Fooling Fools But Never Twice
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From “Sun & Moon: Fairy Tales from Korea,” by Kathleen Seros, published by Hollym
Not all tricksters are created equal.
They’re found throughout all media, literature and mythology, and can range from harmless little critters that will gaslight you by moving your things around to large malicious creatures that will see you hurt. Despite the caution and the red warning signs in literature alike, people are still drawn to them—whether for their own gain or not is up to interpretation.
Dokkaebi Through Time
Like any country, Korea has different of crafty tricksters that appear in their mythology—good, bad, and indifferent. Dokkaebis, or Doggaebi, are one of plenty that appear throughout history with diverse and conflicting appearances.
Dokkaebis have origins dating back to Korea’s ancient history and share some characteristics with humans. Although descriptions paint them as small, ugly and foul much like the goblins from western mythologies than man. Dokkaebis wore colourful hanbok, however, making it easy to mistake them for children from afar. They, however, carry clubs that channeled their powers.
Furthermore, some myths say there are different types of Dokkaebi, each with their temperament and own domain. With so many kinds of Dokkaebi, this might explain why their portrayal and demeanour myths can be so polarized. Though in some later myths, Dokkaebi are seen as silly and comical that only retaliates if they get cheated in something instead of their bloodthirsty roots.
Origins
Dokkaebi are born from objects that get stained with human blood, and because of this unique birth, myths often have them as something that borders life and death—natural with the supernatural. This perception is not helped by accounts that say you can only see Dokkaebis during the dark like spirits and ghosts, but they’re corporeal like man
Interestingly, the nature of their origin is partially similar to Japan’s Tsukumogami. However, in contrast to the Dokkaebi, the tsukumogami are born from forgotten objects turning one hundred years old.
Dokkaebi in Myths
Later myths about Dokkaebi show how eager and open they are to help people and how vulnerable they are to being taken advantage off, but they have a once bitten, twice shy approach with deceit.
Like in the story of the Goblin Reservoir, the Dokkaebis helped the protagonist build a reservoir. The promise of food in exchange for help was a great motivator for them, that they finished building in one night. After receiving their promised red bean porridge and portioning it among themselves, one Dokkaebi did not get its share of food and undid its part of the work out of spite. However, ironically because of the holes that Dokkaebi left, the reservoir did not collapse when it flooded.
Another interesting myth that loosely involved Dokkaebi was the story of the Goblin Hat. Dokkaebi’s have hats called dokkaebigamtu that turns them invisible. However, it was not a Dokkaebi causing mischief, instead it was a man using the dokkaebigamtu to steal from his neighbours until he was caught and beaten up by an angry mob.
Lastly, two stories that follow a similar theme, The Goblin’s Magic Club and The Old Man with a Lump on His Neck. They both follow a man somehow outsmarting the Dokkaebi and coming out richer, and a friend or neighbour asked how that happened. This friend would then try to do the exact same thing in hopes of having good fortune themselves but met misfortune instead. The second woodcutter from The Golbin’s Magic Club got beaten up when the Dokkaebis thought it was the thief wanting to steal another club from them, and the second old man in the latter story was left two lumps on his neck after his encounter with the Dokkaebi.
This even sparked the Korean proverb: “Went to lose the lump but returned with another” similar to ‘counting your chickens before they hatched.’
Dokkaebi in Media Now
In modern media, the portrayals of Dokkaebi varies. Some portrayals reimagine them like the creatures of myths they used to be, while others just use the moniker Dokkaebi with loose ties to the actual creatures.
The webnovel Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, have Dokkaebis as bit-sized, bloodthirsty troublemakers while in the Korean drama simply named Goblin, the entity known as goblin is more god-like than the fickle Dokkaebi. The video game Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege has a character named Dokkaebi. Chris Dokebi is an artist that creates and sells mischievous and playful figurines and art based off and named after the Dokkaebi.
Despite myths taking a step back as the world keeps moving forward, leaving the supernatural in myths, it doesn’t mean they’re completely forgotten. People adapt and so do myth.
Rica Equibal, a Philippine-born writer and artist, started Algonquin college with the goal to find her way into publishing. She went into her Algonquin journey with from her literature degree and proofreading experience supporting her, but she’s always up to learn more to add to her knowledge and repertoire. Aside from that, she also writes fiction—with hope to turn those little scenes and moments into a full story or novel—and draws.
She writes as inspiration strikes and primarily draws digital—that is, if she's not distracted by whatever video game she has in reach.
