Joseon Images The Haunted Streets of Seoul

This hanok neighborhood in Seongbuk-gu, northeastern Seoul, holds its own ghost tale. / Image by Jon Dunbar

By Robert Neff

Just a little over a century ago, an American missionary described Korea as the most haunted place upon the planet. That was long time, however, and people today are no longer frightened by superstitions and ghosts. Or are they?

Koreans often revere the elderly but, in some cases, they also fear and vilify them.

In the early 1980s, whispered tales of “gumiho” (nine-tailed fox) disguised as an elderly woman, circulated amongst children in the southern provinces. This malevolent creature hunted children for their livers and was especially drawn to those wearing yellow or red. One woman ― who, oddly enough, lived in Gumi City - recalled that as a child she was careful never to wear yellow or red and was quite relieved when her family moved to Seoul in early 1984.

That relief was short-lived. In summer 1984, whispers of an elderly woman ― a gumiho ― hunting children also began to circulate. Suspicion fell upon a fox at the small zoo in Children's Grand Park. In an attempt to ascertain the validity of these rumors, anxious parents and children contacted the media prompting the DongA Ilbo to publish an article dismissing the claims as preposterous.

Of course, gumiho were not the only ones to terrorize Korean children in the 1980s. In 1989, the ghost of Hong Kong Grandmother ― an elderly cat-loving woman who perished in an airplane accident ― became popular in Korea. She prowled the streets at night and would attempt to trick children into showing their fingernails upon which she would kill them. One middle-aged Korean homemaker confessed that as a child she was careful not to show her fingers to strangers and slept with her hands under her pillow in case the Hong Kong Grandmother broke into her room.

Dining out can also be dangerous. In 1921, near Seoul's Tapgol Park, a very popular restaurant patronized mainly by Japanese officials began experiencing strange events ― including blood leaking from the ceiling onto patrons and restaurant staff. Business plummeted and by the end of the year the restaurant was closed and the once prosperous proprietress was reduced to roaming the streets, mentally unbalanced and penniless.

More recently, a popular restaurant in Sinchon is alleged to have a ghost haunting its bathroom. But aside from its startling appearance ― or rather its disappearance ― it has not caused any harm.

But not all bathroom ghosts are harmless.

For some, knocking on the bathroom door before entering is not a matter of courtesy, but self-preservation. The “cheuksin,” a malevolent female spirit, sulks in the bathroom (presumably near the ceiling) - angered at the events that led to her taking her own life - and does not like to be surprised when the door is suddenly opened. When her victims are most vulnerable (using the facilities), she wraps her long black hair around their neck and strangles them. Any mishap that occurs in the bathroom is attributed to her.

It isn't only children and drunks who encounter ghosts. About a decade ago, members of the National Assembly and their staff complained of ghostly molestations at night. It was determined the wandering spirits of palace women who had been buried on the grounds were the cause. Only the erection of a large phallus-shaped stone could appease their unrest. It was immense and cost nearly $190,000 but didn't last long - it was not popular with some of the more religious members of the National Assembly and was removed.

Foreigners in Seoul are not exempt from ghostly encounters. The first Western adviser to the Joseon government, von Mollendorff, was provided as his living quarters a house widely believed to be haunted. Von Mollendorff was apparently unimpressed with whatever ghosts may have dwelt there for he did not write about it. Others in the foreign community, such as Horace Allen, found haunted houses in Seoul to be advantageous as they could be purchased for a relatively cheap price. Even the Jeong-dong compound where the U.S. ambassador resides is said to have been haunted.

One American who has resided for several decades in a hanok (Korean traditional house) in Seoul believes his home was haunted by a young woman who hanged herself from the rafters in the 1920s. The ghost used to stomp about the house, rattle doors and scatter papers but over the years she has become quiet and rarely makes an appearance - perhaps she has become content with the passing of time.

Dark Side of Seoul offers

night tours through dark backstreets regaling guests with tales of hauntings

. When asked if he thought there were ghosts, Shawn Morrissey replied:

“With the idea that ghosts are memories of tragedy and hardship still creeping in otherwise forgotten places [then] I'd say yes, Seoul has long been haunted.”

Tour operator Joe McPherson acknowledges that many of his guests, while on the tour, have had the eerie feeling of being followed by a woman. One incident that “freaked [McPherson] out” was when a guest turned around and took a picture that revealed “under a hazy lamppost was the figure of a woman” watching them.

Even though technology is advancing constantly and our knowledge of our world is increasing, nothing is more powerful than belief and for this reason ghosts will always be part of our society.

Robert Neff is a historian and columnist for The Korea Times. He can be reached at robertneff103@gmail.com