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).

Korean Myth: Jeoseung Saja.

The Jeoseung Saja..저승사자💀

The Korean Grim Reaper/ Messenger of Death.

 In Korean mythology, the god of death is known as Yeomra (also spelled Yeomra-Daewang). 

He is the fifth of the ten Kings of the Underworld, collectively known as Shi-wang, and is considered the supreme ruler of the afterlife. 

Yeomra's main role is to judge the sins of the deceased and determine their fate in the afterlife. He is the Korean equivalent of Yama, the Hindu and Buddhist god of death. 

Though he is not alone in this role,he has servants that collect the souls and bring them to the afterlife/underworld. 

The Jeoseung Saja," or the traditional Korean Grim Reaper.

Depicted as a  pale-faced man, draped in black robes and wearing a gat, a traditional Korean hat made of horsehair and silk.

The modern look is a bit different then the original version, According to the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture by Kim Deok-mook, the jeoseung saja originally appeared in shamanistic rituals as a military officer, dressed in official armor.

Even though he is frightening (a literal grim reaper ), he was not treated with hostility. In traditional funerary rites, he's regarded with respect.

“Since the reaper also serves as a guide through the long and difficult journey to the afterlife, mistreating him could bring misfortune to the deceased,” That’s why families treat him with care during rituals.”

In a traditional funerary ritual from Hwanghae Province, families prepare three bowls of rice, three pairs of straw shoes, and three sets of spoons and chopsticks. These offerings are meant to honor the three reapers guiding the soul from this world to the next .

Well the western Grim Reaper is seen  as a solitary figure,his Korean counterpart can very  in the number of reapers

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In many paintings from the Joseon era he is depicted wearing bright red armor. Instead of the black / darker clothes we usually associate with death.

 The Joseon dynasty, also known as the Yi dynasty, was the last and longest-ruling Korean dynasty, lasting from 1392 to 1897. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye, who established the capital in Hanyang, (modern day ) Seoul. 

The word Saja can also mean lion.

In the 2016  Korean Drama-  K-drama "Goblin" (also called  "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God"), the show features a popular character, played by Lee Dong-wook, who is a Jeoseung Saja, showcasing a more humanized version of the traditional Grim Reaper figure.

(Goblin info)..In his quest for a bride to break his immortal curse, Dokkaebi, a 939-year-old guardian of souls, encounters a grim reaper and a student with a tragic past

 In a more recent depiction they were demons on the Netflix hit Kpop Demon Hunters,though in the actual lore they are more akin to afterlife government workers.  

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Jeju City Sky phenomena. ✨

 

When we look up at night we often expect to see stars, meteor showers or the occasional commit passing by. But every now and then we witness a truly bizarre event occurring right before our eyes.

Strange crafts, (UFOS) or other odd sightings.

This seemed to be the case in South Korea in 2022...

On Halloween night in 2022 a strange phenomenon was spotted over the sky's of Jeju City.

Dozens of glowing pillars of light hanging over the city were photographed by citizens, many took to reddit to describe what they had seen.

One photo even received of 18,000 upvotes

Explanations ranged from UFO's or Ghosts to simply odd weather conditions.

...........

The official explanation..

The lights occur when tiny crystals of ice, averaging about 0.02 mm (0.0008 inch), form in the sky and remain suspended in the atmosphere, close to the Earth's surface.

The suspended ice crystals are great reflectors, beaming city lights back down to your eyes or camera lens," Usually, these are plate-shaped ice crystals, which form at temperatures of 14 to -40 Fahrenheit.

the weather needs to be cold. The ideal conditions for this to occur are on a frigid winter night–often subzero temperatures–with high humidity and little to no wind,

"It is not too common to see light pillars because the weather conditions must be just right."

......

Whether this was a truly rare natural phenomena or something more supernatural, either way it would be very cool to see in person..

Demons of Love: the Kumiho / Gumiho..The Korean Fox Girl

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(Next week's post will be the Succubus, Happy early Valentines Day................
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                                           Ahri League of Legends  by  ASTELTAINN


A kumiho (gumiho)
is a type of fox spirit in Korean mythology

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The Kumiho like the Japanese Kitsune is a supernatural fox creature ..

Fox spirits are popular east Asian figures Korea, Japan and China  all have ancient myths and folklore regarding them.

According to legend a  fox that manages to live a thousand years turns into a kumiho, like other fox legend's the kumiho can transform at will usually taking on a female form they  will then  set out to seduce men, and according to some versions on the myth eat there heart or liver.


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Fox spirits are in a way similar to the Succubus in that they take the form of seductive young woman....
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         Shin Min-ah plays a fox girl in the South Korean comedy romance My Girlfriend is a Gumiho  ..





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The encyclopedic Compendium of Korean Oral Literature contains a lot of story's regarding the gumiho..
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Even though the Gumiho has the power to transform into a human (Most often a beautiful woman). They  still something retain one or more fox-like features.

For example  in her human form she may still have , a fox like face or  pointed ears hidden under her hair, or maybe even  nine fox tails that only become visible when her  wedding dress is removed. Though able to change between human and fox forms, a Kumiho is very cautions and  guards her true identity.

 It is believed that a  kumiho can transform into the identical likeness of a  bride at a wedding and is only discovered when her clothes are removed on the honeymoon and her fox tail is reveled.  

Bakh Mun-su and the Kumiho (박문수와 구미호) records an encounter that Pak Munsu has with a girl, living alone in the woods, that has a fox-like appearance. In The Maiden who Discovered a Kumiho through a Chinese Poem (한시로 구미호를 알아낸 처녀), the kumiho is ultimately revealed when a hunting dog catches the scent of a fox and attacks the girl. Although they have the ability to change physical forms, a kumiho dose not change there true nature.
 However it is believed that kumiho how  abstains from killing and eating humans for a thousand days, can become human.

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Nine tailed fox myths and legends seem to have Originated  in China  centuries ago and later being introduced to introduced to both Korean and Japanese mythology.

The  Korean Kumiho / Gumiho  shares many similarities to the Chinese Huli Jing and the Japanese Kitsune  an old Chinese text, claims a fox with nine tails lives in an area called Qingqiu (靑丘).

As the kumiho and other versions of the nine-tailed fox myths originated from China, they all have a similar concept.

 The all describe  fox spirits as being the result of extreme longevity or the accumulation of energy.

Usually foxes who have lived for at least thousand years, will gain  the power of shape-shifting.

However there is still some differences between the legends , while the Chinese  huli jing and the Japanese  kitsune are usually said to have a more ambiguous moral compasses, possibly good or evil, the kumiho is almost always treated as a malevolent figure who feasts on human energy and sometimes there flesh.

                                    Ahri League of Legends  found on Wallpaper HD

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It is unclear at which point in time Koreans began viewing the kumiho as a evil creature, since many ancient texts from China mention a more benevolent kumiho helping humans (and even make mentions of bad humans tricking kind but naïve kumiho).

In later text, kumiho were often depicted as bloodthirsty half-fox, half-human creatures that wandered cemeteries at night, digging human hearts out from graves simelar to Ghoules.
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The fairy tale The Fox Sister A fox spirit preying on a family for their livers.

 However, according to Gyuwon Sahwa, kumiho is described as an auspicious fox spirit with a book in its mouth. Considering the text is thought to be written in 1675, some speculate that the modern violent image of kumiho is influenced during the Japanese occupation in Korea.

Nevertheless, foxes often contained a negative image during the Koryo Dynasty  (Shin Don)  was described as an old fox spirit due to his love for women and drinks despite his being a buddhist monk), suggesting two different views could have co-existed in ancient Korea.

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The  Gyuwon Sahwa  was written in 1675, and describes ancient Korean  history including the creation of the universe. Today, its principal value is generally seen in its role as a historical story reflecting the consciousness of the period, rather than as a historical record. Similar contents are also found in Hwandan Gogi, which is generally believed to have been influenced by the Gyuwon Sahwa
 The Gyuwon Sahwa is now kept at the National Library or Korea.

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The most distinctive feature that separates the kumiho from its two counterparts is the existence of a 'yeowoo guseul' (여우구슬, literally meaning fox marble/bead) which is said to consist of knowledge.

According to Korean mythology, the yeowoo guseul provides power to the kumiho and knowledge (and intelligence) to people if they can steal and swallow one.

The kumiho can absorb humans' energy with it. The method of absorbing energy with the "yeowoo guseul" resembles a "deep kiss" (a kiss using the  tongue). The kumiho sends the yeowoo guseul into people's mouths and then retakes it with their tongues. If that person swallows the yeowoo guseul, however, and then observes "sky, land, and people", each observation gives the observer preternatural knowledge. But the person fails to watch the "sky" in most tales, so they get a special ability but not the most important one.
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Just like Vampire's, Witches and Werewolf story's in Western folklore, there are always going to by slightly different variations on the myth depending on the person  recounting them.

In one older version of this  myth, says  that with enough will, a kumiho could ascend from its yokai  form and  become permanently human there by lose its evil characteristics.

Explanations of how this could be possible vary, but sometimes include aspects such as refraining from killing or tasting meat for a thousand days, or obtaining a cintamani   and making sure that the Yeoiju saw the full moon  at least every month during the ordeal. Unlike Yeoiju-wielding dragon  , kumiho were not believed to be capable of optioning omnipotence or creation at will, since they were lesser creatures.
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9 Tails fox's power's and abilitys----

Fox spirits can create and control Fox Fire lightning ......
Aside from heightened intelligent and extreme longevity, 9 tailed fox's are said to have  many different ability's and supernatural powers

 Include possession, generating fire or lightning, and  manifesting in the dreams of others at will.

                           

Cryptids: The Boogeyman legends from around the world..

                  ===============THE BOOGEYMAN==========



No doubt you've heard of this creature of the shadows at some point or another during your lifetime.

He is the creature of nightmares, the monster under your bed, or that strange thing lurking in your closet late at night...he is the Boogeyman.

This cryptid appears in story's and myth's around the globe, here are a few of his other names ...

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Korea -

In Gyungsang province, Dokebi (도깨비)  a monster that show's up  to take misbehaving children.

 The word kokemi, however, is derived from a word Kotgahm (곶감), dried persimmon. According to Korean folklore, a woman, in an attempt to soothe her crying child, said "Here comes a tiger to come and get you.

I'll let him in unless you stop crying." Accidentally, a tiger passed by, overheard her and decided to wait for his free meal. Instead of opening the door of the house, to the tiger's disappointment, the mother offered her child a dried persimon saying "Here's a kotgahm." Of course, the child, busy eating, stopped crying.

The tiger, not knowing what a Kotgahm is, ran away thinking "this must be a scary monster for whom even I am no match." (Tigers are revered by Koreans as most powerful and fearsome creatures.) Other variations include mangtae younggam (망태 영감) an oldman (younggam) who carries a mesh sack (mahngtae) to put his kidnapped children in. In some regions, mangtae younggam is replaced by mangtae halmum (망태 할멈), an old woman with a mesh sack.



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Japan -the bogeyman is called Namahage he is a type of  demons that warns children not to be lazy or cry, during the Namahage Sedo Matsuri, or "Demon Mask Festival", when villagers wear demon masks or (Oni Mask) and pretend to be these spirits.

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Denmark and some area's of Norway --

The Boogeyman in Danish is called bussemanden. It hides under the bed and grabs children who will not sleep. It is also a slang term for nasal mucus. 



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Germany -

in Germany the Boogeyman is known as Der schwarze Mann (the black man), the "Buhmann" or the Butzemann. "Schwarz" does not refer to the color of skin but to his preference for hiding in dark places, like the closet, under the bed of children or in forests at night. There is also a children's game called Wer hat Angst vorm schwarzen Mann? (Who is afraid of the black man?).



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Norway* - "nøkken" and in some areas Busemannen , the norwaegian bogeyman is often described as a monster in the lake, he was said to come and take children which did not come in when they were told too.

                                                                 Nokken




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Netherlands - Boeman, The Dutch Boogeyman is  a creature that resembles the a adult male, dressed completely black, with sharp claws and fangs. The Bogeyman takes bad children or those who refuse to sleep and locks them in his basement for a period of time.






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 Sweden -

The Swedish  Boogeyman is most often called the  Monstret under sängen which basically means "the monster under the bed".


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France-


In France the Bogeyman is le croque-mitaine ("the mitten-biter" or rather "the hand-cruncher"—mitaine means mitt in an informal way) 

Another version of a Boogyman like bing from french mythology is called Bonhomme sept heures or (Seven o'clock man) he was said to take children who stayed outside past 7pm. He is described as an old man wearing a hat and cape, and having a cane and a bag full of sand that is uses to throw in the eyes of the children he targets....





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 Russia, Ukraine and Belarus-

 Here the Boogeyman is usually said to be hiding under the bed, babay ("бабай") or babayka ("бабайка") this version of teh story is used to keep children in bed at night  or stop them from misbehaving. 'Babay' means 'old man' in Tatar. Children are told that "babay" is an old man with a bag or in some versions a monster, and that it will take them away if they misbehave.

The eastern part of Ukraine has babay as well, possibly due to Russian influence. Slovenia

 The Slovenian Bogeyman is called Bavbav. It doesn't have a particular shape or form. often it isn't even defined as a man or anything human. It can be thought of as a kind of sprite or spirit.


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Romania -

In Romania the Boogeyman is called a bau-bau (pronounced "bow-bow"). Bau-bau stories are used by parents to scare children who misbehave. The babau (babao or barabao) also appears in Italy.


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The Boogeyman can be found in many places world wide so behave yourselves or you just may meet him lol and don't forget to check under your bed...

Korea, Japan and China: Dragon's of East Asia..

                                             East Asian Dragon's, or The Oriental Dragon...

Dragon myth's can be found in all corners of the world East Asia Korean Japan and China have their  own unique dragon legends too, however the East Asian dragon is often seen as a more benevolent being as apposed to it's European counterpart...


When you hear the word Dragon what comes to mind, for most of us it's a massive winged beast of fire and destruction terrorizing some poor medieval village. or in more recent times Viking flying their fire breathing friends (How To Train Your Dragon)..

Or maybe from your next adventure driven campaign of DnD (Dungeons and Dragons) it would seem that dragons real or imagined hold a special place in our hearts and mind's from  classic literature, too modern entertainment dragons can be found in some form or another in every corner of the world.

However Dragons differ in appearance slightly from culture to culture, where most European dragons are usually large winged fire breathing creatures of  destruction, East Asian dragons are often seen as lean flying creatures often  associated with the elements Earth, Fire, Water and Air...

In Korean mythology dragons are mostly seen as benevolent beings related to water and agriculture,
treated with reverence and respect, these dragons are considered bringers of good fortune, rain and clouds.

Many Korean dragons are said to make their homes in rivers, lakes, deep mountain ponds and even the ocean.

Korean culture is full of dragon's both in ancient art and mythology.

Intelligent sentient  dragons, capable of understanding speech and complex emotions are mentioned in ancient myth's these beings often show very human emotions
such as devotion, kindness, and gratitude.


One of the more popular and well known legends is that of The great King Munmu, who on his deathbed wished to become a Dragon of the East Sea in order to protect Korea forever.

The Korean dragon  differs slightly in appearance  when compered to other East Asian dragons like the Japanese and  Chinese.


The Korean dragon was said to have certain specific traits: for example it could fly but it dose not have  wings  in addition to a slightly longer  beard.

East Asian dragons share a common mythology and as far as physical appearance the  Korean dragon look's a lot like the Japanese or Chinese dragon's.

In some depictions this  dragon may be shown carrying a dragon orb known as the Yeo-ui-ju (여의주) in one or more of its claws.

Legend has it that  whoever could wield the Yeo-ui-ju was blessed with the abilities of omnipotence and creation at will, and that only four-toed dragons (those with  thumbs to hold the orbs) were both wise and powerful enough to wield these orbs (as opposed to the lesser, three-toed dragons


As with China, the number nine is significant in Korea, and dragons were said to have 81 (9×9) scales on their backs, representing yang essence.

Korea also has legends of the cockatrice (Chicken like reptile), a type of chimera in European mythology that is capable of breathing fire and turning it's victims to stone just by looking at
them,  similar to a basilisk a large serpent like reptile that also turns it's victims to stone, but where the cockatrice can breath fire the basilisk is venomous so much so that even
it's breath is toxic

The Korean cockatrice is known as a gye-lyong they do not appear in myth's as often as actual dragons.

Cockatrice are sometimes seen as  chariot-pulling beasts for important figures or for the parents of mythological heroes.



Dragons and Naga's

Though very similar in appearance the East Asian Dragon should not be confused with another massive serpent of myth the Naga.


Dragon's, Imugi and Naga..

In Korean mythology it is said that most dragons were originally Imugis (이무기), or lesser dragons, these creature resemble a gigantic serpents.

There are a few different versions of the Imugi myth differing slightly be regions, these myths describe both what imugis are and how they wish to become full dragons.

According to legend's an Imugi can become a  true dragon, or yong or mireu, if it was able to catch a Yeouiju that had fallen from heaven.

Another myth says that they are hornless creatures closely resembling dragons that  had  been cursed and were unable to become real dragons.

In either case they are said to be large, benevolent,  python-like creatures that live in water or caves, and their sighting is often associated with good luck.

In Hindu mythology the Naga is often described as being  somewhat human in appearance, a Half Serpent Half Human creature whereas a more traditional Naga is said to be more serpentine in appearance.. as seen below.

On the left is the Hindu Goddess..Naga Kanya The  Guardian of the three Realms, and on the right is a classic Serpent style Naga.

Korea also has a large variety of festivals and events ranging from cultural heritage or just fun and game's with great food. Feel free too join in on if your in the area :)


                                            Muju Firefly Festival..

 Kick of the beginning of fall season with the ( Link too site  Muju Firefly Festival ) which takes place from August 31st  to September 8^th.

This  fall Korean festival celebrates the beauty of nature and fireflies, it also offers guests the opportunity to participate in nighttime activities that involve  observing fireflies in their natural habitat.

There are also plenty of outdoor activities during the daytime for festival attendees.
  

Address ... 326-17 Hanpungnu-ro, Muju-eup, Muju, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea

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                                        7080 Chungjang Recollection Festival
 
Also if your a fan of retro 70's -80's then check out the Chungjang Recollection Festival in October

                                       
                                            The 7080 Chungjang Recollection Festival

7080 Chungjang Recollection Festival is a popular  Gwangsan-gu festival  that is centered around reviving the culture of the ‘70’s and the ‘80’s that thrived on Chungjang-ro Street. Food drink's and a family friendly parade and events October 7th - 11th

 These are just two of the many many festivals to visit this time of year :)

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Chinese Dragons and History..

 In ancient times the dragon was the symbol of the Emperor of China.

 In the Zhou Dynasty, the 5-clawed dragon was assigned to the Son of Heaven, the 4-clawed dragon to the nobles (zhuhou, seigneur), and the 3-clawed dragon to the ministers (daifu).

In the Qin Dynasty, the 5-clawed dragon was assigned to represent the Emperor while the 4-clawed and 3-clawed dragons were assigned to the commoners. The dragon in the Qing Dynasty appeared on national flags.

The Statue of the goddess Xihe charioteering the sun, being pulled by a dragon, in Hangzhou The dragon is sometimes used in the West as a national emblem of China. However, this usage within both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan as the symbol of nation is not common. Instead, it is generally used as the symbol of culture.

In Hong Kong, the dragon is part of the Hong Kong Brand a symbol of Kong, a symbol used to promote the city  as an international brand name of sorts. 

 
Sometimes Chinese people use the term Descendants of the Dragon as a sign of ethnic identity, as part of a trend started in the 1970s when different Asian nationalities were looking for animal symbols for representations. The wolf was used among the Mongols, the monkey among Tibetans.

In Chinese culture today, the dragon is mostly used for decorative purposes. It is a taboo to disfigure a depiction of a dragon.

 The C-shaped jade totem of Hongshan culture (Pig Dragon)  was carved dragon  ornament from the Warring States period (403 BC-221 BC). Gilded-bronze handle in the shape of a dragon's head and neck, made during the Eastern Han period (25–220 AD)

The origin of the Chinese dragon is not certain. The presence of dragons within the Chinese culture dates back  thousands of years  one archeological dig  discovered  a dragon statue dating back to at least  the fifth millennium BC from the Yangshao culture in Henan in 1987, there where also several  jade badges of different rank in coiled form excavated from the Hongshan culture dating to roughly  4700-2900 BC.
 
The coiled snake or dragon form played an important role in early Chinese culture. The character for "dragon" in the earliest Chinese writing has a similar coiled form, as do later jade dragon amulets from the Shang period.

                   Hongshan Coiled Snake or Pig Dragon Jade carving

A pig dragon or zhūlóng is a type of jade artifact from the Hongshan culture of neolithic China as discribed above. Pig dragons are zoomorphic forms with a pig-like head and elongated limbless body coiled around to the head

Ancient Chinese referred to unearthed dinosaur bones as dragon bones and documented them as such. For example in 300 BC Chang Qu documented the discovery of Dragon Bones in Sichuan and the modern word for dinosaur is konglong meaning Terrible Dragon.

A Chinese Dragons and their relation to the water and the weather....

During the Ming Dynasty Chinese dragons were strongly associated with water in many Chinese myths. they are believed to be the rulers of moving bodies of water, such as waterfalls, rivers, or seas.

They can show themselves as water spouts (tornado or twister over water). In this capacity as the rulers of water and weather, the dragon is more anthropomorphic in form, often depicted as a humanoid, dressed in a king's costume, but with a dragon head wearing a king's headdress.

There are four major Dragon Kings, representing each of the four seas: the East Sea (corresponding to the East China Sea), the South Sea (corresponding to the South China Sea), the West Sea (sometimes seen as the Indian Ocean and beyond), and the North Sea (sometimes seen as Lake Baikal).

Because of this association, they are seen as "in charge" of water-related weather phenomenon.

In the past, many Chinese villages (especially those close to rivers and seas) had temples dedicated to their local "dragon king". In times of drought or flooding, it was customary for the local gentry and government officials to lead the community in offering sacrifices and conducting other religious rites to appease the dragon, either to ask for rain or a cessation thereof.

The King of Wu-Yue in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period was often known as the "Dragon King" or the "Sea Dragon King" because of his extensive hydro-engineering

No matter were you are or were you go there are dragon  legends  in every corner of the globe.

 I  will be going more post's on Dragons and other Mythological creatures soon, thank you for reading.