Korea, as told by a Korean
I grew up with these stories — the history, the myths, the places most people never find. This is my way of sharing them
What I Write About
History, myths, language, and the places in between. Told by someone who actually grew up in Korea
There’s a side of Korea that doesn’t make it into guidebooks. That’s what this is about
Imugi: The Korean Serpent That Almost Became a Dragon
Every mythology has its dragons. Korea has something better: the dragon that didn’t make it. I first met the imugi in a children’s picture book, the way most Koreans do. I must have been six or seven. And I remember, even then, feeling that the ending was somehow unfair — that this creature had been…
Chilseong: The Korean Seven Stars God You’ve Walked Right Past
If you’ve ever visited a Buddhist temple in Korea, I can almost guarantee you walked past him. Behind the grand main hall — the one with the golden Buddhas and the tour groups — there’s usually a much smaller building up a short flight of stone steps. Most visitors never go up. If they do,…
Samsin Halmoni: The Korean Grandmother Goddess Everyone Knows and No One Can Explain
Ask any Korean who Samsin Halmoni is, and you’ll get the same answer: “Oh, the childbirth grandmother. Everyone knows her.” Then ask a follow-up question. Where does she come from? What’s her story? Why is she a grandmother and not, say, a young mother? Silence. I’ll be honest with you — I was part of…
See what catches your eye
Begin with what draws you in: a forgotten story, a local saying, a hidden place, or a piece of Korean history.
