Introduction
Trigger Warning: These stories contain scary content and may include mentions of death, tragedy, and other disturbing themes. Reader discretion is advised.
When we think of October, we think of ghosts, spirits, and monsters. Well, Seoulnates, we’ve got just the horror for you. Korea has more horror stories and urban legends that we can think of, and what better way to spend the night reading some spine-chilling stories either alone or with someone who can handle arm squeezes! So grab your friend or loved one, a cozy blanket, turn off the lights–maybe even a snack–and let’s discover scary Korean horror stories that’ll keep you up at night.
Disclaimer: The stories presented here may be a mix of urban legends, folklore, and fictional tales collected from various online sources. They are shared purely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered as verified accounts of real events. Some stories may contain exaggerations or minor changes for storytelling purposes, but the core elements of the supposed events remain intact.
1. The Story of Mr. Cuckoo
There is an urban legend about a disturbed, unsound man who was sent to the most horrifying mental asylums. While there, he was brutally beaten by a young woman who supposedly was a patient too. His torture was so serious that he began to hate all women.
However, one day, Mr. Cuckoo escaped from the mental asylum, and not long after, there were reports about a man attacking high-school girls with an ax! Perhaps it was Mr. Cuckoo, perhaps it was not, but unfortunately, even after searching far and wide, the police couldn’t find the man with the ax.
That’s when the legend began spreading around that Mr. Cuckoo’s revengeful spirit haunts the streets alleyways. Whenever a woman would walk by, that man would jump out and scream, “Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!”
To save yourself, all you have to do is repeat “Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!” and run as fast as you can. But if he gets close to you and asks you this sinister question, “Do you know Mr. Cuckoo?”
You say “Yes” and you walk away. You don’t turn around, you don’t look back, you just walk away.
2. The Bookshelf Girl
One normal night, there was a boy who decided to study in the library for his final exams. While he was immersed in his studying, he suddenly noticed something from the corner of his eyes…upon looking, he noticed a girl–smiling and with her chin propped up on her elbows–staring right at him through the bookshelf.
The boy thought that the girl was strange, but nothing more than that. He went back to studying. The clock ticked, ticked, and ticked, until a few hours had passed by. When the boy looked up from his textbook, he noticed that the girl continued to stare at him–but this time through another bookshelf.
The boy’s heart raced, yet, he ignored the girl and tried to focus on studying. After all, it was finals and he couldn’t afford to get low marks. As the night grew darker, even those who stayed or worked at the library, left for their homes, leaving the boy alone in an almost empty library.
The boy continued to study until suddenly–he heard strange tapping noises. He frowned, and looking around, saw the girl again. However, this time, she wasn’t looking at him through the bookshelf, but she was at the foot of his table–smiling creepily.
The boy took a closer look and noticed that the tapping sounds came from her elbows as she quickly rushed over to where he sat-–with just half a body!
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3. The Jayuro Road Woman
A highway strip that’s located between Paju and Goyang, and slightly north of Seoul, Jayuro Road is one of the many roads that’s said to be haunted. The road is foggy, has minimal visibility, and lack of street lights–making it one of the most known accident areas.
However, while there are factual reasons for accidents, there’s also a story about a woman who is seen standing on this road. There have been several claims about a woman standing on Jayuro road with black sunglasses and looking at the passersby. However, upon a closer look, those sunglasses were replaced with two gaping black holes in her head where her eyes were supposed to be!
In fact, TvN, Korea’s popular TV station called an exorcist to explain who the woman actually was. Apparently, it was the spirit of a 20-year old woman who had been strangled and killed nearby.
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4. The Story of the Blind Fortune-Teller
Once about a time–during the reigns of the King–there lived an old, blind fortune-teller. However, he had one ability and that was sensing everything through his sixth sense. So while he couldn’t see, he could see things that no other human could.
While the fortune-teller was going around the old capital in Seoul (Hanyang), he suddenly felt a dark presence around a nobleman’s house. Upon questioning the guard if something had taken place, the guard said, “The nobleman’s young daughter has died.”
However, the fortune-teller knew that the nobleman’s young daughter isn’t dead yet and that he could still save her. He demanded to go into the nobleman’s house and tried to convince the nobleman that he could save his daughter.
Once the nobleman was convinced, he brought his daughter’s body into a room and left. The fortune-teller immediately closed off every entrance into the room and began his chants.
He chanted to drive the demons that inhabited the nobleman’s daughter away, but soon strange and eerie supernatural sounds like groaning and screeching filled the room.
Whoever was outside, heard the otherworldly sounds. Their hearts were bound by fear and chills ran down their spine as the fortune-teller continued to save the nobleman’s daughter. But, one inquisitive servant who was doubtful of the fortune-teller and his abilities, decided to poke a hole through the paper door and take a peek inside.
Unfortunately, as soon as the servant did that, the demons inside that room escaped. While the nobleman’s daughter did open her eyes, the fortune-teller didn’t appear all that happy. The daughter’s family tried to repay the blind fortune-teller, but he turned down any gifts from them saying, “Because the demons have escaped, they will seek vengeance upon me.”
The King was convinced that the fortune-teller was a con-artist who was just deceiving the poor and ignorant people. So, the King called the fortune-teller and placed a rat in front of him. He asked the blind fortune-teller how many rats were in front od him, and the fortune-teller replied, “Three.”
The King thought that the old man had failed the test and sentenced him to death. But the strange part was, the blind fortune-teller was right. There were in-fact three rats–there were two formed fetuses inside the rat.
The wind roared, and sadly, before the King could stop the death sentence he had given to the fortune-teller, the old and blind fortune-teller was beheaded and the Kingdom was filled with demonic laughs. Soon, the roaring wind stopped and there was nothing but silence…
5. The Red-Mask Woman
In South Korea, a story about a woman who wears a red mask became quite popular. The origin of that story seemed to have started in Japan, but it eventually expanded to Korea and spread all over East Asia.
In that story, it’s known that a woman wearing a red mask walks over to you and asks, “Do you think I’m pretty?”
If your answer is “Yes, I think you’re pretty,” the woman will take off her mask and reveal her horrible-looking mouth that’s slit from one ear to the other. She’ll say, “I’ll make you as pretty as me!” before ripping open the corners of your mouth.
6. The Sack Man
Remember how our mothers used to tell us that if we don’t listen to our parents then the boogeyman would come for us? Well, Koreans have a similar story that would scare the hairs out of the kids.
There’s an old man called The Sack Man 망태기 할아버지 who would carry a sack made of straw on his back to carry things. This sack man is known to abduct the kids, put them in the sack and take them away. Soon after, he would either devour them or scold them before sending them home.
The origins of this story is unknown, but most often than not, are made-up by Korean parents so that their children can behave.
Nevertheless, if the Sack Man is true, then the kids should definitely start behaving…
7. The Kong Kong Ghost
Every country and every school in that country has an urban legend, and Korea has one too. An urban story known as the Kong Kong Ghost story spread among students in the days when schools used to be open until late at night.
Once, there was a student who would always have the second best grades in her school. However, being second wasn’t enough for her. She despised the student who would always come first.
Her greed of coming on top, the pressure of her parents, and her hatred towards the girl made her push her competitor off the rooftop, making her land head first. She died on the spot and sadly, the case was deemed as suicide.
The ghost of the murdered student now haunted the school at night. The lively atmosphere in the day soon diminishes and turns eerie as soon as the moon rises. The Kong Kong in the name refers to the thumping sound that the ghost made as she moved around jumping, her head on the floor.
Conclusion
Korean horror stories and urban legends are scarier than you think. If you close your eyes and imagine, you’ll end up having goosebumps and maybe even sleeping with your lights on. These chilling Korean horror stories will keep you up at night. From stories like Mr. Cuckoo and The Jayuro Road Woman, you’ll have the perfect horror night either alone or with your loved ones. Whether they’re based on true stories or were just made up to scare the children, these Korean horror stories continue to captivate and terrify audiences all around the world.
As you turn off the lights tonight, remember: these stories are meant to entertain, but they might just leave you checking over your shoulder, just in case.
Image Sources:
https://www.shutterstock.com/search/axe-horror
https://www.fleshcuts.com/news/trailer-south-korean-horror-thriller-film-the-8th-night-coming-to-netflix/
https://moonmausoleum.com/the-jayuro-road-ghost/
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/7-asian-horror-films-your-halloween-movie-night-n813711
https://fyeahkorea.tumblr.com/post/6557120838/%EB%B9%A8%EA%B0%84%EB%A7%88%EC%8A%A4%ED%81%ACred-mask-girl
https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Sack_Man
https://www.deviantart.com/caseythecreative/art/The-Kong-Kong-Gwishin-920100586
