SEOUL, April 17 -- The sound of tinkling bells drifts through an alley in central Seoul, an unmistakable sign that a shaman is near - although in this case the mystic is a robot powered by artificial intelligence.

Many South Koreans still place great value in shamanic traditions, which purport to divine a person's future based on the day and time they were born.

Practitioners, known as "mudang", wear long, colourful robes and perform dances and chants to commune with the gods - sometimes even walking on sharp blades to demonstrate their spiritual connection.

However, at Vinaida, a cultural products store in the capital, they are computer-generated avatars on screens.

Visitor Kim Da-ae, 36, called it a "unique experience".

A visit wit...