Korean Urban Legend: The Jangsan Tiger 🐯

 

🇰🇷The Jangsan Tiger 🐯

Korean mythology often depicts the tiger as a guardian or protector, especially a white tiger which is seen as a a symbol of bravery and wisdom.

However there is nothing benevolent about the tiger in this urban legend .

The Jangsan tiger, or Jangsan beom, is an Urban Legend about a frightening supernatural tiger or tiger like creature that originated in  South Korean in 2010.

It was first reported in September 2010. It has  been sighted multiple times in Busan. Other sightings in the Haeundae District of Busan were reported in June 2012. Sightings have also been reported  around, or near Gyeongju, Gyeongsan, Changnyeong and Incheon.

According to the legend,  it  lives on or near Jangsan mountain in Busan. 

It's most well know for it's ability to perfectly mimic human voices, especially a woman's cry/scream, to lure it's victims into the mountains then attacking them. In some versions it can mimic a person's appearance as well as they're voice. 

This cryptid walks on all fours and can move fast on most terrain even steep hills, it has long, white fur, very sharp teeth, and claws,  longer front legs, short back legs and depending on which version of the story you hear it can  resemble a tiger, dog, sloth or lion.

It's main hunting strategy is  its vocal mimicry to used to trick people and lure them into the forest so it can  attack. 

The legend is specifically tied to Jangsan mountain in Busan, Though it's not an actual cryptid as there are no sightings or mention of it before 2010 so as of this writing it's considered an Urban Legend.

The story has gained enough popularity to become an movie....

"The Mimic" (2017).