korea.

You have a home in another country,

and you work in the other, traveling back and forth.

-My gosh. -[Jiyeong] That's actually true.

Her whole family moved abroad.

1998, AGED 10 FAMILY MOVED TO THE US

[Rumi] I moved to the US

when I was in elementary school

and moved back to Korea about 15 years ago.

[Sobin] Another thing.

You seem really innocent, cheerful, pretty,

-and bright. -Cheep, cheep.

[♪ stirring music plays]

I hope Sobin doesn't get distracted by her antics.

[Sobin] You may seem cheerful and happy all the time,

but you're a very serious person.

I'm hearing, "She has the brains. She's serious."

-A compliment! -[Sobin] Yes.

I think you'll live a good life if you use those smarts.

She really is smart. She got gifted education.

-Did she? -[Jiyeong] Yes.

1990-91, AGED 2-3, COULD READ AND WRITE AND WAS IN A GIFTED PROGRAM

-[♪ suspenseful music plays] -From what I'm hearing,

you're not the type to have just 1 job.

She runs a company and does tarot reading too.

JOB: CORPORATE CONSULTANT, TAROT MASTER

Oh! That's true.

-[Fate Reapers exclaim in awe] -[Shindong] This is so accurate.

This isn't actually my main job.

[Seolhwa] Oh.

I consider this

more like a side hustle that could be big.

I do this on the side of another job.

Sobin's good.

Do you have a dedicated space for tarot reading?

No, I don't.

And I don't plan to open a tarot reading shop.

I'm being told you should open one and put up a signboard.

"Build a roof."

Mmm. Maybe for something else other than tarot.

-[Hyunmoo] She's being defensive. -[♪ dark music plays]

-[Jiyeong] So there is something. -She's getting defensive.

[Plum Blossom] They're like a spear and a shield.

[Sujin] The tension is no joke.

[Sobin] Also, I'm hearing that you should use 2 names.

-[♪ intriguing music plays] -You have 2 names,

but you'll get another one.

Mmm. Ooh…

[Sobin] You have 2, but you'll end up with 3.

Nice.

-"Nice"? -[Haseon] Why?

She's right?

-[Shindong] For real? -She has 3 names!

-[Jiyeong] What? -Wow, geez.

[Hyunmoo] She has 3 names. It's not written in here, though.

-No way. -[Shindong] This is nuts.

She's getting everything right.

-[Hyunmoo] Rumi looks flustered. -[Haseon] She does.

[Sobin] I'm getting that a lot has changed

in the past 3 to 4 years.

[♪ curious music plays]

"The gossip has almost blown over. Stick it out until next year."

-Next year? -[Sobin] Beware of gossip until then.

-"Beware," right. -[Sobin] But it's a good thing.

People are jealous because they think highly of you.

Don't let it get to you.

They're jealous for a reason.

-I try to think I'm just that cute. -[Sobin] Yes, do that.

-Just think it's because you're beautiful. -Right.

Just enjoy it. Who cares?

[Sujin laughs]

People are jealous of you. That's a good thing.

People want to pluck a beautiful flower.

That's how you should take it.

[♪ gentle music plays]

[Rumi] The truth is, I've spent the past 3 years

trying to overcome myself.

I struggled with social anxiety disorder

for about a year and a half,

and it took me about a year

to a year and a half to overcome the worst of it.

So what she said really resonated with me,

and I felt a mix of emotions.

She gives such a comforting reading.

[Hyunmoo] She doesn't sound like a 26-year-old.

-[Haseon] No. -[Monad] She sounds so mature.

[Shindong] What I'm most curious about

is the part where she talked about you having 2 then 3 names.

-There's nothing about that here. -[Rumi] Right.

Do you have other names?

-Yes, I do. -[Narae] What are they?

-I have my Korean name, my real name. -[Narae] Yes.

-Then there's Rumi. -[Narae] And?

-Then there's my English name. -[♪ secretive music plays]

[Narae, Shindong exclaim]

The reason I said, "Nice" when she said

-I'd have a third name -[Shindong, Narae] Yes?

is because I came up with the name Rumi

just for this show, as my stage name.

-[Fate Reapers] Oh. -Wow.

I wouldn't have been that surprised if she'd said I had 3 names,

but she said I had 2 but now I have 3.

That's why I said, "Nice."

Sobin, you saw those 3 names?

[Sobin] Yes. I was told she mainly uses 2,

-Right. -but then I was told she has 3 names.

-[Hyunmoo] Rumi, her new name. -Yes.

[Joon] Wow… She's good.

She killed it.

-She talks as if she looked it up online. -[Haseon] Exactly.

You can't even find this online.

Can I say something?

Oh. Yes, sure.

Earlier on, Daeman told me

I should date a foreigner.

[♪ soft, inquisitive music plays]

-[Rumi] Mr. Yoon. Will I ever get married? -[Daeman] Yes?

-Married? -[Rumi] Yes.

-If you ever do, I hope it's not a Korean. -[Rumi] Why not?

-You should marry a foreigner. -[Rumi] Why?

-I see a foreigner who speaks Korean well. -[Rumi] Oh, why? No.

[Rumi] No, that's not what I want.

My late grandma also told me to date a foreigner.

Everyone tells me to date a foreigner and not a Korean.

But hearing that actually made me not want to date a foreigner.

I really want to know

-why people tell me to date a foreigner. -[♪ stirring music plays]

Like I said, I see your home overseas.

But I can buy it myself, with my money.

But things will be a lot easier with a foreigner.

You'll be on the same wavelength, he'll understand you better,

and he won't disrupt your work.

No, I decide my own destiny.

You shape your own destiny.

I can create it the way I want.

Why ask a shaman if you won't listen?

But I like Korean men.

[Daeman] Oh, you should be with a bohemian!

-You should be with a bohemian! -[♪ lively music plays]

A bohemian?

[light dramatic sting]

Find yourself a bohemian.

-With a big beard. Maybe a photographer. -[Rumi] Oh, no.

Someone who plays the violin and stuff.

I don't like beards.

Fine. Forget it then.

Date whoever you want.

[Rumi] Koreans have good skin

-and not much hair. -[♪ lilting music plays]

-I just personally prefer Korean men. -[Sobin] Koreans?

Just go with the flow.

Marry whoever you love.

[Rumi] I think I should find someone who'd marry me first.

Oh, gosh. If you get a client like her, you should pretend you're off for the day.

[narrator] Rumi, please begin your reading.

-[Kookjoo] I wonder what she'll say. -[♪ tense music plays]

[Hannah] I wonder what Rumi's reading is going to be like.

-What's your real name? -[Sobin] It's Lee Kieun.

-"Lee Kieun"? -Kieun. Ends with an N.

[Rumi] When I hear someone's name,

sometimes I feel or see something.

If I do, I speak on it right away.

If I can't make a good connection,

then I pick out a few cards.

Today, I relied on my spirit without using the cards.

[Rumi] Uh…

Let me ask you something just to see

if I'm on the right frequency.

[both] "Frequency"?

The reason you became a shaman…

Does it go back

to when you were really young?

When you were like 3 or 5 years old?

Three or five years old?

That's right, yes.

[exclaims]

That's when you started to feel the spirits?

That's when she had a shamanic illness.

2002-2005, AGED 3-6, SHAMANIC ILLNESS MADE HER SHAKE A SCARF AND JUMP

[Sobin] I suffered from the shamanic illness when I was 3

and started to act weird.

It's very true that everything started when I was 3.

-Your relationship with your mom. -[Sobin] Yes.

It doesn't seem to be that great.

Oh, really?

-Does my mom hate me? -[Rumi] Huh?

Does she hate me?

[Shindong laughs]

-[Haseon] She's so cute. -[Shindong] What a cute reaction.

No, it's not that.

You might get along fine,

-but your emotional connection -[♪ mysterious music plays]

seems a little off.

Another keyword that came to my mind

-was "sacrifice." -Mmm. Okay.

I'm being cautious when I say this,

but the word "sacrifice" appeared to me.

-She's right. -[Jiyeong] Yes, it's true.

She paid off debt.

She paid off her parents' debt.

2014, AGED 15, PAID OFF HER PARENTS' 1-BILLION-WON DEBT

[Haseon] Hmm. Oh! That's crazy.

[Jiyeong] I have a question for Sobin.

Rumi said

your relationship with your mother

-didn't seem great. -[Sobin] Yes.

Do you have anything to say about that?

[Sobin] My mom and I are very close.

Because to me…

[♪ pensive music plays]

Why cry if they're close?

My mom and dad are my only friends.

-[Fate Readers exclaim sympathetically] -Oh, dear.

[Seulbi] Oh, gosh.

Oh, no.

-Oh, sweetie. -[Daeman] Aw.

[♪ melancholic music plays]

Don't cry. I feel like I made you cry.

Can I have a moment? Sorry.

The reason why we clash

is because of our deities.

They don't get along well.

My mom's family has some strong deities,

and so does my dad's family.

My main Guardian spirit is my paternal grandmother,

and that's why we clash.

Seriously?

Deities get into fights too.

[Junghwa] Her mom also has…

-[Sage Cheonmyeong] Between shamans… -[Junghwa] …shamanic lineage.

-As humans, they get along well. -But the deities fight.

They're fine, but their deities are not.

And so…

I was really surprised when you mentioned it

because I've had a really hard time

over the past 3 years because of the deities' fight.

So I'm trying to work things out.

[Hyunmoo] Rumi said she saw the word "sacrifice."

Does it make sense to you?

I guess it makes sense in a few ways.

First, I sacrifice myself for the deities.

[♪ gentle music plays]

[sighs]

[Sobin] I've never lived my life as an ordinary human being.

I've never had friends my age.

I didn't go to school, so I've never gone on school trips either.

I must keep all the strict rules,

so you could say it's a sacrifice of sorts.

Second,

I think everyone here can relate to this.

People like us

have so many people to look after.

Your family, your people.

There are so many to care for.

You could say I sacrifice myself for them too.

[Hyunmoo] According to the book,

you paid off your parents' debt.

That could be a sacrifice too.

Could you tell us about that?

Wow.

That's a bit complicated.

My parents went into debt

because they were punished for having rites to prevent me

from becoming a shaman.

And they had to pay for the rites too.

[♪ soft music plays]

It cost them a fortune.

They spent billions of won.

Oh, dear.

Oh, does it cost that much?

-Yes, because they did multiple rites. -[Dokyu] Oh…

The reason why I became a shaman when I was 7

was because they thought I might die.

-Oh, my word. -[Narae] Oh.

[Sobin] Well…

The doctor who delivered me,

the monks, shamans, everyone…

They told my mom I'd never live past 7 years old.

Oh…

Geez.

I can't imagine how you'd feel to hear that.

[Sobin] My mom was so scared to hear I wouldn't live past 7 years old.

And people kept telling her the same thing.

Even when I was 7, they said, "She won't survive the year."

"She won't see the new year."

We say the deities "strike" you.

They had so many rites performed to keep the deities away,

but I kept getting sick.

Every business failed, and they lost money.

They went through so many hardships.

They had to make a choice in the end,

and I became a shaman before I knew it.

It must've been heartbreaking for my parents.

To make their 7-year-old girl become a shaman.

They had many rites performed for me

all the way up until I became a shaman.

They went into debt because of it,

and I paid it off

by doing my work as a shaman.

[Hyunmoo] Oh, my days.

Oh, she's so impressive for someone so young.

Oh… She was born in 2000. She's just a child.

[Sujin] Sobin became a shaman at a young age,

and so did I.

We didn't become shamans because we wanted to.

So I could relate to her a lot.

Sobin's so genuine.

[Jiseon] Of course, I want to have fun. I'm just 18.

I was told, "While other kids go to school with backpacks,

you must stand on jakdu (ritual blade). That's your fate."

-I feel great! -[♪ lively folk music plays]

[Jiseon] "Also, while other kids play soccer,

you must go praying."

That's the destiny I was born with.

Literally, it's my fate.

[Seulbi] We share the same fate.

We've all lived rough lives, and we're now shamans.

So, I felt bad for her.

[Dokyu] All shamans have heartbreaking stories.

[Yuljae] Right.

[narrator] Fate Reapers.

Between Lee Sobin and Rumi,

-choose the survivor. -[♪ suspenseful music plays]

[Haseon] She did so well. She got everything right.

-Sobin? Yes, she did. -[Haseon] Moving abroad and the 3 names.

But I think Rumi's pretty good too.

-[Hyunmoo] She is. -[Narae] I agree.

It was more like spiritual divination than tarot reading.

This is so hard.

[grunts]

Who should I vote for?

[Fate Readers gasp]

-[Fate Reader 1] My gosh. -[Fate Reader 2] I hate this part.

-[Fate Reader 1] I can't watch. -[Fate Reader 2] I hate this.

[narrator] The Battle of Qi.

The winner of the 1-on-1 face-off is…

[Rumi] The winner is?

LEE SOBIN

[Fate Readers exclaim in awe]

LEE SOBIN

LEE SOBIN

-[Narae] Oh… -[narrator] …Lee Sobin.

-[Fate Readers cheer] -[♪ arousing music plays]

LEE SOBIN SURVIVES

[Hyunmoo] Rumi, I hope you don't take the 5–0 result at face value.

We had a fierce discussion.

It's just that Sobin got more facts right.

That was the deciding factor for our decision.

It was so hard.

-Honestly. -[Narae] It was a real tough one.

-[Seolhwa] Well done. -[Jiseon] Congratulations!

[Rumi] I experienced something I never had before,

and I got to see other people do their readings too.

This has been a very meaningful experience.

I don't know why, but I feel like I'll be back.

[♪ rousing music plays]

[narrator] The survivors of the Battle of Qi are

Young Master Jiseon,

Pie,

Lady Wish,

Seolhwa,

Manshin (experienced shaman) Kwon Sujin,

Choi Hannah,

Lee Sobin,

Kim Baekmun,

Yoon Daeman,

and Monad.

Ten people in total.

THE 10 SURVIVORS OF BATTLE OF QI

[♪ menacing music plays]

-[Jiseon] What is it now? -[Fate Readers exclaim in awe]

[Sujin] What's this? There are stairs now.

[♪ secretive music plays]

[Daeman gasps] Wow.

-What's this? -[Sobin] What's going on here?

-[Jiyeong and Shindong exclaim in awe] -[Hyunmoo, Narae] Welcome!

-[Hyunmoo] Y'all are impressive. -Congratulations!

The top 10.

-[Fate Readers] Hello. -Welcome.

-[Sujin] What's this? -They got here before we did.

We have a nice mix of contestants.

[Pie] What could it be?

[♪ thrilling music plays]

[narrator] A survival game where those who read fate bet their own.

Battle of Fates.

The third round is…

the Battle of Synergy.

THE BATTLE OF SYNERGY

[Pie] What's that?

[♪ suspenseful music plays]

[Pie] What is it about?

[Monad] What are we supposed to do?

[narrator] Gathered here are

shamans,

saju (fortune-telling based on birth chart) experts,

tarot masters,

and foot readers, and so on.

Fate Readers with different backgrounds.

What kind of marvelous things will unfold

when they're brought together?

We'd like you to form teams

to test how well the Fate Readers work together.

[Fate Readers] Oh!

It's a team battle.

Oh, I knew it. A team round. [exclaims]

[Shindong] I've seen team missions on other survival shows,

-but I can't tell how this will go. -I know.

-It's for K-pop idols, rappers. -[Shindong] Yes.

-Or dancers. -[♪ tense music plays]

Everyone here works on their own.

Isn't this the first-ever shamanism team battle?

[Jiseon] Here it comes.

[Pie] I've never read anyone's fortune as part of a team.

It won't be easy.

[Daeman] We're all so different from each other.

I thought we'd clash.

[Sujin] If cracks form in the team,

it doesn't matter how good you are.

The deities won't connect if they're angry.

[Lady Wish] We're good, and the others must be just as good.

Then the energy might clash and it could get messy.

So I was a bit worried.

[Sobin] Finally, the team battle I was waiting for.

-I'm a huge fan of survival shows, -[♪ foreboding music plays]

and I absolutely love team battles.

So I was thrilled.

[narrator] For the Battle of Synergy,

you will form teams of 3.

There will be a total of 4 teams.

Teams of 3?

-Teams of 3. -Yes.

One, two, three.

[Sujin] We need 12 people, but there are only 10.

Do we have more people coming?

Was there a consolation match?

[Jiyeong] To form teams of 3, they need 2 more people.

-They're short 2 people. -Yes.

[Shindong] Yes, there are only 10 of them.

[narrator] For the Battle of Synergy,

2 Revived Fate Readers will join you.

-[Fate Readers exclaim in awe] -[Daeman] I knew it.

-[Monad] So there are more people coming. -[♪ intriguing music plays]

[Pie] It meant there were more competitors,

so I thought things might get

even more heated.

Oh, who's coming?

[Pie] Who could it be? I wonder who made it.

AFTER THE BATTLE OF QI

[Hyunmoo] Out of the 10 who got eliminated today,

-Yes. -2 people can move on to the next round.

There were too many close matches.

[Shindong] They didn't deserve to be eliminated.

-[Hyunmoo] It was a huge shame. -[Narae] Yes.

-[Shindong] I want this person to move on. -[Haseon] Yes.

-They are very competent. -[Shindong] Okay.

-Let's go with these 2 people. -[Hyunmoo] Sounds good.

-Then we'll advance these 2 people. -Okay.

[Shindong] Sounds good.

[Narae] I wonder what face they'll make when they walk in.

[♪ rousing music plays]

Why am I so nervous?

-[narrator] The first Revived Fate Reader. -[♪ tense music plays]

-Come on out. -[Fate Readers] From where?

Where are they coming out from?

-[Sobin] From where? -[Pie] Who is it?

-[Hannah] What's going on? Who is it? -[Daeman] What? Who?

[Sujin] Who is it?

I can't see.

A fan?

[Fate Readers cheer]

[♪ arousing music plays]

Hello.

Hi, guys.

YOUNG MASTER PLUM BLOSSOM

[Jiyeong] To be honest, I found him the most impressive.

It was close. I felt bad to see him go.

THE BATTLE OF QI LADY WISH VS YOUNG MASTER PLUM BLOSSOM

The people around you don't stick around for long.

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

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

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

Physical work just isn't your strength.

That must be why she ended up quitting sports.

You're right.

-Her shoulder. -[Jiyeong] That's why.

[Narae] Young Master Plum Blossom is the shaman everyone's avoiding right now.

-[Monad] It's Young Master Plum Blossom. -Hello.

-It's so good to see you again. -[Fate Readers cheer]

[Jiseon] What the heck? You said you were going home!

[Seolhwa] I knew you'd come back. I knew it.

[Sobin] I loved it. Finally, a pretty face.

[♪ arousing music plays]

[Lady Wish] I was so happy to see him.

We went up against each other,

and I thought he'd do well if he were given another chance.

I've basically come back from the dead.

I'll show them everything I can do this time.

[Monad] There's 1 more, right?

-[♪ intense music plays] -[Sujin] Who is it?

-[Plum Blossom] Who could it be? -[Sujin] Ah!

[Jiseon] You must know. This is so annoying.

Who is it?

I wonder how they'll react to this person.

How will they react?

[narrator] The second Revived Fate Reader, please come on in.

-Who is it? -[Fate Readers exclaim]

-Gosh, please. -[Fate Reader cheers]

[Monad] Who is it? Drum roll.

Oh! Oh! Who is it?

What? Oh!

[Fate Reader] Huh?

[Seolhwa] Wow, totally unexpected.

[♪ frenetic music plays]

Translated by Jennifer Jean Lim