# 1 Main Title: The twelve zodiac animals in modern times

# 2 Opening: On weekend afternoons, crowded places are spots where new trends often emerge. Among these places, this twelve-zodiac-animal accessory store catches many people's attention. Customers are keen to choose their own zodiac symbol accessory. (Interview with a citizen) "Well, it's not only for my fortune, but (I like the idea of) carrying my own zodiac sign….. It's my own personal symbol." (Interview with the accessory store owner) "People love these accessories. I guess because one's zodiac sign or animal is closely related with oneself. It's also said that if we carry our own zodiac sign or animal symbol, it will bring us good fortune ……so that's why I think people like these accessories a lot."

# 3 Citizens' Thoughts on the Twelve Zodiac Signs: The twelve zodiac signs have remained connected with everyday life in Korea up until the present day. They are still with us even in today's highly industrialized and modernized society. Even in downtown Seoul, which is filled with luxury goods and foreign brands, Koreans' thoughts about the zodiac are very Korean ideas. Q. What is the first thing comes to mind when you think of your zodiac animal? (Citizen interview 1) "It’s the Year of the Rat." "What comes to mind when you think of rats?" "Hard-working." (Interview 2) "Rats?" "I can only think of eating." (Interview 3) "As for cows, they are simple and honest, and a bit square." (Interview 4) "The tiger?" "The map of the Korean Peninsula" (Interview 5) "Scary!" (Interview 6) "The rabbit? It's cute." (Interview 7) "The rabbit pounds rice in a mortar on the moon, no?" (Interview 8) "Ascending to heaven, holding a cintamani in its mouth." (Interview 9) "It rules the entire world……" (Interview 10) "The skin. The sloughing……." (Interview 11) "It seems a bit sly but clever." (Interview 12) "The horse? Dynamic!" (Citizen interview 13) "A racecourse!" (Interview 14) "The sheep's body resembles a fluffy cloud." (Interview 15) "The sheep is associated with something warm." (Interview 16) "The monkey? Talent!" (Interview 17) "Red bottoms!" (Interview 18) "Foolishness!" (Interview 19) "Waking up in the morning!" (Interview 20) "As for the dog, I usually think of a puppy." (Interview 21) "A pet dog." "A pet dog?" "Yes." (Interview 22) "I associate the pig with good fortune." "Good fortune?" "Yes." (Interview 23) "Good fortune!"

# 4 Subjects of Movies: Everyone is hard at work in a movie studio. A movie about a dragon is being produced there. There is a reason why the dragon, which is such a mythical animal, is the subject of a cutting-edge SF film. (Interview with Director Shim Hyung-rae) "Most people know the dragon, but they don't know what it looks like before becoming a dragon. So, the process of transformation from an Imoogi (according to Korean legend, an imaginary beast that can transform itself into a dragon) into a dragon is being realized in a sci-fi fiction movie. Movies like Star Wars and Harry Potter are western fantasies, whereas the movie Dragon Wars is an oriental fantasy. 디워(D-WAR). As the subject of the movie, the dragon is loved by men and women of all ages, so people want to see such a movie for once……" The dragon stimulates our imagination because it doesn’t exist in reality. There have been difficulties in making such a movie because it is an imaginary animal. At the moment, when Korean cinemas are flush with big Hollywood blockbusters, this SF movie with a Korean theme issues a challenge to the world.

# 5 Sutu (a traditional Korean card game) : Hwatu, a card game that originated in Japan, is also popular among Korean people. Today, the cards of the traditional Korean card game Sutu have been designed with images of the twelve zodiac animals.

# 6 The use of zodiac animals as characters: The development of the character industry has increased the value added of the zodiac sign. The industry has created a new trend by adding a modern sensibility to zodiac animal characters with unique attributes. Characters of the zodiac animals, which have penetrated the mobile market, have been recognized for their economic value. The strongest point of characters based on the twelve zodiac animals is their familiarity to the public. By carrying an item associated with their own zodiac sign, people will identify their personality with the zodiac animal’s characteristics. As the modern zodiac characters are cute and familiar, unlike their classical or folklore images, they can be utilized in various domains. Zodiac characters have also made great advances in the animation industry. Animal-themed animation films, mainly targeting children, show the almost infinite commercial potential of the zodiac animals. In addition, the zodiac characters are very competitive in terms of sports marketing. Characters based on the zodiac animals help spectators unite and improve teamwork. When a team’s character is determined through a strict procedure, the character becomes a business item. It is worth noting that the rabbit character ‘Mashimaro’ has earned great popularity. Mashimaro, which is a bizarre rabbit out of its good-natured animal image, is a popular character loved by everyone. The character was initially created for a cartoon, but it has since been utilized in diverse domains. We can also see zodiac animals in the nostalgia for the 1960s and ‘70s. For example, the Korean ‘White Tiger Corps’, which fought in Vietnam, is associated with the tiger character. Furthermore, zodiac animals have been used as a product brand by combining their symbolic meaning with such products as shoes, medicines, glues, buses, etc. (Interview with Director Kim Il-hwan) "Our company registered the "pig mark" as a trademark in 1965. I heard that as the pig is an animal that represents good fortune and wealth, the company chose the "pig mark" to express wishes for wealth and prosperity." (Interview with assistant manager Cho Seong-geun) "The tiger is a common character in Korean folk paintings and in people’s everyday life, too. For us, the tiger represents power and bravery, but it’s also a beneficent animal for good people, and a malign being for bad people……" The zodiac animals have been used in various ways with different images according to the times. The product brands have changed, developed, and disappeared over time, but another domain has been created with their characterization.

# 7 The Zodiac Signs in Life: The pet industry attests to the intimate relationship between humans and zodiac animals. A diverse pet industry, including dog food, products, and spaces for pets, has been created. (Interview) "These days, people buy a dog as a pet. As there are many single-person households, people have a pet as a companion. "Today is the age of pet animals. Humans and animals live naturally as a family. Monkeys are no exception to this. The zodiac animals were only viewed as livestock in the past; however, the pet industry has produced new jobs based on them. A new trend is happening even in the art of divination, in association with the zodiac sign. Fortune-reading cafés have been opened in the city center, rather than hiding away in dark alleys as they used to. It is also interesting to find that young people in their 20s are the main customers at fortune-reading cafes. We can also see another aspect of the zodiac signs. (Interview with a fortuneteller) "I think you thought that it would be easier to be a man. Because you have many Yang energy, representing bisexuality……" It is surprising that young people in their 20s, who are familiar with the Internet and cutting-edge technology, are interested in fortune-telling.

# 8 Ending: The zodiac signs have been transformed into a modern industry. Today's zodiac aims to review the old and learn the new. Now, the Korean zodiac is both an industry and an economy.