Dokkaebi

Origins

The earliest known documentation of ko is in the Silla-era tale of "Lady Dohwa and Bachelor Bihyeong" from the Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms compiled during the Goryeo period. ko are featured in many folk tale anthologies compiled during the Joseon period.

Characteristics

ko are different from deities, divinities, spirits or ghosts, called gwishin () 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.

The physical appearance of the ko 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 with ko patterns.

Different versions of the ko 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 a ssireum (Korean wrestling) match for the right to pass. ko are extremely skilled at wrestling and cannot be beaten unless their right side is exploited. In other tales, ko only have one leg, so one should hook their leg and push them to win.

ko fire is a glimmering light or tall blue flames that herald the appearance of ko.

ko possess magical items, such as the ko hat called the ko (), which grants the wearer the ability of invisibility, and the ko magic club called the ko (), which can summon things and act functionally as a magic wand. ko like buckwheat jelly, sorghum and red bean rice cakes, mashed sorghum, and the drinks. So in ko gosa (), there are foods which ko like.

Abilities

It is believed that ko 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 to ko to bring good luck to humans and other practices are done to chase away ko, who are thought to be the causes of bad luck that brings fires and contagious diseases. In Jeju Island, the Durin-gut healing ceremony for mental illnesses is said to drive away the ko from the patient, similar to driving away the bad energy from a person.

Legends

Many Korean legends have ko featured in them. In several, ko 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, a ko visited his house. Surprised, the kind old man gave the ko an alcoholic beverage and they become friends. The ko 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 the ko. 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 a ko and invited the creature to his house. He asked, "What are you most afraid of?" and the ko 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. The ko, with shock and great anger, ran away and said, "I'll be back with your greatest fear!" The next day, the ko brought bags of money and threw it to the old man. After that, ko never came back and the old man became the richest person in the town.

Types

Although ko have no set form, some people divide them into types. These are some common types:

• Cham dokkaebi (): A mischievous dokkaebi. Contrast with Gae Dokkaebi.
• Gae dokkaebi (): Evil ko. Contrast with Cham ko.
• Gaksi dokkaebi () and chonggak dokkaebi (): Dokkaebi, known to attract humans.
• Go dokkaebi (): Dokkaebi known to be good at fighting and handling weapons, especially arrows.
• Kim Seobang dokkaebi (): A dumb dokkaebi that looks like a farmer.
• Nat dokkaebi (): Unlike other ko, these appear during the daylight. They are known to give ko to humans.
• Oedari dokkaebi (): A one-legged ko that likes to play Ssireum.
• Oenun dokkaebi (): A one-eyed ko that eats a lot.

Media

Based on the folktale of ko, the South Korean cable network tvN showcased a television series called Guardian: The Lonely and Great God () starring Gong Yoo as title role and written by Kim Eun-sook, a notable writer in the industry. It earned 3rd place in the nationwide television ratings.

In 2017, K-pop girlgroup CLC released a song called Hobgoblin (), which lyrics seem to be casting a spell through seducing so it holds the attention of the listener. The formerly cute group brought a darker and sexier concept, as well a fresh EDM Trap sonority. The song succeeded at bringing attention and performed greatly overseas.

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

There is also a reference to a ko in a video game called Tom 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.

Sujin, a non-binary ko, is a character in the novel Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee.

In September 2020, K-pop boy group A.C.E released a song called Goblin: Favorite Boys (). 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.

An upcoming video game that prominently features ko, titled DokeV, and developed by South Korean video game developer Pearl Abyss, is currently in development as of August 2021.

In August 2021, the K-pop boy group Stray Kids made a ko-themed video for their comeback song "Thunderous".

In March 2023, the K-pop boy group Xikers debuted with their song "Tricky House" () and first introduced their ko related lore with a ko-themed MV.

The ko appear in the Mickey 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 film KPop Demon Hunters.

References

References

1. "Earthenware Patterned Tiles from Oe-ri, Buyeo (Tile with Demon Design)".
2. (2011). "Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore and Folklife". ABC-CLIO.
3. (2015). "Goblins". Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC.
4. (17 July 2014). "Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Beliefs: Encyclopedia of Korean Folklore and Traditional Culture Vol. II". 길잡이미디어.
5. (27 November 2014). "Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Literature: Encyclopedia of Korean Folklore and Traditional Culture Vol. III". 길잡이미디어.
6. link
7. (27 November 2014). "Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Literature: Encyclopedia of Korean Folklore and Traditional Culture Vol. III". 길잡이미디어.
8. (17 July 2014). "Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Beliefs: Encyclopedia of Korean Folklore and Traditional Culture Vol. II". 길잡이미디어.
9. "Did the Dokkaebi help the old man become the richest man in the village?".
10. "Inside Dokkaebi bangmangi tale".
11. (2017-01-21). "CLC Switch It Up with "Goblin"".
12. (2017-01-18). "CLC Revamps Style With HyunA Co-Written 'Hobgoblin'".
13. "Dokkaebi {{!}} Operators {{!}} Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege {{!}} Ubisoft (UK)".
14. (2020-09-09). "A.C.E On Bringing Traditional Korean Culture To Modern K-Pop: 'We're Really Proud'".
15. "DokeV guide: Everything we know so far".
16. Lee. Seung-hoon. link. (August 23, 2021). [[The Chosun Ilbo]]
17. Myung Hee-sook. (March 30, 2023). link. Xports News
18. (2025-07-16). "KPop Demon Hunters: How the Netflix film became a global sensation".