The Korea Times

Old gods in a new world: K-folk horror to binge after 'Salmokji'

"Salmokji" recently surpassed 3 million ticket sales, becoming one of the most successful Korean horror films at the box office. In the film, a camera crew goes to Salmokji — a real reservoir in Yesan County, South Chungcheong Province — to retake a set of road view photos, only to find themselves trapped and hunted by water ghosts. With its use of isolated countryside locations, historically documented ghosts and shamanistic imagery, "Salmokji" delivers a masterclass in Korean folk horror — a subgenre that focuses on traditional Korean curses and spirits, sometimes coexisting or in conflict with newer religious beliefs. Here is a list of some K-folk horror media to check out if you’ve watched "Salmokji" and find yourself wanting more. 1. "The Wailing" (2016) In "The Wailing," written and directed by Na Hong-jin, the remote village of Goksung experiences a spree of violent murders by residents who seem to have contacted a mysterious illness. While toxic mushrooms are blamed, rumors whisper of a Japanese hermit being the one responsible. When police officer Jong-goo's daughter, Hyo

May 16, 2026By Kim Young-moo

Old gods in a new world: K-folk horror to binge after 'Salmokji'

Trends

Koreans highlight unfiltered moments in new hourly vlogging trend

Kim, a university graduate in her 20s, records a two-second video of herself studying at a cafe. Her friend, meanwhile, films herself in class, while another is in Amsterdam, still sound asleep. These moments become part of a longer video, consisting of similar snippets recorded hourly and running parallel of each other, showing what each person had been doing on the hour. Kim is among the many young Koreans who are using "Setlog," an application for creating vlogs that explore the beauty and humor that arise from sharing daily snippets of life with friends. "There are four of us, and we are all pursuing different paths in life," Kim said. "Because of this, we rarely get to see what each other's everyday lives actually look like. I'm using Setlog to share daily moments with my high school friends." How Setlog works Setlog is a social networking application that allows users to create a vlog through compiling two-second clips recorded every hour. Each vlog can be created individually or as a collaborative effort among up to twelve participants. Participants of a vlog can talk to each othe

May 8, 2026By Kim Young-moo

Koreans highlight unfiltered moments in new hourly vlogging trend

Books

Longing for human connection in LISA's 'Alter Ego'

In the halogen glow of a sprawling metropolis, people find themselves increasingly isolated despite the technological advancements that are designed to help them connect. From quick one-person panels to faceless crowds, loneliness bleeds through the pages of LISA’s new comic book, “Alter Ego.” “Alter Ego” is told as a loose comic anthology focusing on the stories of five friends — based on the five alter egos of LISA from the K-pop girl group BLAKCKPINK as presented in her album of the same name — living in the cyberpunk future of New Neon City. At the center of the five-woman team is Vixi, a spunky tech wiz on a mission to fix the city. Over the course of the plot, Vixi finds herself inextricably entangled in the lives of her four friends, providing them with the strength and courage needed to make peace with their lives. The first half of the book centers around the quintet’s reunion and the harassment Vixi faces from a trio of generic cyberpunk goons. She disposes of the three goons quickly with the help of her friends, prompting the realization that she does not hav

Apr 15, 2026By Kim Young-moo

Kim YoungMoo

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Old gods in a new world: K-folk horror to binge after 'Salmokji'

Koreans highlight unfiltered moments in new hourly vlogging trend

Longing for human connection in LISA's 'Alter Ego'

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