In Seoul, AI-powered robots are taking on the role of traditional shamans (mudang). These robots blend modern technology with ancient Korean customs, which continue to hold cultural value for many South Koreans.

The sound of tinkling bells drifts through an alley in central Seoul, an unmistakable sign that a shaman is near – although in this case the mystic is a robot powered by artificial intelligence. Many South Koreans still place great value in shamanic traditions, which purport to divine a person’s future based on the day and time they were born. Practitioners, known as mudang, wear long, colourful robes and perform dances and chants to commune with the gods – sometimes even walking on sharp blades...