In South Korea, it's four. The reason behind the fear of the number four, known as tetraphobia, lies in the way it sounds. The Korean word for "four" sounds much like their word for "death."
Coincidently or not, in Korea, there are also lucky numbers, like 7, which are believed to bring good luck, and bad numbers like 4, which are widely avoided.
Similar to many Asian cultures, specific numbers are said to be associated with luck and prosperity. In Korea, numbers like 8, 9, and 3 are often considered lucky.
In Korea, the number 4 is considered to be bad luck. It goes even further; this number is believed to symbolize death itself. Unlike the unlucky number 13 (which does not have a real explanation for the bad luck), the basis behind number 4's superstition is logical.
Koreans find the number 4 unlucky because it is associated with death. Numbers 3, 8 and 9 are considered lucky numbers, according to the blog, 90 Day Korean.
Examples of Korean superstitions
The number 4 is a symbol of bad luck. In elevators, the letter F indicates the fourth floor instead of the number 4.
This is traditionally taboo because the color red to Koreans used to symbolize death. The belief was that if a person's name was written in red, death or bad luck would come soon.
Every culture has a number considered unlucky because of superstitions. In the United States it's 13. In South Korea, it's four.
After the Korean War, red came to be perceived as the color of communism, thus gaining a negative connotation, but since the 2002 World Cup, it has become a symbol of passion and the color that promotes social cohesion.
Unlucky numbers
Traditionally, 4 is unlucky because it is sometimes pronounced shi, which is the word for death. Sometimes levels or rooms with 4 don't exist in hospitals or hotels. Particularly in the maternity section of a hospital, the room number 43 is avoided because it can literally mean "stillbirth".
In Japan, the two main lucky numbers are seven (七) and eight (八). Curiously, unlike four, the reasons behind the two's luck have nothing to do with their pronunciation. Seven is a lucky number in Japan largely because of its significance in Buddhism. Additionally, seven is used with the Seven Gods of Luck (七福神).
The number seven is usually the overwhelming favorite. Why is that? In many cultures around the world, seven is considered a lucky number. This probably explains the affinity many people feel for the number seven.
The numbers 2, 3, 6, and 8 are generally considered to be lucky, while 4 is considered unlucky. These traditions are not unique to Chinese culture, with other countries with a history of Han characters also having similar beliefs stemming from these concepts.
Writing someone's name in RED. In Korea it is believed that writing someone's name in red ink denotes threat, bad luck or death. It is also often interpreted as wanting the person dead.
The term "samjae" means three years of misfortune, based on zodiac birth signs. In the old days, people attributed samjae to the disasters of war, infectious disease and famine. It also implied calamities such as fire, flood and wind.
In South Korea
The number 4 sounds like the hanja for "death" (사) (although Korean has no tones), so the floor number 4 or room number 4 is almost always skipped in hospitals, funeral halls, and similar public buildings.
Love, passion, and romance are all connected to the color red. It is also linked to war, ruthlessness, and violence. The balance of red and blue has great meaning in Korean culture.
These five colors are blue, red, white, black, and yellow. You will find these colors to be prominent in 'Hanbok' (Korean traditional attire), Korean paintings, musical instruments and festivals, architecture, flags and traditional symbols, and of course – Korean food!
But perhaps the answer lies in the significance of the color red in Korean culture. According to the National Folk Museum of Korea, “For a long time, the color red has been believed to have shamanistic power for warding off evil spirits or bad luck.
On The King's Affection, it is said that the birth of twins is a bad omen because the two look alike, so when one of them becomes the king, it may confuse the public into thinking there are two kings, causing chaos and unrest in the country.
Rabbits, especially, are the most popular delicacy for people who place importance on well-being and health. But while South Koreans turn to chickens for vitalization, Northerners choose to eat rabbits for health. It is very rare for South Koreans to eat rabbits.
Traditionally, Koreans thought of gray, taupe, beige, and brown as 'unclean' colors.
Crows in Korea are symbols of bad luck and spotting one in the morning will result in a bad day. In old folklore crows are seen as omens of death. Even though western magpies represent bad luck, if you see a Korean magpie in the morning it is considered to be very good luck.
Culture and traditional Korean colours
Traditionally, blue symbolises creativity, immortality and hope; white symbolises chastity, truth, innocence and death; red symbolises the sun, fire, production, creation, passion and love; black symbolises existence; yellow symbolises light and essence of vitality [25].