5 Korean Mythological Creatures

3. Gumiho

If you’ve watched the KDrama called “My Girlfriend is a Gumiho” where Gumiho means nine tailed fox, you would know what this creature is. This creature is exactly like its Japanese and Chinese counterparts. That means it is when a fox lives for over a thousand years and turns into a magical being. The Gumiho can easily shapeshift and would usually shapeshift into a beautiful woman or man to seduce humans. Though in their human form, there is always a tell tale sign that they could be a Gumiho. Such as having fox ears or fox-like face or even the nine tails.

There are a lot of variations to what the gumiho does. But most of it centres around how the Gumiho wants to become human. Some tales say: they need to abstain from eating or killing anything for 100 days. Some say 1000 days and others say they have to eat 1000 men’s livers or hearts over a period of 1000 years just to become human.

So I guess, being a vegetarian for 1000 or even 100 days is almost impossible for the Gumiho. Because the stories of them eating and/or killing humans are more prominent in legends and even in newer literature of them.