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Dokkaebi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the mythical creature of Korean folklore. For other uses, seeDokkaebi (disambiguation).

Dokkaebi
Dokkaebipatterned tiles from Oe-ri,Buyeodating back to theBaekjeperiod[1]
Korean name
Hangul
Revised RomanizationDokkaebi
McCune–ReischauerTokkaebi

{{Transliteration|ko|rr|Dokkaebi}or dogkagkwi}(Korean:도깨비 or 국각귀) arelegendary creaturesfromKorean mythologyandfolklore.Dokkaebi,also known as "Koreangoblins",[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 differentdokkaebiin many forms and beings with a thousand faces, anddokkaebioften wearhanbok.

Origins

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The earliest known documentation ofdokkaebiis in theSilla-era tale of "Lady Dohwa and Bachelor Bihyeong" from theMemorabilia of the Three Kingdomscompiled during theGoryeoperiod.Dokkaebiare featured in many folk tale anthologies compiled during theJoseonperiod.[5]

Characteristics

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Dokkaebiare different from 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 thedokkaebiis 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 withdokkaebipatterns.[4][6]

Different versions of thedokkaebimythology 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.Dokkaebiare extremely skilled at wrestling and cannot be beaten unless their right side is exploited. In other tales,dokkaebionly have one leg, so one should hook their leg and push them to win.[citation needed]

Dokkaebifire is a glimmering light or tall blue flames that herald the appearance ofdokkaebi.[7]

Dokkaebipossess magical items, such as thedokkaebihat called thedokkaebi gamtu(도깨비 감투), which grants the wearer the ability ofinvisibility,and thedokkaebimagic club called thedokkaebi bangmangi(도깨비 방망이), which can summon things and act functionally as amagic wand.[7]Dokkaebilike Buckwheat jelly, Sorghum and red bean rice cakes, mashed Sorghum and the drinks. So indokkaebigosa (도깨비 고사), there are foods whichdokkaebilike.[citation needed]

Abilities

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It is believed thatdokkaebihave 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 todokkaebito 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-guthealing ceremony for mental illnesses is said to drive away thedokkaebifrom the patient, similar to driving away the bad energy from a person.

Legends

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Many Korean legends havedokkaebifeatured in them. In several,dokkaebiplay 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, adokkaebivisited his house. Surprised, the kind old man gave thedokkaebian alcoholic beverage and they become friends. Thedokkaebivisited 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.He fear, and realized that he was gradually becoming that creature. The man made a plan to prevent himself from becoming adokkaebiand invited the creature to his house. He asked, "What are you most afraid of?" and thedokkaebianswered, "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, thedokkaebibrought bags of money and threw it to the old man. After that,dokkaebinever came back and the old man became the richest person in the town.

Types

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Althoughdokkaebishave no set form, some people divide them into types. These are some common types:

  • Cham dokkaebi(참도깨비;lit.true dokkaebi): A mischievous dokkaebi. Contrast with Gae Dokkaebi.
  • Gae dokkaebi(개도깨비;lit.dog dokkaebi): Evildokkaebi.Contrast with ChamDokkaebi.
  • Gaksi dokkaebi(각시도깨비;lit.maiden dokkaebi) andchonggak dokkaebi(총각도깨비;lit.bachelor dokkaebi): Dokkaebi, known to attract humans.
  • Go dokkaebi(고도깨비;lit.high dokkaebi): Dokkaebi known to be good at fighting and handling weapons, especiallyarrows.
  • KimSeobang dokkaebi(김서방 도깨비;lit.Mr. Kim Dokkaebi): A dumb dokkaebi that looks like a farmer.
  • Nat dokkaebi(낮도깨비;lit.day dokkaebi): Unlike otherdokkaebi,these appear during the daylight. They are known to givedokkaebi gamtusto humans.
  • Oedari dokkaebi(외다리도깨비;lit.one-legged dokkaebi): A one-leggeddokkaebithat likes to playSsireum.
  • Oenun dokkaebi(외눈도깨비;lit.one-eyed dokkaebi): A one-eyeddokkaebithat eats a lot.

Media

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Based on the folktale ofGoblin,the South Korean cable networktvNshowcased a Television series calledGuardian: The Lonely and Great God (쓸쓸하고 찬란하 thần – 도깨비) starringGong Yooas title role which was written byKim Eun-sook,a notable writer in the industry. It earned 3rd place in the nationwide television ratings.

In 2017,K-popgirlgroupCLCreleased a song calledHobgoblin(도깨비), which lyrics seem to be casting a spell through seducing so it holds the attention of the listener.[9]The formerly cute group brought a darker and sexier concept, as well a freshEDM Trapsonority. The song succeeded at bringing attention and performed greatly overseas.[10]

In 2018, a novel called Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint by Sing Shong came out, in which the Dokkaebi play a big role as antagonists.

There is also a reference to adokkaebiin 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.[11]

Sujin, anon-binarydokkaebi,is a character in the novelDragon PearlbyYoon Ha Lee.[citation needed]

In September 2020,K-popboy groupA.C.Ereleased 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.[12]

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.[13]

In August 2021, the K-pop boy groupStray Kidsmade adokkaebi-theme video for their comeback song "Thunderous".[14]

In March 2023, the K-pop boy groupXikersdebuted with their song "Tricky House" (도깨비집) and first introduced theirdokkaebirelated lore with adokkaebi-themed MV.[15]

Thedokkaebiappear in theMickey Mouse Funhouseepisode "HALT, Tiger". They reside in the Shadow Mountain part of the Land of Myth and Legend.

References

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  1. ^"Earthenware Patterned Tiles from Oe-ri, Buyeo (Tile with Demon Design)".National Museum of Korea.Archivedfrom the original on 6 February 2017.Retrieved5 February2017.
  2. ^Lee, Jonathan H. X. (2011).Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore and Folklife.ABC-CLIO. p. 664.ISBN978-0-313-35066-5.Retrieved12 January2019.
  3. ^Klepeis, Alicia Z. (2015).Goblins.Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC. p. 48.ISBN978-1-5026-0935-9.Retrieved12 January2019.
  4. ^abcdThe National Folk Museum of Korea (South Korea) (17 July 2014).Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Beliefs: Encyclopedia of Korean Folklore and Traditional Culture Vol. II.길잡이미디어. pp. 154–155.ISBN9788928900572.Retrieved5 February2017.
  5. ^The National Folk Museum of Korea (South Korea) (27 November 2014).Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Literature: Encyclopedia of Korean Folklore and Traditional Culture Vol. III.길잡이미디어. p. 356.ISBN9788928900848.Retrieved5 February2017.
  6. ^부여 외리 문양전 일괄 ( phù dư ngoại lí văn dạng chuyên nhất quát ).Cultural Heritage Administration(in Korean).Archivedfrom the original on 6 February 2017.Retrieved5 February2017.
  7. ^abThe National Folk Museum of Korea (South Korea) (27 November 2014).Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Literature: Encyclopedia of Korean Folklore and Traditional Culture Vol. III.길잡이미디어. pp. 297–299.ISBN9788928900848.Retrieved5 February2017.
  8. ^The National Folk Museum of Korea (South Korea) (17 July 2014).Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Beliefs: Encyclopedia of Korean Folklore and Traditional Culture Vol. II.길잡이미디어. pp. 51–52.ISBN9788928900572.Retrieved5 February2017.
  9. ^"CLC Switch It Up with" Goblin "".Soulbeats.21 January 2017.Archivedfrom the original on 24 October 2020.Retrieved23 October2020.
  10. ^"CLC Revamps Style With HyunA Co-Written 'Hobgoblin'".Billboard.18 January 2017.Archivedfrom the original on 20 July 2017.Retrieved23 October2020.
  11. ^"Dokkaebi | Operators | Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege | Ubisoft (UK)".www.ubisoft.com.Archivedfrom the original on 18 April 2023.Retrieved18 April2023.
  12. ^"A.C.E On Bringing Traditional Korean Culture To Modern K-Pop: 'We're Really Proud'".Forbes.9 September 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 13 November 2020.Retrieved15 November2020.
  13. ^Wald, Heather."DokeV guide: Everything we know so far".GamesRadar+.Archivedfrom the original on 27 August 2021.Retrieved27 August2021.
  14. ^Lee, Seung-hoon (23 August 2021)."스트레이 키즈는 역시 스트레이 키즈다"..'콘셉트 맛집' 입증할 'NOEASY'[ "Stray Kids are of course Stray Kids"..'Noeasy' to prove that they are 'Big Concept Matjib'].The Chosun Ilbo(in Korean).Retrieved3 June2024.
  15. ^Myung Hee-sook (30 March 2023).싸이커스, '도깨비집'으로 단숨에 홀렸다 [쥬크박스][xikers, instantly bewitched with 'Goblin's House' [Jukebox]].Xports News(in Korean).Archivedfrom the original on 30 March 2023.Retrieved30 March2023– viaNaver.
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