LEGEND OF GUMIHO (SOUTH KOREA)

GUMIHO STORY

Gumiho [구미호] is a fox with nine tails, fairy tale created from an ancient Chinese myth berabad2 ago. There is a fairy tale version of China and Japan even though there are subtle differences. Huli jing in Chinese fairy tales and the kitsune in Japan have moral ambiguity, where they can be good and bad at the same time and usually do not come out to look for people to be hunted. Meanwhile, gumiho in Korea, is almost always depicted with a very bad figure, carnivorous creatures who eat human flesh.

According to legend, foxes that lived thousands of years turned into gumiho, which can be disguised as a woman. Gumiho are evil and eat liver or human heart (no legends differ from one another) to stay alive. Huli jing in China said to be made of the female energy (yin) and male energy needs (a) in order to survive. Meanwhile, the kitsune in Japan could a man or a woman, and can choose to do good.

Gumiho in Korea was traditionally a woman. Some can hide their gumiho characteristics, while other myths may indicate that they are not fully transformed (eg, face or ears like a fox or there is still a tail of nine). In other words, there's usually at least one physical characteristic that can prove their gumiho form, or a magical way to force them to show their original form.

Just like werewolves or vampires in the West, there are various myths depending on the legend. Some stories say that if gumiho not kill and eat humans for a thousand days, then it will be human gumiho. Other stories, such as drama Gumiho: Tale of the Fox's Child, said that gumiho could be human if the man who saw the original form keep it a secret for 10 years. Outside every story, there are things that always consistently told, namely that a fox gumiho, women, changing shape, and carnivores.

Now we discuss about the meaning gumiho in culture. Fox is a general overview in many different cultures that describe a fraud or smart but evil steal or deceive others to get what she wants. People who grew up listening to classic Aesop fable about the fox knows repetition in fairy tales. And it is not difficult to see how the fox get the trait. These animals are nocturnal hunters and nature of love to steal, and is known around the world with a cunning sense.

In Korea, change advocates have cultural implications, namely sexual cunning. Word for fox, Yeo-woo [여우], is a Korean word that the people given to women who we call it rough translation of the cunning man-eater. There is the English term is also approximately the same as "you Sly Fox" (you sly fox), although in Korea itself the term is only given to women that are like the foxes (called Yeo-woo) and has a predatory nature "you begin to use common cunning to deceive me ", well something like that example. Women who used her feminine charms to malicious intent or a woman who openly show their sexuality with evil motives behind it, called the Yeo-woo. Interestingly, the actress said in Korean [여배우] when abbreviated as writing with a Yeo-woo [여우].

Not without reason that the form is gumiho only a beautiful woman. This is the way fairy tales to warn him not to fall into the tricks to seduce women who are deceived. For example, look at the translation of this classic story gumiho. In many stories, the hero of the tale (always portrayed a man) should resist the temptation and gumiho naked body, so that the original form can be disclosed. Thus, the nature of women, sexuality hidden = the devil.

Korean fairy tales?

The concept of female sexuality that actual harm is not new for the tale. However, it is no exaggeration that both figures gumiho and use of Yeo-woo is quite prevalent in modern culture and fiction. Most people may argue that the myth is a story gumiho designed to reinforce the system Patrialis. But this would make a legend to be a clever thing in its delivery.

In a movie or drama, gumiho can be described either a frightening figure, and as wicked as the devil or even the comical and ridiculous figure, depending on the genre that is used. Over time, legend gumiho has changed, as told in Gumiho: Tale of the Fox's Child's gumiho depicting suffering with a good soul who wants to be human and to absorb the life of man. He is a demon who choose to live the good path in order to retain his human nature. This interpretation is similar to the vampire myth that has a soul, a war with the evil spirit in him.

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