CreatripTeam

Netflix animation 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' has sparked a Halloween trend as fans recreate the tiger character Duffy as jack-o'-lanterns. Halloween traces back to the Celtic Samhain festival; jack-o'-lanterns originated from an Irish folktale about a stingy man named Jack and were initially carved from turnips. When immigrants reached the U.S., large sweet pumpkins replaced turnips and became both decoration and symbol of abundant food. Korea also has a long pumpkin (hobak) tradition: introduced around the Imjin War period, pumpkins have served as a nutritious staple and appear in regional customs such as eating pumpkin porridge on New Year's Eve in Chilgok and a dried pumpkin dish (hobak-goji-tang) in Inje during lunar celebrations. While Europe used pumpkins as protective lanterns, Korea used them for warmth and sustenance—perfect for the chilly season.