Dreaming of a pig
Lucky in KoreaIn Western dream books a pig often stands for greed, overindulgence or feeling that some part of your life has gotten messy.
In Korea a pig dream is close to the luckiest dream you can have. Pigs have long stood for wealth and plenty, and the Sino-Korean word for pig, don (豚), sounds exactly like don, the Korean word for money. Many Koreans buy a lottery ticket the morning after a pig dream, and some will not tell anyone about it so the luck does not slip away.
Pig dreams, scene by scene
- A pig walks into your houseGood sign
Wealth comes in. One of the best versions of this dream.
- You hug, catch or ride a pigGood sign
Money you can hold on to. Very lucky.
- A mother pig with many pigletsGood sign
Abundance, and often a growing family.
- A pig runs away or leaves your houseTake care
A chance or some money slips away. Be careful with spending.
- A sick, thin or dead pigTake care
Plans that look promising may not pay off.
The Korean story behind pig dreams
In old farming villages, a family pig worked like a savings account on legs. Households fed it scraps all year, then sold it or served it at a feast when money or food ran short. Pigs also have large litters, which tied them to plenty and to a growing household. That sense of abundance carried into ritual life. At a gosa (고사), a traditional rite asking the spirits for good luck, a boiled pig's head is often set on the table. Guests sometimes tuck folded bills into its mouth or ears as an offering. Many Korean businesses still hold a small gosa when they open, so the smiling pig's head remains a familiar sight.
Could a pig dream be a taemong?
A pig taemong is said to announce a child who will be comfortable in life and never go without.
Pig dream: what people do next
The most common move is a quick trip to a convenience store for a lottery ticket. Plenty of dreamers also stay quiet until the ticket is checked, since talking too soon is thought to scare the luck off. A friend who hears about the dream may jokingly offer a few thousand won to buy it. Most people treat the whole thing as a cheerful game.
Good to know
Because of the lottery habit, pig dreams are a running joke in Korea. People sometimes offer to 'buy' a friend's pig dream for a little money.