Park Jin-hai primarily focuses on K-dramas, entertainment shows and actor interviews. Beyond that, she also pens articles covering the broader arts scene, with a particular emphasis on classical music, dance and various aspects of lifestyle. Since joining The Korea Times in 2013, she has made significant contributions in the realms of hallyu (Korean wave), industry news and international affairs.
Ex-journalist writes Oriental tarot book
.jpg?w=728)
Huh Yong-jung
By Park Jin-hai
The book cover of “Taiji Tarot — the life compass”
By Park Jin-hai
Huh Yong-jung, 61, a former journalist and writer, says he was always curious why some people who live honest lives face great hardships, while others just seem to have it all.
“I started reading books about destiny such as saju, or the four pillars of destiny,” said Huh, who recently published a book titled “Taiji Tarot _ the Life Compass.”
“People consider saju as one way of fortunetelling, reading the birth date and time of people. While I studied it over 20 years, I found that it all originated from the Oriental classics for divination, ‘Zhouyi’, or the ‘Book of Changes.’”
His book is the Oriental version of tarot card reading, using the Zhouyi.
The tarot card included in the book has Zhouyi’s hexagram design, called Gua, a figure composed of six stacked horizontal lines, and a Taiji symbol.
Huh, a long-time journalist writing stories about Korean traditional culture for the Farmers Newspaper, said he has been naturally intrigued by Oriental philosophies.
He said Zhouyi is nothing superstitious.
“It is the foundation of Eastern thought for its esoteric translation of natural phenomena and human lives,” he said. “Unlike tarot, where a fortuneteller can tamper with the meaning of the cards using clues from the clients, such as their tone of voice or posture, the Zhouyi runs by principles that cannot be translated otherwise.”
Huh said Zhouyi tells us not only what is to come but also provides guidance for decision-making as informed by Taoism and Confucianism.
He said it was considered hard to study and was mainly confined to the older generations.
“Now in Korea, the wisdom of over 5,000 years of history has given way to tarot, which originated some 600 years ago,” he said.
Thus he borrowed the form of tarot cards, which are popular among young people.
“Life is something that one should chart,” he said. “But, if one has a guiding light, even walking on uncharted roads in the dark should give no fear. I wish people in despair, especially the younger generation, can find that guiding light through my book.”
The writer is also a poet and can be reached at
.