From dokkaebi to gwishin: 6 horror K-dramas with a mythic twist
Above In 'Hotel Del Luna' (2019), Jang Man-wol (IU) helps her ghostly guests find peace before heading to the afterlife.
Jang Man-wol (IU) is the millennia-old, eternally fashionable owner of a mystical hotel that only caters to ghosts with unfinished business. Her job is a penance for past sins, managing a spectral staff and ensuring her ghostly guests find peace before heading to the afterlife, all whilst navigating the complexities of her curse and the arrival of a very human general manager (Yeo Jin-goo).
Hotel del Luna draws inspiration from shamanistic and mythological themes, including deities and spirits who oversee transitions between life and death, such as the Grim Reaper. The hotel itself, with its ever-changing, fantastical appearance (the mystical beach, the Moon Tree), serves as a modern interpretation of a liminal space, blending traditional Korean beliefs about spirits and atonement with a visually stunning aesthetic. 'Goblin' (2016)
Above 'Goblin' (2016) transforms the traditional Korean dokkaebi into a former general cursed for his past deeds.
Kim Shin (Gong Yoo) is a 939-year-old goblin who endures immortality while searching for his human bride (Kim Go-eun) to end his curse. His unexpected flatmate is an equally dapper but amnesiac Grim Reaper (Lee Dong-wook), whose job is to guide souls to the afterlife, leading to a divine cohabitation filled with bickering and unexpected friendship.
This supernatural K-drama takes on the traditional Korean dokkaebi, which is often portrayed in folklore as a mischievous or fearsome trickster spirit. Whilst traditional dokkaebi arise from inanimate objects stained with blood, the narrative innovation transforms the Goblin into a former general cursed for his past deeds, weaving folkloric elements into an exploration of loneliness and redemption. 'The Master's Sun' (2013)
Above 'The Master's Sun' (2013) taps into the gwishin or ghosts bound to the mortal realm by unresolved grudges.
Tae Gong-shil (Gong Hyo-jin) sees ghosts, which turns her life into a waking nightmare until she discovers that touching the arrogant CEO Joo Joong-won (So Ji-sub) makes them temporarily disappear. This makes the CEO her personal ghost shelter, whom she clings to for survival, inadvertently becoming his assistant in dealing with various spectral predicaments tied to his business and past.
Penned by the legendary Hong Sisters, this horror K-drama taps into the Korean folkloric understanding of gwishin, ghosts bound to the mortal realm by unresolved grudges and unfinished business that prevent their peaceful transition. Each episodic spirit carries a poignant story, from deceased mothers yearning to provide for their children to lonely schoolgirl ghosts seeking friendship, reflecting human desires and regrets. 'The Uncanny Counter' (2020)
Above 'The Uncanny Counter' (2020) draws its concept from traditional Korean beliefs about spirit realms.
The Eonni's Noodles crew appear as unassuming employees at a noodle shop, but they are Counters, demon hunters tasked by spirits from the afterlife to capture malevolent spirits. Each member, including the newly recruited So Mun (Jo Byeong-gyu), uses unique supernatural abilities like psychokinesis, healing or incredible strength in their dangerous, otherworldly profession.
The horror K-drama draws its concept from traditional Korean beliefs about spirit realms, but modernises these ancient themes through superhero-esque team dynamics and distinctive powers. Within this framework, the series delivers adrenaline-pumping action with impressive special effects, particularly in the representation of the Territory, which amplifies the Counters's powers. But at its core, the show explores the narrative of trauma survivors who find healing in their found family bond. 'Sell Your Haunted House' (2021)
Above 'Sell Your Haunted House' (2021) reimagines traditional exorcism by combining real estate with supernatural elements.
Hong Ji-ah (Jang Na-ra) runs Daebak Real Estate, but her primary service isn't just selling properties; it's exorcising the vengeful spirits that haunt them, a skill she inherited from her mother. Her unique profession involves teaming up with a conman-turned-psychic, Oh In-beom (Jung Yong-hwa), to not only cleanse houses but also uncover the truth behind their intertwined, tragic pasts.
The horror K-drama reimagines traditional exorcism by combining real estate with supernatural elements, incorporating rituals deeply rooted in Korean spiritual practices: psychic mediums absorb ghostly memories and experience intense physical effects, such as sudden drops in body temperature, adding a visceral dimension to the haunting. Featuring ghosts bound by unresolved grudges, each episode explores how personal trauma connects across generations.
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