Gwisin
| Gwisin | |
| Hangul | 귀신 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 鬼神 |
| Revised Romanization | Gwisin |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kwisin |
Gwisin (Korean: 귀신) is a general term for ghosts in Korea. They are considered similar to a Yogoe (Korean: 요괴); they are people who have died, not monsters or creatures such as Dokkaebi. They can be found in many places, but most commonly in abandoned buildings, houses, cemeteries, forests, and schools. When a person dies without completing something that they must do (e.g. revenge or staying longer with their family), their spirit remains on earth to complete the task before going on to the underworld. However, very strong gwisin do not go to the underground world if they want to remain on earth, and over time these gain strength.
There are a lot of legends about Gwisin. Because they are a common form of ghost, children often make them up to scare others or parents tell stories to their children to teach them a lesson. Most legends are about revenge, revenge for their families or about men who cheated on their wives, or murdered the victim.
Appearances of Gwisin often occur in high schools, a concept popularized with the release of Whispering Corridors, a Korean horror movie released in 1998.
Gwisin are usually transparent, legless and float in mid-air. Old Gwisin usually have white Hanbok (한복) which are worn for funerals. They have long, drooping black hair and sometimes they are faceless, depending on their personality. Male Gwisin are somewhat rare, and may appear different.
There are many ways they can appear.
Gwisin can appear as her/his true self.
Gwisin can also appear to move things or prank you to get attention.
When a Gwisin approaches, the atmosphere changes most of the time.
Gwisin have their own reasons to be on earth, usually that they have unfinished business. Depending on their personality and attitude, their strength and maliciousness can vary. For example, a very calm person who's always nice may not harm or bother other people. She/he will stick to her/his reason. A very aggressive ghost can harm people, even by accident. To become a Gwisin, they must have a very strong urge to stay, or they will have to go to the underground world. Here are some common reasons Gwisin stay on earth.
Though they're ghosts, that does not mean their personality and attitude change. If they do not get a person's attention, they can become impatient. For example, they might want attention to send a message to a mortal human being, but if they do not understand or notice, Gwisin may become a little aggressive.
...
Wikipedia