Fortunetellers Call 2010 ‘Promising Year’

The year 2010 is the Year of the White Tiger (“gyeongin” in Korean) according to the Chinese zodiac, and comes once every 60 years.

This year is called as such since the Chinese characters “gyeong” means white and “in” means tiger. Legend has it that the year will be as promising as 2007, which was the Year of Golden Pig.

Baek Un-san, head of the Korea Fortunetellers Association, said, “Divination statistics suggest that those born in the Year of the White Tiger will have good fortune.”

“Men will become very successful as politicians, military generals and independence fighters, while women will stand out in education and the judiciary. Many women with strong leadership skills were born in the Year of the White Tiger.”

Some pregnant women have named their fetuses “Baekho” meaning “white tiger.”

Kim Su-jin, 31, whose baby is expected in May, said, “I didn’t intend to have a child this year knowing it was the Year of the White Tiger. But I’m very grateful since my child will be born this year, an august year that comes once every 60 years.”

minki@donga.com