What are the characteristics of Korean ghost stories?
One characteristic is the use of traditional settings like old houses or forests. These settings create a spooky atmosphere. The ghosts in Korean stories are often depicted as having long hair, pale faces, and wearing white traditional Korean clothes. They also tend to be female more often than male, perhaps because of cultural ideas about the vulnerability of women in life and their potential for strong emotions that can carry over into the afterlife. Moreover, Korean ghost stories frequently incorporate moral lessons about how to behave in society and towards family members.
Korean ghost stories are known for their complex and emotional backstories for the ghosts. Instead of just being random spooky entities, the ghosts have reasons for their hauntings, such as being wronged in life. They also make use of Korean folklore elements, like the idea of the afterlife having different levels and rules. The stories can be quite vivid in their descriptions of the supernatural events, making the readers or listeners feel as if they are right there in the middle of the horror. And they often play on cultural fears, like the fear of disrespecting ancestors or breaking family taboos.
Korean ghost stories often feature strong family themes. For example, ghosts may be vengeful because of family wrongdoings. Also, they usually have a connection to Korean cultural and religious beliefs. Many involve spirits that are related to nature or ancestors.
