Korean Mythology

Hi everybody and welcome back to Raisa's Mythological Creature Blog! Today I will be introducing 10 Mythological Creatures from Korean Myths. 

Firstly is Dokkaebi. These creatures are Korean goblins that have magical abilities that they use to interact with humans. A myth about Dokkaebi tells that the earliest known authentications of the goblins were in the Silla era and the Goryeo period.

Kjon Hwon is a historical character that people assumed came into the world in the year 847, in the city of Sangdzu in the Li family. Among his ancestors mentioned between others, King Dzinhing is very important. This creature was imagined to be a very vicious snow leopard.

Kungje is one of the most important creatures in the whole history of Korea. He originated in the state of Silla. From myths, we know that Kungje was born with teeth, and his father was the lord of Silla.

There was an amazing animal in Korean myths - Kirin (also called qilin). This creature was a symbol of good luck and it was a Korean unicorn. A myth on Kirin tells that his name originates from the Korean words for male and female, because it is believed that the creature was half male, half female.

Kidza belong to semi-legendary characters in Korean Mythology. He was presented as an aristocrat from China. Historical sources mention that Kidza was the uncle of the last Chinese Emperor of the Shang dynasty.

The tiger is one of the most important animals in Korean Myths. It has become one of the symbols that protects people from evil and his character appears in many legends. A lot of sayings and proverbs about him also exist. It appears  not only the Korean foundation mythology but also in folklore, as well as a favourite subject of Korean art such as painting and sculpture.

Another very important creature in Korean Mythology is the dragon. It has very similar symbolism and features to the Chinese Mythology. It belongs to three mythical animals symbolising good fortune, strength and power. Like in the Middle Kingdom, the dragon here was an attribute of power.

 The phoenix is one of a group of mysterious fantastic animals, also known in European and Mediterranean culture, in which he was associated with a bird with the ability to regenerate from the ashes. He was believed to be a bird that symbolises good luck. 

Under the Korean name Sasin hides a group of mythical critters, which, according to local beliefs, are considered to be the guards of the four corners of the world. As with many other fantastic animals, these creatures also have the ability to claim Chinese origin.

Lastly, Tokkebi is today's final creature. Koreans believe that demons and ghosts existed. They were thought to be particularly dangerous after dark. However, it was not always possible to avoid moving the night. To avoid being confronted with a demon, one must be very careful, but sometimes it does not help. Like in the case of the demon Tokkebi, which were very scary Korean devils.

That's it for today's creatures! Join me tomorrow for more! Bye!