Korean shamans enraged by 'female Rasputin' scandal

Practitioners of the centuries-old spiritual tradition are furious that their reputation has been tainted by association with the corruption scandal involving Choi Soon-Sil – a close friend of the president South Korean Park Geun-Hye.

Shamanism is deeply ingrained in Korean culture, and despite living in one of the world's most technologically advanced countries, many Koreans still consult shamans – as intercessors with the spirit world – for medical reasons, divination, or just personal advice. (Photo: AFP)

The daughter of a shadowy religious figure, Choi (in picture), has been dubbed ‘Korea's Rasputin’ and the president's ‘shaman adviser,’ because of the influence she allegedly wielded over Park and reports linking her to shamanist rituals. (Photo: AP)

‘We are so angry. She made all of us look like corrupt charlatans. Whether Choi Soon-Sil is really a shaman or not, she soiled the reputation of genuine, hard-working shamans in this country,’ said Lee Won-Bok, head of the national association, Shaman Korea. (Photo: AFP)

The rituals can be grisly affairs for the uninitiated, with the shaman plunging a pointed trident into the head of a dead pig, or biting the heads of live chickens while dancing in a trance-like state. (Photo: AFP)

But the actual purpose of such ceremonies is benign and often very intimate -- wishing peace to the soul of a dead relative, or just courting good luck for an upcoming project. (Photo: AFP)

Hundreds have signed a petition urging the media to cease describing Choi as a shaman, and some plan to join mass street protests calling for Choi to be jailed and Park to resign. (Photo: AFP)