‘Gumiho’: The Fox Spirit of K-Dramas

Across all cultures, there are mythological creatures that are solely entertaining because of how incomprehensible they are. Their impact stems from the sense of mystery that surrounds them; they are like uncharted waters for us in that they are dark, deep, and hard to fathom. And that, I reiterate, is what makes these creatures so intriguing, much like the fabled ‘gumiho’ from Korean folklore: an absolute flight of fancy, like a character from a pipe dream.

As in China’s ‘huli jing’ and Japan’s ‘kitsune,’ gumiho is the Korean equivalent of these legendary creatures. Gumiho, in layman’s terms, is a shape-shifting, nine-tailed fox spirit that has been around for thousands of years, usually taking on a female form. Unlike huli jing and kitsune, which are depicted as kind, evil, or objective, gumiho is typically portrayed as a vicious, flesh-eating monster. The bloodthirsty half-fox, half-human gumiho, on the other hand, prowled cemeteries at night, digging human hearts from graves, as opposed to the benevolent gumiho, who helped people.

Such are the traits of a gumiho, about whom extensive literature has been penned in Korean lore and legends have been carried from generation to generation. Some of these legends are gathered in the Compendium of Korean Oral Literature and featured as characters in compelling Korean dramas. In this genre, the popular My Girlfriend is a Gumiho (2010) is a prime example. The drama follows Chae Dae-woong (Lee Seung-gi) who aspires to be an action hero. He visits a temple to fulfill his wish and sets free a gumiho (Shin Min-a as Gu Mi-ho), imprisoned in a painting for 500 years. Dae-woong flees in horror, suffering severe injuries, but Mi-ho saves his life and begs him to stay by his side after realizing that, with his help, she might actually become a human.

Another myth holds that the gumiho loses its evilness after 1000 days of not killing and devouring people and after several hundred years of existence, it can assume human shape regardless of gender. In the fantasy drama Tale of the Nine-Tailed (2020), a gumiho gives up his position as Baekdudagan’s guardian to look for his lover’s reincarnation. The over 1000-year-old gumiho in question, Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-wook), now lives in a city. In pursuit of eliminating supernatural beings that pose a threat to the world, he works with Taluipa (Kim Jung-nan), a representative in the Afterlife Immigration Office and the custodian of the Samdo River.

Lee Yeon is aided by his devoted subject, a veterinarian and fellow gumiho. He is sighted—by Nam Ji-ah (Jo Bo-ah), a wily and gutsy producer at TVC Station who turns out to be the reincarnation of Lee Yeon’s previous lover, Yi Ah-eum (the seventh daughter of the King of Joseon)—while on a mission to seize a fox that has killed and eaten numerous human livers. In the soon-to-be-released sequel to this work, Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938, Lee Yeon is unexpectedly sent back in time to the year 1938 as a result of the happenings that ensue in Tale of the Nine-Tailed.

The gumiho’s unique feature, the ‘yeowoo guseul,’ a fox marble or bead, is thought to be endowed with wisdom that provides the gumiho with strength. By releasing the bead into someone’s mouth and then drawing it out, the gumiho can absorb human energy through a passionate kiss. A reflection of this can be seen in My Roommate is a Gumiho (2021), a romantic comedy that narrates the gripping love story of a nine-tailed fox who wants to become a human. Shin Woo-yeo (Jang Ki-yong), in order to retrieve the fox bead, which has been protected by him for 999 years, is forced to live together with a vivacious college student, Lee Dam (Lee Hye-ri), who fortuitously swallowed it.

In summary, the mythical gumiho—good or bad—is surely an enigma that, depending on how it is pictured, can evoke fear or anxiousness. Other productions that have included the fabled fox spirit besides the dramas aforementioned are Forbidden Love (2004), Grudge: The Revolt of Gumiho (2010), The Thousandth Man (2012), and Gu Family Book (2013). It is worth mentioning that many cultures attach significance to the fox. In Korea, it is considered a creature of depravity; likely because of this, according to an informative piece by KBS World, North Korean cultural content places a significant emphasis on the animal’s distinct characteristics. It adds that the fox commonly serves as a metaphor for capitalism, imperialism, egotists, or troublemakers in North Korean dramas and movies. As a result, whether it be literature, film, or animation, the nation avoids creating anything that can be perceived differently.