What is the Saetani(새타니) Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938

In the drama "Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938," a being named 'Saetani' appeared. 'Saetani,' depicted as a small evil spirit, often appears in ancient Korean folklore. Let's delve into the story of Saetani and learn more about it.

The story of 'Saetani' from Korea

Saetani' is also used in various meanings in Korean folklore. The most well-known meaning refers to the spirit of a person who died at a very young age. Among them, it is said that the spirits who provide future predictions and mysterious powers to Korean shamans known as "mudangs" were called 'Saetani.

There are other forms of 'Saetani' as well, often accompanied by tragic stories. In one such story, a sad tale is told where a child is abandoned by their mother while their salt peddler father goes out to do business. The child starves to death, and when the father returns and finds the child's lifeless body, he carries it in a salt box and continues his journey. During this time, the child in the salt box transforms into a ghostly figure. Upon visiting a village, the salt peddler sees his wife, who had abandoned the child and is now happily living with a new man. Enraged, the salt peddler tries to show his wife the child's remains, but instead, the child, now a vengeful ghost, emerges from the salt box and causes the woman's death. In this story, 'Saetani' is used as a term for the vengeful ghost of the child who did not die but transformed into a vengeful spirit.

In Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938

In Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938, the depiction of 'Saetani' appears to combine elements from the two previously mentioned images, as well as incorporating the concept of the 'Yeommae' mentioned earlier. In this series, 'Saetani' is portrayed as being drawn to a shaman and dies with resentment. Their final wish is to be saved by the protagonist of the drama. 

However, 'Yeon' fails to fulfill her wish, leading the resentful 'Saetani' to cast a curse that blinds 'Yeon' in revenge. While the portrayal of 'Saetani' in this drama series differs slightly from the original 'Saetani' in Korean folklore, it can be seen as an added element for the sake of entertainment and enhancing the drama's storyline. Therefore, it can be enjoyed and understood as a creative adaptation in the context of providing an enjoyable viewing experience.