ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the importance and significance of religion in contemporary Korean society by tracing the development of various religious traditions from the past, as well as their interactions, which continue to shape and transform modern Korean society in various ways. It outlines the trajectories of Shamanism, Buddhism and Confucianism, which for centuries co-existed in relative harmony until the rise of Neo-Confucianism during the Chosŏn dynasty (1392–1910). It also underlines the important effects of ‘Western’ religions in Korea, Catholicism and Protestantism, which also influenced the emergence of New Religious Movements (NRMs), such as Tonghak (Eastern Learning), ultimately transforming Korea’s religious landscape.
