Have you ever heard of a Korean shaman?
In Korean religious culture, shamans have long served as intermediaries between the human and spiritual worlds. Through rituals known as gut, they combine music, dance, costume symbolism, spirit mediation, talismans, ancestor veneration, and other traditional religious practices into a rich cultural tradition that continues to influence Korean society today.
On May 26, 2026, the USC U.S.-China Institute hosted Shamanic Echoes: Spirituality and Symbolism in K-Pop Demon Hunters, a seminar exploring the history and cultural significance of Korean shamanism (Musok).
Guest speaker Lauren W. Deutsch, a cultural consultant, scholar, writer, and producer specializing in Korean and Japanese performing arts traditions, introduced audiences to the unique role of shamans in Korean culture and spirituality.
During the seminar, Deutsch first introduced the history and key characteristics of Korean shamanism, or Musok. As both a spiritual practice and a form of perfomance art, the gut ritual combines music, dance, chanting, costumes, and symbolic objects. Gut ceremonies are highly improvisational. Different spirits are associated with different costumes, songs, rhythms, and ritual tools. The audience also plays an important role in the ceremony.
Deutsch also discussed the connections between Korean shamanic traditions and
contemporary K-pop culture. One example is Netflix’s hit 2025 animated film KPop
Demon Hunters. Elements of the three main characters’ costumes, accessories,
talismans, and headwear draw inspiration from gut rituals. Shamanic influences can
also be found in K-pop music and stage performances.
This idea formed a central theme of Deutsch’s presentation. Over centuries of
development, Musok has become more than a religious practice. It serves as an
important cultural and social bond within Korean society. Shamanic rituals provide
opportunities to honor ancestors, resolve conflicts, and pass down cultural
memories from one generation to the next generation. At the same time, shamanic
traditions continue to shape contemporary popular culture, contributing new ideas
and visual elements to the evolution of K-pop.
As Deutsch noted, in a gut ritual, “there are no spectators.”