| Dokkaebi | |
 | |
| Korean name | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 도깨비 |
| RR | dokkaebi |
| MR | tokkaebi |
Dokkaebi (Korean: 도깨비) arelegendary creatures fromKorean mythology andfolklore.Dokkaebi, also known as "Koreanogres",[2][3] are nature deities or spirits possessing extraordinary powers and abilities that are used to interact with humans, at times playing tricks on them and at times helping them.[4] Legends describe differentdokkaebi in many forms and beings with a thousand faces, anddokkaebi often wearhanbok.
The earliest known documentation ofdokkaebi is in theSilla-era tale of "Lady Dohwa and Bachelor Bihyeong" from theMemorabilia of the Three Kingdoms compiled during theGoryeo period.Dokkaebi are featured in many folk tale anthologies compiled during theJoseon period.[5]
Dokkaebi are different from deities, divinities, spirits or ghosts, calledgwishin (귀신) in Korean, in that they are not formed by the death of a human being, but rather by the spiritual possession of an inanimate object such as old discarded household tools like brooms, or objects stained with human blood.[4]
The physical appearance of thedokkaebi is presented in many different ways and has varied by different time periods, but they have always been depicted as fearsome and awe-inspiring. The most common depiction of them is based on ancient roof tiles withdokkaebi patterns.[4][6]
Different versions of thedokkaebi mythology assign different attributes to them. In some cases, they are considered harmless but nevertheless mischievous, usually playing pranks on people or challenging wayward travelers to assireum (Korean wrestling) match for the right to pass.Dokkaebi are extremely skilled at wrestling and cannot be beaten unless their right side is exploited. In other tales,dokkaebi only have one leg, so one should hook their leg and push them to win.[citation needed]
Dokkaebi fire is a glimmering light or tall blue flames that herald the appearance ofdokkaebi.[7]
Dokkaebi possess magical items, such as thedokkaebi hat called thedokkaebi gamtu (도깨비 감투), which grants the wearer the ability ofinvisibility, and thedokkaebi magic club called thedokkaebi bangmangi (도깨비 방망이), which can summon things and act functionally as amagic wand.[7]Dokkaebi like buckwheat jelly, sorghum and red bean rice cakes, mashed sorghum, and the drinks. So indokkaebi gosa (도깨비 고사), there are foods whichdokkaebi like.[citation needed]
It is believed thatdokkaebi have immense supernatural powers, can bring good harvests, big catches and great fortunes to humans, and are defenders against evil spirits. Depending on the region's traditional folklore, some traditional practices are held to appeal todokkaebi to bring good luck to humans[4] and other practices are done to chase awaydokkaebi, who are thought to be the causes of bad luck that brings fires and contagious diseases.[8] InJeju Island, theDurin-gut healing ceremony for mental illnesses is said to drive away thedokkaebi from the patient, similar to driving away the bad energy from a person.
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Many Korean legends havedokkaebi featured in them. In several,dokkaebi play pranks on mortals or punish them because of their evil deeds. One such tale describes an old man who lived alone on a mountain. One day, adokkaebi visited his house. Surprised, the kind old man gave thedokkaebi an alcoholic beverage and they become friends.[9] Thedokkaebi visited the old man often and they had long conversations together, but one day, the man took a walk by himself in the woods near the river. He discovered that his reflection looked like thedokkaebi. The old man was afraid as he realized that he was gradually becoming that creature. The man made a plan to prevent himself from becoming adokkaebi and invited the creature to his house. He asked, "What are you most afraid of?" and thedokkaebi answered, "I'm afraid of blood. What are you afraid of?" The man pretended to be frightened and said, "I'm afraid of money. That's why I live in the mountains by myself." The next day, the old man killed a cow and poured its blood all over his house. Thedokkaebi, with shock and great anger, ran away and said, "I'll be back with your greatest fear!" The next day, thedokkaebi brought bags of money and threw it to the old man. After that,dokkaebi never came back and the old man became the richest person in the town.[10]
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Althoughdokkaebis have no set form, some people divide them into types. These are some common types:
Based on the folktale ofdokkaebi, the South Korean cable networktvN showcased a television series calledGuardian: The Lonely and Great God(쓸쓸하고 찬란하神 – 도깨비) starringGong Yoo as title role and written byKim Eun-sook, a notable writer in the industry. It earned 3rd place in the nationwide television ratings.
In 2017,K-pop girlgroupCLC released a song calledHobgoblin (도깨비), which lyrics seem to be casting a spell through seducing so it holds the attention of the listener.[11] The formerly cute group brought a darker and sexier concept, as well a freshEDM Trap sonority. The song succeeded at bringing attention and performed greatly overseas.[12]
In 2018, a novel calledOmniscient Reader's Viewpoint by Sing Shong came out, in which thedokkaebi play a big role as antagonists.
There is also a reference to adokkaebi in a video game calledTom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege. Grace "Dokkaebi" Nam is an operator. Her nickname is a reference to her ability to tamper with the opposing team's phones, by causing them to vibrate, revealing their location. She can also infiltrate CCTV cameras and observe the enemy.[13]
Sujin, anon-binarydokkaebi, is a character in the novelDragon Pearl byYoon Ha Lee.[citation needed]
In September 2020,K-pop boy groupA.C.E released a song called Goblin: Favorite Boys (도깨비). In Korean fairy tales, traditional goblins like to wrestle with humans. Using that, their choreographer found a way for them to use traditional Korean wrestling in their choreography as well as in their clothing styling and set imagery.[14]
An upcoming video game that prominently featuresdokkaebi, titledDokeV, and developed by South Korean video game developerPearl Abyss, is currently in development as of August 2021.[15]
In August 2021, the K-pop boy groupStray Kids made adokkaebi-themed video for their comeback song "Thunderous".[16]
In March 2023, the K-pop boy groupXikers debuted with their song "Tricky House" (도깨비집) and first introduced theirdokkaebi related lore with adokkaebi-themed MV.[17]
Thedokkaebi appear in theMickey Mouse Funhouse episode "HALT, Tiger". They reside in the Shadow Mountain part of the Land of Myth and Legend.
Dokkaebi are featured prominently in the 2025 animated filmKPop Demon Hunters.[18]