If you’re a fan of mischievous spirits with a twist of magic and mayhem, then you’ll love the Dokkaebi—Korea’s legendary goblins that are anything but ordinary.
Unlike the typical scary monsters from Folklore, the Dokkaebi are playful, tricky, and full of surprises. They’re known for pulling pranks, challenging people to clever games, and even rewarding those who can outsmart them.
But don’t let their fun side fool you; these creatures can also be devastating and brutal when they want to be. Cross them the wrong way, and you might end up with more trouble than you bargained for.
What are Chonggak Dokkaebi?
The Dokkaebi are the most famous creatures in Korean mythology. They are ambivalent spirits that possess inanimate objects, gain sentience and interact with humans.
These creatures have a child-like mischievousness. They love to play pranks on people and can be good or evil depending on how they are treated.
They also have supernatural powers and are said to be very good at using human weapons, especially arrows.
Origin of the Chonggak Dokkaebi
The origin of the Dokkaebi is deeply rooted in animism, which is central to ancient Korean beliefs and mythology. It is said that every non-living object has its own unique spirit. When these innate spirits become powerful enough, they animate the object and become the Dokkaebi.
In some other accounts, the formation of the Dokkaebi is associated with the accumulation of negative energy around objects. This increase in energy makes the spirit in those objects to become powerful enough to gain sentience.
Negative energy is exceptionally high in areas where human emotion runs high, such as in the household and battlefields. If left abandoned, objects used in these places will accumulate this energy and turn into mischievous goblins.
Abandoned objects, such as household brooms and battlefield weapons stained with human blood, are more likely to become a Dokkaebi.
Physical Appearance of the Chonggak Dokkaebi
The Dokkaebi appear in different forms, which has led some people to believe that they can shapeshift. However, Korean sources suggest that their physical manifestation is determined by the object they possess or animate.
For example, a Dokkaebi formed from a battlefield sword is expected to have a sliver colour and sharp sword-like limbs, while one formed from an abandoned household broom will have spiky hair and brown skin.
Read also: Story of Seokga, the Korean Trickstar god
As these creatures become older and more powerful, they may be able to change their form to become more human-like and difficult to identify. These Dokkaebi can even wear traditional Korean clothes (hanbok)
Although the Dokkaebi are often compared to goblins, a more accurate creature to compare them to is the Leprechaun in Irish Folklore.
Powers and Abilities of the Dokkaebi
The Dokkaebi are often misidentified as ghosts because of their ability to reanimate objects. However, these creatures are not ghosts and can not even animate corpses like ghosts do.
They have their own unique set of powers and characteristics.
The Dokkaebi Grant Goodluck
One of the major reasons why the Dokkaebi is popular in Korea is its ability to grant good fortune to people. According to the myths, farmers and fishermen who encounter these creatures are blessed with bountiful harvests and great catches.
They may also give large amounts of money to people. The Dokkaebi walks with a club, which is used like a magic wand to grant wishes.
In ancient Korea, people performed rituals and sacrifices to attract these creatures and get good fortune. However, an encounter with the Dokkaebi does not guarantee good fortune. These creatures will only give gifts to people who have treated them well.
They might Spread Fire and Diseases.
According to Korean Mythology, not all Dokkaebi are good. Some of these mysterious creatures (especially those that live in households) are known to cause chaos by spreading fire and contagious diseases.
In some other accounts, it is said that the Dokkaebi can get jealous of the attention little children receive and infect them with smallpox. Parents who suspect the presence of the Dokkaebi can expel them through special rituals.
The Dokkaebi are Great Wrestlers
One way to get good fortune from the Dokkaebi is to defeat it in a ssireum match (traditional Korean wrestling). This is not easy to do as these creatures are very good wrestlers and will easily defeat anybody, no matter the size.
However, the Dokkaebi have a weakness on their right side. The only way a person can hope to defeat it in a match is to take advantage of this weakness and push them to the ground.
Dokkaebi Invisibility Belt
The Dokkaebi wear a special invisibility hat called the Dokkaebi gamut, which grants the wearer the ability to become invisible.
The hat can also be snatched from the Dokkaebi and used to negotiate for gifts from the creature.
Chonggak Dokkaebi Stories and Legends
There are several stories in Korean Folklore involving the Dokkaebi. One of these stories is explained below.
The Old Man and the Lump
The story of the Old Man and the Lump is one of the most famous tales involving Dokkaebi in Korean Folklore. In this story, an old man with a large lump on his cheek lived a simple life in a village.
One day, while gathering firewood in the forest, he became lost and took shelter in a hollow tree. As night fell, he heard Dokkaebi gathering nearby to hold a festival. The old man, curious but also nervous, watched as the Dokkaebi began to dance and sing.
The Dokkaebi noticed the old man and invited him to join their celebration. Nervous but eager to please, the old man joined in the dancing. To everyone’s surprise, he was an excellent dancer, and the creatures enjoyed his performance so much that they wanted him to return the next night.
To ensure he would come back, they took the Lump from his cheek as “collateral.” The old man left the forest, overjoyed to be rid of his Lump and thankful for the Dokkaebi’s odd generosity.
Another old man from the same village, who also had a lump, heard about this event. Greedy for the same reward, he sought out the Dokkaebi the following night, hoping they would also take his Lump.
When he was invited to dance, he performed poorly and irritated the creatures. Annoyed by his bad performance, they “returned” the lump they collected the previous day on his cheek and sent him back home with more lumps than he came with.
Types of Dokkaebi in Korean Mythology
All inanimate objects are believed to have spirits and the potential to turn into the Dokkaebi, there are different types of these creatures. Each type has unique abilities and characteristics related to the object it came from.
House Dokkaebi
These types of Dokkaebi are formed from abandoned household objects such as brooms, ancient tiles, and pots. They might cause household items to go missing by moving them around.
Forest Dokkaebi
The forest Dokkaebi are formed from stones, rocks and other inanimate objects that might be found in the forest. Although they are not evil, they are very naughty and mischievous.
Water Dokkaebi
These types of Dokkaebi live around water bodies. They are known to help fishermen get good catches on their fishing trips.
Mountain Dokkaebi
The Mountain Dokkaebi is a type of Dokkaebi often associated with the mountainous regions of Korea. These Dokkaebi are said to dwell in hills or secluded mountain areas, making them particularly elusive and mysterious.
They possess great strength and are described as large, humanoid figures with wild hair and a club. They might even possess animal-like features that blend in with their natural surroundings.
Other types of Dokkaebi include;
Oedari Dokkaebi: These are One-legged dokkaebi. Despite their incomplete limbs, they are very good at ssireum.
Oenun Dokkaebi: A one-eyed Dokkaebi that likes to eat a lot. Its favourite foods include Sorgum, red rice bean cake, and Buckwheat jelly.
Cham Dokkaebi: These are believed to be the true dokkaebi. They are very Mischievous and like to play tricks on people.
Nat Dokkaebi: Unlike other types of Dokkaebi, the Nat Dokkaebi appears during the day. They wear the invisibility hat and can gift this hat to humans.
Go Dokkaebi: Also known as high Dokkaebi. They are especially good at fighting and handling human weapons. Especially arrows.