Korean Ghosts & Spirits
1. Baby Ghost
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, whereas ghosts of baby girls are called myeongdo.
2. Dokkaebi
There are several legends about the dokkaebi, but one goes that they are the spirits of warriors who were assassinated by highwaymen.
3. Kong Kong Ghost
The next ghost looks pretty nasty, so we choose not put up a picture. 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.
4. Gumiho
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 half-fox, half-woman creature who likes to eat the liver and soul of humans.
5. Child Ghosts
Similarly to baby ghost, children who pass away from ages 5 to 15 can turn into child ghosts. Boy spirits are called dongja and girl spirits are called dongnyeo.
6. Virgin Ghosts
As the name suggest, virgin ghost, or mongdal ghosts 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.
7. Spirits of Good-Hearted Women
In Korea, the spirits of good-hearted young women who unfortunately pass away are said to live on. They possess a strong spiritual power, and they often possess shamans who will act as a medium for them.
8. House Ghosts
House ghosts are basically kind ghosts that are tied to and live in certain buildings. 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.
9. Lovesick Ghosts
Lovesick ghosts, 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.