Different Types Of Korean Spirits And Ghosts

Every country has its own catalogue of ghosts and spirits, and Korea is certainly no exception.

Just how spooky are the paranormal beings that are said to roam around Korea? What causes them to linger around?

Let's have a look!

Baby Ghosts
명도 / 태주

Babies who pass away before their third birthday are said to turn into ghosts. If it was a boy, the ghost is often called taejoo (태주), whereas ghosts of baby girls are called myeongdo (명도).

Shamans are said to be able to communicate with these ghosts. However, since the baby ghosts are too young to be able to talk, shamans instead listen to a whistling sound in the air. Communicating with the spirits in this way is said to help them decipher prophecies, and shamans therefore actively seek out the ghosts. 

In addition, babies who die before birth are called Womb Ghosts (태자귀).

Dokkaebi
도깨비

Source: bestbaby

Frequently appearing in Korean dramas,  dokkaebi or goblins (도깨비) often look more like a monster than a ghost. 

There are several legends about the dokkaebi, but one goes that they are the spirits of warriors who were assassinated by highwaymen. Their spirits, in the form of a dokkaebi, would remain in the place they had been slain to protect the area. 

There are several types of dokkaebi. They are often scary-looking, and a common theme is that they like to play tricks on humans. 

Kong Kong Ghost
콩콩귀신

The next ghost looks pretty nasty, so we choose not to put up a picture. Click this link if you are brave enough!

The Kong Kong Ghost is not one you want to run into. According to legend, it is the result of a person (typically a student) who died after falling off a building. As such, it will appear standing on its head, staring at you with wide eyes.

Perhaps the sound of the deceased person hitting the ground, students are said to sometimes hear a thumping sound (kong kong) in dark school hallways. 

In some stories, its head has been severed from the body, and the ghost will hold its head in one hand while running on the other. This is a ghost we'd rather avoid! 

Gumiho
구미호

Source: 핫이슈완벽정리

Many of us probably know the gumiho from the drama Tale of the Nine Tailed, where Lee Dong-wook stars as one of the leads. 

The legendary gumiho is said to be a half-fox, half-woman creature who likes to eat the liver and soul of humans. Yikes!

Child Ghosts
동자 / 동녀

Similarly to baby ghosts, children who pass away can turn into child ghosts. Boy spirits are called dongja (동자) and girl spirits are called dongnyeo (동녀).

When a shaman is possessed by one of these spirits, they will start speaking like a child.

The ghosts are usually the spirits of children between 5 and 15 years old, and they are usually benevolent beings.

Virgin Ghosts
몽달귀신

As the name suggests, virgin ghosts (몰달귀신) left the world without getting married. This left them filled with a lot of regret and resentment, and they return to harm and possess women.

Other names for this kind of ghost include 도령귀신 ("bachelor ghost") and 삼태귀신. 

It is possible to free the ghost of its resentment by arranging a "ghost wedding", marrying them to the ghost of a deceased woman.

Spirits Of Good-Hearted Women
선녀부인

Source: 종로불교사

In Korea, the spirits of good-hearted young women who unfortunately pass away are said to live on.

In general, they are said to be benevolent. They possess a strong spiritual power, and they often possess shamans who will act as a medium for them.

House Ghosts
터귀신

House ghosts (터귀신 or 집귀신) are basically ghosts that are tied to and live in certain buildings.

They are mostly benevolent and will never leave their house. However, if the place they live in is destroyed, or if you try to chase them away, they can turn into evil spirits that can cause trouble.

Lovesick Ghosts
상사귀

As the name suggests, lovesick ghosts (상사귀) are ghosts who still left the world with regrets. They come back longing for the love that they felt was unfulfilled while they were still alive. 

If they were in a relationship before they passed away, they can come back to haunt their old lovers, or even try to take their lovers away with them!

What did you make of Korean ghosts? It seems like most of them linger around because of a sense of regret, and they are not necessarily scary beings (although some certainly are!).