Gods, Shamans and Ghosts of Korea

The South Korean economic miracle, the Korean wave of Hallyu, a multi-million-dollar k-pop industry, corruption and a suicide mania… The aim of this book is to show listeners a completely different Korea—a country of a thousand myths and legends—without turning away from North Korea either, because the cultural heritage of both countries has remained unified for centuries. The audiobook collects myths and legends about Korean gods, spirits, ghosts, and other supernatural beings. You will meet already established cultural phenomena such as the kumiho foxes, the tokkebi demons, the ponhwan phoenix, and haechi lions, as well as less well-known characters of Korean folklore: the winged horse Chhol-lino, especially revered in North Korea; numerous house spirits; the toilet goddess Chkhyuksin; the ghosts of maidens Jeongyeo-kquisin and Jeonggak-kquisin; fish-people Ino whose tears turn into pearls; ghostly fireflies Kwi-hwa; and the mysterious Saripkwe—the Monster in a Hat—whose encounter leaves a sense of unease…