Meet Haein Kang | Corean Folk Shaman-Priest Apprentice

We had the good fortune of connecting with Haein Kang and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Haein, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
This is a really interesting question to consider as a mudang, because we don’t ever stop being mudang. When I’m working, I’m a mudang. When I’m “life-ing” I’m a mudang. It’s something that naturally comes with the territory.

You see, mudang are initiated by elder mudangs who will serve as our teachers and mentors as we learn the traditions. The gods we receive in these initiations, as well as, in successive renewal ceremonies throughout our lives are who determine what kinds of rituals and ceremonies we will be able to perform. Once we are initiated, it is a lifelong thing. My gods are always around, and they may be telling me things throughout the day. I may be encountering different kinds of spirits throughout my day as well. So, in that sense, there are no on or off duty hours. Still, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I will say that my day-to-day schedule has become quite regimented, and my priorities clearer since becoming a mudang.

The time I spend studying (written materials and in conversation with the elder who initiated me), taking care of the shrine, praying and chanting, meditating, and keeping up with my physical health (exercise and diet) are at the top of my priority list. Then comes quality time with loved ones.

For me, if my gods are happy, I’m happy. I’m better able to help clients when I cultivate my relationship with my gods. So, the things that empower and enable me to grow and get stronger in areas important to my practice as a mudang, are the areas of my life that take precedence.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m an initiated Corean folk shaman-priest apprentice. We’re called mudang, and since I’m an apprentice, I call myself a baby mudang! I started offering services about a year ago, and since then I’ve had clients from all over the world. The big motivating factor for me, is to spread awareness of Corean spiritual traditions known as “mugyo” or “musok”. A significant barrier to learning these traditions, for diaspora Koreans and adoptees, is language. So, this is a big motivating factor for me when I share and create English resources online. I try to share as much as I can about musok for those who may be trying to connect with their Korean ancestry. I also share for anyone who is curious and would like to learn about Korean culture and spirituality.

I came to be initiated as a mudang because I had the calling. The signs that someone has the calling are often very real and heavy spiritual burdens on one’s shoulders that will test them and begin to manifest in many ways in their lives. The symptoms of a calling can look like a string of financial issues, near-death experiences, death of close friends and family, and other misfortunes, as well as, various kinds of dreams and visions. The road to finding out you have a calling can be long, arduous and filled with a lot of suffering. So, I’m really proud of having pushed through all that to be where I am now, and to be able to bring that much more empathy and compassion into my work because of it. One aspect of being a mudang I really enjoy, is learning more about my clients and their different walks of life. It’s amazing how much we have in common, while also having such unique perspectives on life. I’m looking forward to meeting more people and getting to know my existing clients and community better this year!

I’m a bit shy, so the attention that can come from sharing widely and publicly is something I’ve had to really get used to throughout my life. It’s not something that comes super naturally for me. I have to intentionally choose to step out of my comfort zone to remind myself to work on my shyness. So, in that regard, meeting clients and sharing information on social media has been an intentional push for myself, but still very much worth it. I’m definitely not that little kid who used to freeze and remain motionless and wordless during class presentations anymore! I’ve come a long way, and I intend to keep pushing so I can be a good resource for anyone who seeks help from me and my gods.

One of the important lessons I learned this past year was the importance of learning together as a community. This requires patience, resilience and understanding. It’s the wisdom of holding each other accountable for mistakes made, celebrating growth, and talking things out together. Putting differences aside requires good communication and continuing effort by everyone.

If there’s one thing I want the world to know about me, it’s that I am always learning. At my core, compassion is what drives me, and there’s still so much I can learn about compassion itself, but I will always keep trying!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m one for slightly planned, but mostly spontaneous adventures. So, it’s very likely I would park us somewhere and then set out on foot to explore the surrounding areas. If I had to choose, here are some spots I’d take them to!

Work In Progress (Costa Mesa, CA)
The Inconvenience Store (Costa Mesa, CA)
Sushi Shibucho (Costa Mesa, CA)
Stereoscope Coffee (Long Beach, CA)
FYT Gym (Los Alamitos, CA)
KRA-POW Thai Eatery (Chino, CA)

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many that have helped me get through life, over hurdles, and to where I am today. My first shout-out would definitely be to Mudang Seonmi, who is my spirit mom (probably best known as @themudang on various social media platforms). She’s the one who initiated me and teaches me the ins and outs of being a contemporary mudang in the U.S.

Second shout-out would be to all the amazing staff and faculty in the Loyola Marymount University Theological Studies Department. Many of the words and concepts that helped me to take a critical look at myself and various religions and spiritualities came from my time as a graduate student there.

Website: https://www.thebabymudang.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/the.baby.mudang

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@the.baby.mudang