July 2022
Why do Korean hikers clap so much?
If you’ve ever gone hiking in Korea, odds are you’ve encountered an older person walking along the trail who's busy clapping, clapping their fists, clapping behind their head, clapping quite passionately in fact. Like me, you might have wondered why. I had my theories but was never sure. Well, after all these years in Korea, after all the times I’d seen some colorfully-dressed ajossi or ajuma, clad in their K2 outfits and fancy hiking shoes, clapping along, I finally learned why they do that after I happened to notice a sign at Wondo’s Botanical Garden which explained it.
​
It’s quite interesting. It works on the same principles as acupuncture and is considered an oriental medicine. In case you’re curious, “clap” is 박수 (pronounced, baksoo) in Korean, not to be confused with “watermelon” which is 수박 (pronounced, soobak).
​
Anyway, here are what the claps I read about are and how they’re intended to help the body.
​
1. Clapping fists
Helps: Chronic headache and shoulder pain
2. Clapping wrists
Helps: Urological issues
3. Clapping the top of one hand
Helps: Back pain and alignment
4. Clapping fingertips
Helps: Nasal issues, congestion
5. Punching your palm
Helps: Circulation and lung function
6. Clapping palm to palm
Helps: Intestinal issues, diabetes and related complications
7. Clapping with cupped hands
Helps: Dementia, stroke
8. Clapping behind your head
Helps: Shoulder pain
9. Clapping, thumb and fingertips
Helps: Joint pain
10. Clapping, radial crease
Helps: Depression, spleen, and liver issues
Note: This clap is known as the tiger’s mouth… cool name. Start and finish shown.
All drawings by yours truly!
​
If you like this kind of content, please take at my store where you can find my books on cycling in Korea.
Stay safe and healthy!
For more great content, considering ordering one of my cycling books and getting a copy of my giant map, "Korea’s Cycling and Long-Distance Hiking Paths." Click the images to learn more!
