Yesterday, I had the weirdest dream.
I was walking in my neighborhood, and I met the usual stray dogs. But something was different. They were all wearing sleek, high-tech AI translators around their necks. And they were talking to me—complaining about the weather and asking for snacks in perfect human language. If I told this to a Western friend, they would laugh and say, “Lay off the sci-fi movies before bed.” But as a Korean, I hesitated for a split second: “Wait… is this a sign?”
The President and the Ginkgo Tree
Why do I hesitate? Because in my life, I have experienced a dream that actually came true.
Years ago, I dreamed I was standing under a beautiful, golden Ginkgo tree. Next to me was someone who was running for President at the time. Together, we were peacefully picking up ginkgo nuts from the ground.
It felt incredibly real. And guess what? They actually won the election and became the President later that year. Because of experiences like this, for Koreans, dreams aren’t just mental noise or anxiety processing. They are often treated as unread text messages from the future.
Teeth vs. Tigers: The Cultural Divide
When Westerners wake up with a strange dream, they usually consult a “Dream Dictionary” on Google to analyze their stress. Common search terms include “Teeth falling out” or “Being chased.” The focus is usually internal anxiety: “What is my subconscious telling me about my feelings?”
In Korea, we look outward to Fate. And the most famous example of this is a unique tradition called “Taemong” (Conception Dreams).
Jennie’s Tiger: A Prophecy of a Queen
In the West, pregnancy dreams are often just seen as the mother’s subconscious. But in Korea, a Taemong is a destiny forecast.
Take Jennie from BLACKPINK. Before she was born, her mother didn’t dream of a cute little bird. She dreamed of a massive tiger. It wasn’t scary; it was majestic and dignified, with sparkling, intense eyes.
In Korean interpretation, a tiger symbolizes a person of great influence and charisma. Looking at Jennie now—dominating global stages with her fierce aura—it feels less like a coincidence and more like a prophecy.
Watch: Jennie shares her personal birth story ➔ ➔
Wait, You Can Buy and Sell Dreams?
Here is the plot twist: The mother isn’t always the one who has the Taemong.
In Korea, pregnancy dreams are a communal event. Often, a grandmother or a best friend wakes up and says, “I dreamed of a giant peach! I think you are pregnant.”
This leads to a fun tradition called “Buying the Dream” (Maemong). If your friend has a lucky dream for you, you have to “buy” it (usually with a coin or a nice lunch) to make the luck yours. It’s a charming ritual that turns a subconscious experience into a shared celebration.
So, What About My “AI Dog” Dream?
Now, back to my talking dogs. Was it a prophecy like my President dream?
Sadly, probably not. In Korean, we have a funny word for messy, meaningless dreams: “Gae-kkum” (개꿈). Literally translated, it means “Dog Dream.”
So, my dream about dogs was, quite literally, a Dog Dream. Just nonsense!
But that’s the fun of it. We wake up wondering, “Is this a Dog Dream or a Tiger Dream?” and start our day with a little bit of mystery.
I hope you sleep well tonight. And if you dream of a pig or a dragon, don’t forget to tell me—I might want to buy that dream from you!
Do you dream in black-and-white or Technicolor? Discover what your visual style says about you in my post: [The Overwhelming Color Dream] ➔ ➔
Are you still guessing their conversation with just your imagination? Decode the reality behind their look in my post: [Is It a Treat or True Love? The Complex Read of a Dog’s ‘Hot Gaze’] ➔ ➔