Alternative medicine is popular in Korea, as it is in Western societies. This
paper aims to review the current state of alternative medicine, especially the
growth and division of oriental medicine. In the modernization period, practitioners
of oriental medicine were divided into a majority of regular oriental
medical doctors (OMDs) and a minority group mainly composed of acupuncturists.
OMDs have professionalized their work, while acupuncturists have
seen their social status fall. OMDs promoted the professionalization of their
medical practices and monopolization of knowledge. In contrast, acupuncturists
have taken a more popularist approach, advocating low-tech therapy and
sharing knowledge among people. Recently, they have advocated a popular
health movement by training lay acupuncturists and providing free services.
This paper discusses the factors that cause this two-tier approach and the limits
of professionalization and the popular health movements.