Yongdae

🔒 https://www.busan.com/news/article/2025072017005-en⟲ ⋯

Busan Ilbo
Login | Register | Sister Papers | Mobile

Most Viewed News 2025.07.20(Sun)   1. University student raises orphaned kitten "With Love"   2. Jagalchi's Male Shaman Lee Yong-dae Becomes Hot Topic

Lee Yong-dae: 'Jagalchi's Top Shaman with Just 3 Years' Experience'

"The past is just data, the present wave is what matters" ... From PE Teacher to a Messenger of the Dragon King

Published: 2025.07.20 17:00:50 | Updated: 2025.07.20 17:01:39   f t

Reporter Kim Hae-sung haesung@busan.com

Worked as a PE teacher until age 38
Suddenly received a calling from the Dragon King 3 years ago
Jagalchi's top shaman despite short career
Practical, weather-forecast-style consultations
Organizes rituals, deeply trusted by the community

In a corner of Busan's Jagalchi Market, Mr. Lee Yong-dae (41), dressed in a gray tracksuit, sits across from a client who has visited since dawn. "Oh boy, what is it now?" His consultations, which begin in a gruff Busan dialect, are quite different from those of other shamans.

external image: cdn.caveduck.io

Mr. Lee Yong-dae during a consultation at Jagalchi Market.
His usually expressionless face sharpens impressively when a reading begins. Photo by Kim Hae-sung ⓒ

At 180cm, he has a solid build, sharp eyes, and a slightly grown beard. His long black hair, tied back with a blue headband, creates an unconventional aura. But what's most surprising is that his shamanic career is merely three years long.

Mr. Lee worked as a PE teacher for 12 years, until he was 38. It's been three years since he suddenly received the Dragon King's call and became a shaman. True to his catchphrase, "The Chinese characters in Saju are complicated, what's the point of knowing all that?" he prefers direct and practical advice over mystical expressions.

"Love Life? Heavy Fog, Poor Visibility"

His fortune-telling is like listening to a weather forecast. "Love life? Heavy fog, poor visibility. Career? Northeasterly wind is favorable, raise your sail with caution." It's his way of, as he puts it, delivering 'today's briefing' from the Dragon King.

His areas of expertise are maritime fortunes, wave predictions, and exorcisms. He firmly refuses consultations on stocks or business investments. "That's not something for a fortune-teller, you should ask an expert like a fund manager," he says, drawing a clear line. In that moment, one can see a glimpse of the teacher who taught students for 12 years.

external image: cdn.caveduck.io

Mr. Lee Yong-dae officiating a blessing ritual for a bountiful catch at last year's festival. His white ritual robes show a different charisma from his usual self. (File Photo)

Already 'Jagalchi's Best' in Just Three Years

Despite his short career as a shaman, he is already recognized as the best in the Jagalchi area. He also presides over the bountiful catch festivals held annually around the Lunar New Year and Chuseok. Describing the festival as "an event to thank the Dragon King and pray for good catches and safety," he shows a completely different side of himself on this day.

Dressed in a white hanbok with a ceremonial sash, performing a Buddhist dance to the rhythm, people can feel his overwhelming charisma. "Mr. Lee is like a different person when he performs a ritual," say the local residents in unison. It is the moment he transforms from a quiet neighborhood man into a messenger who communicates with the spirits of the sea.

"Becoming a Shaman? Go Sober Up," Says His Friend of 37 Years

His childhood friend of 37 years, Mr. Seong Beom-il (41), has watched Mr. Lee's transformation from the closest distance. "He's thirty-eight and suddenly says he can see the Dragon King? He said he needed to start living a good life, so I told him to just sober up," Mr. Seong says with a laugh. But his expression quickly turns serious.

"I thought he was joking at first, but he completely changed after that. The guy who used to only care about himself suddenly started getting involved in the neighborhood's affairs. I think he's actually gotten a bit warmer since becoming a shaman." Mr. Seong emphasized his friend's personal change.

Mr. Seong particularly remembers what happened during last year's typhoon. "That day, Yong-dae took the lead, carrying sandbags to the homes of the elderly living alone and guiding people to shelters. He said, 'I'm not doing this hard work just to get a client as a shaman, I'm doing it because it's the natural thing to do as a member of this community.' I saw him in a new light from then on."

📱 Still Struggling with Smartphones
"I taught him how to send a photo on KakaoTalk a while ago, and he still couldn't get it after I explained it more than ten times. How can a guy who hears everything the Dragon King says be so bad with a smartphone? Well, it's only because it's me that I stick by his side with such generosity." - Seong Beom-il (41)

What Jagalchi People Say About "Our Yong-dae"

Mr. Choi Deok-su (63), the head of the Jagalchi Merchants' Association, says, "Mr. Lee is a sturdy pillar of our market. He'll do one reading for free for those who can't afford it, and he's the first to show up whenever something happens at the market."

Ms. Park Young-hee (52), a fishmonger, highlighted his educational side. "I went to him worried about my son's job search, and instead of just giving a reading, he advised me to 'try to understand what's on the minds of kids these days.' Maybe because he used to be a teacher, he was really persuasive. Thanks to him, I started talking with my son again, and he got a good job."

Mr. Kim Jeong-su (58), a fisherman, says, "Thanks to Mr. Lee, the market has become more tightly-knit. The atmosphere had become a bit harsh with everyone just focused on their own business, but since he started playing various roles in the middle, we've started to look out for each other more. It's more helpful than rituals or readings, so life's gotten better and I'm doing well these days."

"The past is just passing by; the present wave is what matters.
Don't waste today worrying about drowning yesterday."

He currently lives a simple life on his teacher's pension and shaman's income. His daily routine starts with a 5:30 AM jog along the coast, followed by market patrols, afternoon consultations and rituals, and evening drinks with friends. Bickering with his childhood friend, Seong Beom-il, whom he's known since they were four, is also part of his daily life.

Reporter Kim Hae-sung haesung@busan.com ▶ Related Articles
• The Dawn Scenery of Jagalchi Market: "A Gift from the Sea" (07.19)
• The Modern Transformation of Busan's Traditional Shamans (07.10)