A gumiho or kumiho () is a creature that appears in the folktales of East Asia and legends of Korea. It is similar to the Chinese , the Japanese and the Vietnamese .
Gumiho is a term that originally referred to a magical fox appearing in Korean novels of the Joseon dynasty, or was used pejoratively in historical records of the same period to denounce treacherous officials. In modern Korea, the designation gumiho has been broadened to encompass all fox spirits described in traditional Korean sources.
Etymology and terminology
In Korean colloquial usage, gumiho is often applied to describe a person (especially a woman) regarded as sly or cunning.
In South Korea, the term gumiho is commonly used to refer to the mythical nine-tailed fox, with ho (狐) being the Sino-Korean reading of the Chinese character for "fox." In contrast, North Korea refers to the creature as kumiyŏu (), using yŏu, the native Korean word for "fox." While ho is typically reserved for mythological or literary contexts in South Korea, South Koreans also use yeou ()—just like North Koreans do—in everyday language to refer to real, biological foxes. However, even the word yeou, which usually denotes a wild fox, carries a subtle nuance of cunning or eeriness, and this term often appears in names referring to Korean fox spirits.
Due to the widespread use of the term gumiho, modern Koreans often refer to all fox spirits by this name; however, this represents a typical case of conflation. In fact, Korean folklore features a variety of fox spirits, including bulyeou (불여우, "fire fox"), baegyeou (백여우, "white fox"), maegu (매구, "fox demon"), and hogwi (호귀, "fox ghost"), all of which, like gumiho, have also been employed in a derogatory sense when referring to women. As these various names indicate, the types of foxes appearing in Korean mythology are diverse and are not limited to the nine-tailed fox (gumiho).
Characteristics and symbolism
In Korean myth, foxes are primarily depicted as deceptive, malevolent, and tragic beings, though there are rare cases where they are portrayed as benevolent toward humans or as deities governing mountains.
They are often portrayed in the form of heretical Buddhist monks or beautiful women and are sometimes depicted as monsters that torment and threaten dragons, which are considered sacred in Korean mythology. In Korean mythology, which is deeply influenced by Buddhism, the dragon is depicted as a divine being that protects the kingdom, whereas its adversary, the fox, is portrayed as a force that disturbs the kingdom or as a harbinger of the kingdom's downfall. In certain tale, the fox spirit is even described as defeating multiple dragons, emphasizing its anti-divine characteristics. At the same time, such accounts suggest that although the fox was not venerated as a sacred creature like the dragon, it was nevertheless regarded in Korea as possessing transcendent powers comparable to those of dragons.
In Korean toponymy, yeougogae () is among the most common place names for mountain passes. Passes bearing the name "fox" are often associated with local folktales or legends about fox spirits.
Historical development
In Korean tradition, the fox spirit appears in early state myths in forms that reflect syncretism with Buddhism and indigenous shamanistic beliefs. During the Goryeo period, however, the status of the fox spirit had already begun to decline. Although certain myths recorded at that time portray the fox in a sacred light, these accounts are generally considered quotations or preservations of earlier Silla beliefs rather than reflections of Goryeo religious culture itself. Most narratives about fox spirits written during the Goryeo period depict them as ominous or inauspicious beings. Unlike in Japan, where fox spirits were integrated positively into Buddhism, the fox in Goryeo Korea does not appear to have undergone such a synthesis.
By the Joseon period, under the influence of Confucian thought, the religious status of the fox spirit declined even further. Confucian ideology discouraged attributing significance to fictional or supernatural beings, and its hierarchical worldview often placed animals below humans in moral and ontological value. As a result, in popular perception and oral tradition, the fox spirit came to be portrayed increasingly as a deceptive, malevolent, or tragic being. However, in literary contexts, depictions of fox spirits became more varied with the introduction of Chinese fantasy fiction, and Joseon-era writers portrayed fox spirits through a range of symbolic meanings rather than a single moral type.
Unlike in China and Japan, where fox spirits were at times associated with religious functions or divine status, evidence for a comparable role in Korea is limited, with notable examples appearing only in the mythology of the ancient kingdom of Silla. In Japan, fox spirits were integrated into the state-sanctioned religious framework, and in China, extensive mythological traditions allowed for the widespread dissemination of fox spirit stories. But by contrast, due to the aforementioned religious and social currents in Korea that were unfavorable toward fox spirits, the development of Korean fox spirit narratives inevitably faced considerable constraints. Consequently, premodern Korean fox spirit traditions remained limited in both quantity and quality compared to those found in Japan or China.
However, this assessment is relative; when considered in absolute terms, Korea possesses a substantial corpus of fox spirit legends, and foxes hold a notable place as supernatural beings within the country's folklore tradition. Since most surviving Korean fox spirit traditions depict the fox as a demonic being, the general perception of the Korean fox spirit is that it is an evil or devilish entity. Many early foreign studies consequently misunderstood the Korean fox spirit as possessing exclusively demonic traits, and even perceptions within Korea have not substantially diverged from this view. Yet, one of the most favorable popular tales about the Gumiho was created in its modern form in the 1800s called "The Gumiho's 100 day wait." Thus, upon closer examination of traditional myths, a minority of Korean folktales present the fox in a neutral or sacred light, in which it aids or rewards humans.
Modern interpretations and media South Korea, as a country with an active media industry, frequently produces works based on indigenous legends, regardless of the fact that Christianity is the predominant religion in contemporary Korean society. The fox spirit is among the motifs employed in such media. The character Kumiho, featured in the horror anthology series Jeonseorui gohyang ("Hometown of Legends") aired by the public broadcaster KBS, became widely recognized by Korean audiences and has served as a source of inspiration for cultural creators. Furthermore, the traditions of the kumiho and fox spirits also serve as material for contemporary illustrated storybooks. In addition, the story of the Kumiho is further evolving as new interpretations are created. This is due to Korean mythology not being centralized thus allowing more creative freedom from the individual when creating a story based on myth.
The motif of the Kumiho desiring to become human, while not entirely absent in premodern periods, was relatively rare, though it appeared during the Joseon dynasty in tales such as The Fox Sister, The Tale of Palbaek, The Fox Den (although this features a 6 tailed fox named Banya,) The Fox Wife which is the primary folktale (although this specific "tale" originated as an oral tradition, a concrete documented tale that is similar is called 서낭고개의 여우각시.) These tales are especially associated with the "becoming human" motif. In modern Korean mythology, this theme is more prominent, with repeated reinterpretations of fox-spirit narratives reinforcing the image of the Kumiho striving for humanity. Scholars suggest that the emergence of this motif may be attributed to multiple factors, including cultural reactions against the Joseon-era disdain for fox tales, feminist aspirations to liberate Korean women, who had long been marginalized and disparaged through the derogatory connotations associated with the term kumiho, and broader influences from Chinese, Japanese, and Korean folklore—such as The Man and the White Snake, Yuki-Onna, and native "fox becoming human" folktales alongside Ungnyeo—which collectively contributed to the development of the modern interpretation.
As the kumiho has frequently appeared in South Korean media, it has come to be represented in diverse ways, including more sympathetic portrayals. These positive reinterpretations extend not only to the kumiho itself but also to the fox as an animal, sparking renewed public interest in indigenous fox-spirit folklore. This growing interest has led to the rediscovery of older fox-spirit tales, which, when incorporated into newly created kumiho media, sustain a cyclical process of modern reinterpretation and the revival of ancient folklore.
In September 2022, a South Korean distilled soju(Distilled Liquor) brand named Saero was released, featuring the kumiho as its brand symbol. The use of the kumiho as the emblem of a commonly consumed distilled soju suggests that Kumiho has become significantly more familiar and approachable to the general South Korean public.
In contrast, the portrayal of the fox in North Korean media remains largely uniform and negative. During the Cold War, both North and South Korea frequently employed animal metaphors in their mutual propaganda, with each side comparing the other to foxes or jackals. North Korea, however, has continued to reproduce such imagery well into the 21st century. In North Korean dramas, films, and other media, the fox typically symbolizes capitalism, imperialism, selfishness, or divisive behavior. Beyond these limited functions, foxes rarely appear, as state propaganda has already attached a negative connotation to the animal. Assigning alternative meanings would potentially undermine propaganda objectives; therefore, the image of the fox in North Korea remains consistently negative.
Furthermore, When North Korea undertook state-sponsored projects to compile Korean folktales, a rigid class-based and socialist framework was applied, leading to the exclusion of fantastical or frightening stories. This selective approach limited the transmission of traditional fox spirit narratives. Unlike in South Korea, where the kumiho continues to evolve through modern reinterpretations, in North Korea the figure neither develops multifaceted qualities nor benefits from the rediscovery of older traditions, which also restricts the possibility of modern adaptations. As a result, kumiho is depicted almost exclusively as a demonic entity. In the 2021 animated film The Devil's Conqueror (Eoksoe Defeats Devil, 악마를 이긴 억쇠), for example, the devil character is identified with the kumiho.
Korean Fox Spirit Tales by Period Fox spirit in ancient Korean mythology
The sources of the fox spirit's story that appeared in ancient Korean history are Samgugyusa(三國遺事, Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms) and Samguksagi(三國史記, History of the Three Kingdoms).
Fox spirits depicted as active in ancient Korean kingdoms are usually described as having white fur, the ability to transform into humans, and possessing cunning magical powers. However, historical records from ancient Korean history do not specifically describe these fox spirits as having nine tails. The nine-tailed fox spirit does not appear in Korean historical records until the Goryeo period and later.
In ancient Korean mythology, foxes are typically depicted as malevolent spirits with white fur. But also, there is a singular account describing a sacred fox spirit with black fur.
The First Records of the Fox Spirit in korea