How Seoul’s Mount Gwanak became 'energy hot spot' for young Koreans

Seoul’s Mount Gwanak, which straddles the city’s Gwanak District and Gwacheon in Gyeonggi Province, has quietly become a new “it place” for young Koreans, drawing steady streams of MZ (millennial and Gen‑Z) hikers in search of sweeping views, good vibes — and what some call a little extra luck. The shift began after a feng shui‑style fortune‑teller appeared on a popular TV program and told viewers, “If your luck is blocked, go to Mount Gwanak.” The mountain suddenly became a hot new destination, with the fortune‑teller adding that “it has such strong energy that people say if you make the same wish three times there, it will come true.” Online and across social media platforms, posts and videos of people “confirming” their visits spread quickly, bringing a sharp rise in hikers. Many young visitors in their 20s and 30s began showing up, to the point that some now wait about an hour in line at the summit just to take a photo. “It’s true I came because it’s trending on Instagram, but hiking is easy to get into in Korea and I’ve always liked it,” said Shin Ji‑young, an office worker in her 30s who climbed the mountain because her father is preparing for major surgery. “Some people complain about the crowds, but I think it’s a healthy hobby when young people start getting into hiking. Their wish is simple — they just want things to go well and want to pray for someone else. Some people see superstition as a kind of get‑rich‑quick scheme and might look down on those chasing trends to get ‘good energy.’ But to me, there’s nothing wrong with trying to absorb a little good energy and exercise with good people if you can.” Kim Seo‑young, 32, sat on a rock at the summit eating a boxed lunch and said she is preparing to change jobs and hopes to land a new position quickly. “I want to find a new job as soon as possible,” she said. A man in his 50s waiting in line for a photo said he has noticed a big change in the crowd. “I’ve been coming here a lot, but since the pandemic, more young people have been showing up — lately, there are probably about twice as many young hikers as before. It almost feels like a battle to snap a photo next to the summit stone, but the mountain feels more lively, and that’s a good thing," he said. For centuries, Mount Gwanak's rocky slopes and feng‑shui lore have given it a reputation as a mountain with strong “fire” energy. The peak sits opposite Gyeongbok Palace to the south, and its shape, when viewed from a distance, is said to resemble a burning flame. To counter that fiery force, legend holds that a stone lion statue was erected in front of Gwanghwamun in central Seoul to “suppress” the fire, while a pond was dug and filled with water south of Sungnye Gate. Stories also say that after the elder brothers of King Sejong stepped down from the throne, they came to Mount Gwanak to face the palace and pray for the nation’s fortune. Layered with such legends and personal stories, the mountain has now become a kind of pilgrimage site for young Koreans. According to Google Trends, interest in “Mount Gwanak” hit 100 in March, the highest level in the past five years and roughly 2.5 times higher than a year earlier. The trend is part of a broader wave of “feng‑shui tourism” among MZ consumers. Amid high prices, slow growth and job insecurity, many young people are turning to notions of “good energy” and “lucky spots” as a mental reset more than a literal belief system. Online forums and social‑media posts now regularly introduce so‑called “feng‑shui hot spots” said to bring wealth or success, with writings claiming that Mount Bukhan boosts “career luck” and Mount Cheonggye attracts “wealth luck,” among other locations. The appetite for “good energy” has spilled into everyday spaces. The cafe in the Grand Hyatt Seoul in Yongsan District has become a destination for young visitors after social media posts hailed its location on Mount Nam’s upper slope overlooking the Han River as a “baesan‑imsu” (backed by mountains, facing water) site that brings momentum and expansion. On social media, some visitors to the cafe say they felt lucky after their visit — posting stories about landing three new freelance jobs in one day or touching every stone pillar in the lobby because “someone said it would bring good luck.” Han Seol‑ah, who recently visited the Hyatt, said she went because she’d heard it was good for luck — but she doesn’t see such beliefs as pure marketing, nor does she think posting about it on social media is just attention‑seeking. “Some people criticize others for spending a lot there. But to me, experiencing a place and sharing good energy with good people isn’t something to look down on," she said. She acknowledged that when something becomes trendy in Korea, people tend to follow quickly, but she added, “Putting small, fun events into your life can be energizing, and if it doesn’t hurt anyone and you can afford it, why not try something new once in a while?” The spread of feng‑shui‑style content is also shaping consumer trends. Decor and small interior items meant to symbolize good luck or ward off bad fortune are selling more than before. According to Kakao Commerce, the number of listings for products tagged with keywords such as “evil‑repelling,” “good luck" and “luck‑terior” rose from 1,497 in December 2024 to 2,080 in December 2025, an increase of about 39 percent. On lifestyle platform Ohouse, users share and circulate “feng‑shui interior tips” that explain how the placement of objects and the layout of a space can change the flow of energy. Posts describe how moving wallets, plants or small decorative items around can shift the feel of a room, as traditional feng‑shui ideas are repackaged into content about interior design and space use. Turning folk belief into experience‑based culture Experts say this reflects how digitally native young consumers are turning folk belief into a kind of participatory content. In the past, such beliefs often came with formal rituals or set procedures and were treated as religious practice. Now, they are being remade into a lighter “experience‑based” culture, in which people try small rituals or routines and then share them on social media. “Recently, visiting places that have become popular on social media and experiencing them firsthand has become a kind of trend. When people choose a product, a service or a place to visit, it’s less about the space’s original function or purpose and more about wanting to have an experience. You could say this is part of a broader wave of 'experiential consumption,'" Lee Eun‑hee, a professor of consumer science at Inha University, said. Janet Shin, a professor of oriental studies at Wonkwang Digital University and author of “Saju Myngli,” a guide to four‑pillar destiny charts, said places like Mount Gwanak and other Instagram‑labeled “power spots” are indeed considered auspicious in traditional feng‑shui. “Mount Gwanak is said to have very strong energy in that context, but there’s no scientific proof that going there will magically unblock your luck,” she said. “Amid the MZ-generation's retro‑style fascination and interest in Korean shaman‑like practices, once a casually charismatic fortune‑teller made that comment on TV, it just became another trend." Shin also noted that this year is seen as one with unusually strong “hot” or fiery energy and stressed that the key is to manage it wisely, not fixate on one spot. “There’s no special reason why a mountain with such intense fire energy should be uniquely good for everyone,” she said. “It’s better to seek places where that fire can flow more naturally — walking along a river or running across an open field, for example,” she said.