오행 — The Five Elements
The Five Elements
The elemental forces that refine every animal sign — determined by the last digit of your birth year
Beyond your animal sign, every birth year carries one of five elemental forces. Your element — determined by the last digit of your birth year — deepens and refines your core character, producing 60 unique combinations that cycle every 60 years.
How Elements Work
The five elements come from the ancient concept of 오행 (ohaeng) — literally "five movements." Each element governs certain seasons, directions, colors, and qualities of character. When combined with an animal sign, the element adds a layer of nuance that makes the Korean zodiac far richer than a simple twelve-sign rotation.
Your element is easy to find: look at the last digit of your birth year. 0 or 1 → Metal. 2 or 3 → Water. 4 or 5 → Wood. 6 or 7 → Fire. 8 or 9 → Earth. A person born in 1984 is a Wood Rat. A person born in 1997 is a Fire Cow.