Samcheongapja-dongbangsak: The Korean Legend Behind "Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938"

Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938: The Korean Legend of Samcheongapja-dongbangsak in Episode 1

"Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938" and the Korean Legend of Samcheongapja-dongbangsak

The Korean legend of "Samcheongapja-dongbangsak" appears in the first episode of "Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938." This mythical item has been referenced in a traditional children's song in South Korea, which goes: "Kim~ suhanmu~ Geobukiwa durumi~" followed by "Samcheongapja-dongbangsak."

The folktale behind this song explains that an elderly couple gave their child a long name in the hopes of a long and healthy life. A passing monk heard the name and told the couple that if a child's name is long, they will live a long life. Most of the words that make up this name are associated with long life and prosperity, and "Samcheongapja-dongbangsak" is one of them.

A real person in history, 'Dongbangsak'

In Chinese history, there was a figure named "Dongbangsak," known for his wit and humor, which earned him the favor of the emperor. However, there is no record of him living a particularly long life, so it seems unlikely that he was the direct inspiration for the symbol of longevity.

The legendary figure 'Dongbangsak'

The character "Dongbangsak" in Korean mythology is quite different. He is generally depicted as a human being who lives an incredibly long life without dying. In various legends, Dongbangsak intercepted things that were intended to be offered to the king and these things had powerful abilities that extended his lifespan. The gods who noticed Dongbangsak's abnormal lifespan tried various schemes to capture him, but often failed due to Dongbangsak's wisdom gained through his long life.

In "Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938," Dongbangsak is depicted as a yokai disguised as a long-lived turtle. Turtles are considered one of the mythical creatures in Eastern culture. His obsession with life leads him to steal people's lifespan and prolong his own, which is a slightly different portrayal from the traditional legend. Perhaps this was done to adapt the story.

Overall, the legend of "Samcheongapja-dongbangsak" has been a part of Korean folklore for generations and continues to inspire new stories such as "Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938."

"Dongbangsak" in <Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938>

In the Korean drama Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938, the character "Dongbangsak" appears as a yokai disguised as a long-lived turtle. Turtles are considered a mythical creature in Eastern culture, and the show's portrayal of Dongbangsak deviates slightly from the traditional mythology. Instead of simply living an abnormally long life, this version of Dongbangsak is obsessed with prolonging his own life and steals other people's lifespans to achieve that goal. It's possible that this twist was made to adapt the story and make it more interesting to modern audiences.