건강 Health
geon-gang — “good health.” For healing, for you or someone you love.
Make a Health talismanThe word on the talisman
건강 (geon-gang) means health. In Korea it’s also the most common thing people wish each other — “건강하세요” (stay healthy) ends countless letters, New Year cards and phone calls with grandparents.
Wishes for long life and good health run through Korean folk art. The sipjangsaeng, ten symbols of long life — sun, mountains, water, rocks, clouds, pine, turtles, cranes, deer and the mushroom of immortality — decorated screens, pillows and wedding gifts for centuries. The cloud ornament on this talisman borrows from that same visual language.
Many people make this wish on someone else’s behalf: a parent before surgery, a friend in recovery, a grandparent far away. It is never a substitute for medical care — just a way of keeping someone in your thoughts.
In Korea, families make this wish for someone who is unwell. Wishes for health and long life are among the most common in Korean folk tradition, often made on behalf of a parent or grandparent.
Wishes people write
- “Mom’s surgery goes well.”
- “Sleep through the night again.”
- “Get strong after my injury.”
- “Grandpa feels better soon.”
How people keep it
Keep it by your bed, or give it to the person you’re thinking of.
Other wishes
- LoveFor the heart you hope to find, or keep.
- WealthFor money that comes, and stays.
- ExamsFor the test that matters most.
- CareerFor the job, the raise, the leap.
- ProtectionFor safe roads and calm days.
- FamilyFor a home full of laughter.
- FriendshipFor the people meant to cross your path.
- New BeginningsFor the first step of something new.
- Peace of MindFor a quieter, lighter heart.