Kumiho

SpiritKorea · East AsiaFolktaleFear 6/10

Description

한국 설화에 등장하는 Spirit. A kumiho or gumiho (Korean: 구미호; Hanja: 九尾狐; lit. 'nine-tailed fox') is a creature that appears in t

Origin & Background

Kumiho (구미호) or gumiho (구미호) is a creature that appears in East Asian folklore and Korean legends. It is similar to the Chinese jiuweihu (九尾狐), the Japanese kitsune (狐), and the Vietnamese hồ ly tinh (호리정). The term Kumiho originally referred to a magical fox appearing in Korean novels from the Joseon Dynasty, and in historical records from the same period, it was used in a derogatory sense to criticize traitorous officials. In modern Korea, the term kumiho has been expanded to include all fox spirits described in traditional Korean materials.

The Legend

Kumiho is primarily depicted as a deceptive, malevolent, and tragic being in Korean mythology. However, it is occasionally portrayed as benevolent towards humans or as a deity ruling over mountains. They often appear in the form of heretical Buddhist monks or beautiful women, and are sometimes described as monsters that torment and threaten dragons, which are considered sacred beings in Korean mythology. In Korean mythology, dragons are depicted as divine beings that protect kingdoms, while foxes are portrayed as entities that disrupt kingdoms or foreshadow their downfall. In some stories, fox spirits are depicted defeating various dragons, emphasizing the semi-divine characteristics of the fox.

In Popular Culture

The modern media industry in Korea frequently produces works based on traditional legends. Kumiho is one of the motifs used in such media, with characters appearing in KBS's horror anthology series 'Legend of the Town' becoming widely known to Korean audiences. Stories centered around Kumiho's desire to become human appear in works from the Joseon Dynasty such as 'The Fox Sister', 'Eight Hundred Stories', and 'Fox Den', and this theme is more pronounced in modern Korean mythology. Kumiho is expressed in various ways, with positive reinterpretations occurring. In contrast, in North Korean media, foxes are primarily depicted with negative imagery.

This article is based on the Wikipedia article "Kumiho" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia