A Spatial Analysis of Shamans in South Korea’s Religious Market
J.S. Kim, Yuanfei Li, Fenggang Yang
Religions October 21, 2025 DOI: 10.3390/rel16101327 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional study with spatial regression models Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Shamanic sites and religious facilities across 229 districts in South Korea |
| Topics | Buddhism Shamanism |
| Keywords | Protestantism Ordinary least squares Politics Geographically weighted regression Human geography Economic geography Distribution mathematics Spatial distribution Geocoding Spatial analysis |
| Key findings | Protestant church density is negatively associated with shamanic site density, strongest in regions with concentrated Protestant institutions, while Buddhist temples show positive local associations in certain areas. |
Abstract
This study examined the spatial distribution of shamanic practice in contemporary South Korea, focusing on its territorial relationship with institutional religions. Contrary to portrayals of shamanism as a rural remnant or as absorbed by Pentecostal Christianity, population-adjust maps and spatial models reveal substantial concentrations in urban and peri-urban districts. Drawing on a geocoded dataset of 15,639 shamanic sites and 78,323 religious facilities across 229 districts, we estimated the ordinary least squares (OLS), spatial error models, and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models to evaluate how Protestant, Buddhist, and Catholic infrastructures were associated with shamanic site density. Protestant church density showed a consistent negative association with shamanic presence, strongest in regions with concentrated Protestant institutions. Buddhist temples had no uniform national effect but showed positive local associations in certain areas, suggesting localized symbiosis. Catholic sites displayed limited and inconsistent spatial relationships. These results demonstrate two contrasting dynamics: expulsion in Protestant strongholds and symbiosis, where Buddhist institutions allow more accommodation. Shamanism’s contemporary geography reflects adaptation to the territorial politics of institutional religion rather than a cultural revival.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archetype symbols and altered consciousness: a study of shamanic rituals in the context of Jungian psychology Participants in shamanic rituals | 2024 | Survey | n = 75 |
| Acceptability of shamanic healing for treating psychostimulant dependence: a pilot survey Psychostimulant users in central Arkansas, USA | 2014 | Survey | n = 103 |
| Beliefs in and experiences of sorcery, black magic and brujería among psychedelic users: a quantitative and qualitative survey Adults with personal, professional, or cultural involvement in psychedelics | 2026 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 895 |
| Shamanism, Traditional Beliefs, and Trust in Government in Kazakhstan First-year university students in Astana, Kazakhstan | 2026 | Observational survey | n = 351 |
| Transpersonal Effects of Exposure to Shamanic Use of Khoomei (Tuvan Throat Singing): Preliminary Evaluations from Training Seminars Western participants who attended Khoomei seminars | 2012 | Survey study | n = 181 |