If you are EXO fan and follow the group’s activities, then you have heard of “Travel Around The World On EXO’s Ladder”.
However, our focus here won’t be the reality show, but the game with a key role for the concept around which the show is built.
In Korea the game is called “Sadaritagi” (사다리타기,literally “ladder riding”), in China it is “Painted Ghost Feet” (畫鬼腳; or only “Ghost leg”), and in Japan – “Amidakudji” (阿弥陀籤; “Amida lottery”*)
*Amida (or Amitabha) is a celestial Buddha according to the scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism. He is the principal Buddha in “Pure Land Buddhism”, a branch of East Asian Buddhism.
What is it?
“The Ladder” is a lottery method, designed to create random pairs of two groups of any elements, as long as the number of the elements in the two groups are the same.
It consists of vertical and horizontal lines. The horizontal ones are “legs”/”steps” and are scattered randomly along the vertical lines. The number of the vertical lines is equal to the number of the participants and “prizes”. Each participant chooses a starting point between one of the vertical lines and moves along it. When it meets a horizontal one, they follow it until it reaches another vertical line. This action is repeated until the “prize” is reached.
“The Ladder” could also be used from one participant only – a great way of decision making when you are hesitant to choose between a few things!