“Bwahahahaha” is a weekly column that explores the roots of Korean humor through the joke book “Kkalkkal Useum,” originally published in 1916. Shamanism has a unique place in Korean culture. While Buddhism, Confucianism and Christianity were all imported to Korea at different points in its history, shamanism originated here and has roots in prehistory. However, it has historically faced suppression — especially during the 20th century — when critics dismissed it as more superstitious than centrally organized religions and viewed it as a barrier to modernization and a scientific worldview. The joke I’m translating today stages a conflict over shamanism — similar to last week’s installment of this column, which featured a joke that portrayed Christianity rhetorically defeating Confucian practice. This week’s joke shows a shamanist humiliated into giving up her beliefs. As with the previous joke, it’s hard to imagine anyone finding this trick compelling; its depiction likely expresses the perspectives of the creator and readers who were inclined to view shamanism nega
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