While hiking up Gwanaksan, a mountain in the south of Seoul, my friends and I spotted a Korean Magpie. It turns out that historically, these birds have long held a spot in Korean folklore. The magpie is celebrated as a bird of good fortune, unlike in some Western countries where they're considered to bring bad luck. For example, instead of the tooth fairy, many Korean children have been known to throw their baby teeth on their roofs, in the hopes that the magpie will bring them new ones.
Korean Magpies are small birds that are white and black, with a tinge of blue on their wings.
I had no idea what a magpie was when I first saw one during our hike. It felt like a special experience, simply spotting this cool-looking bird like an amateur ornithologist (scientist who studies birds), so I took a picture.
Korean Magpies can be found as far away as Russia. Within Korea, they can be found all over. The bird is considered the common symbol of Korea and has been adopted as the official bird of many South Korean cities and counties.
