Imugi
The imugi is a great serpent of Korean folklore that has not yet become a true dragon and must live a thousand years, or catch a wish-granting jewel fallen from heaven, before it can ascend as a yong.
| Also known as | Imoogi, Korean proto-dragon, 이무기 |
|---|---|
| Type | serpent |
| Tradition | Korean |
| Category | Folklore |
| Associated with | Korea |
| Earliest source | Samguk yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms), compiled by the monk Iryeon, which is thought to write the word with the characters 梨木 (imok); otherwise known from oral tradition, about 1281–1285 |
| Wings | No |
| Breathes fire | No |
| Guards treasure | No |
| Nature | Ambivalent |
A Dragon in Waiting
In Korean folklore the imugi is a huge serpent that has the makings of a dragon but has not yet earned the right to become one. It lives in deep water, such as lakes, pools under waterfalls, or rivers, or in caves, and waits. Tales disagree on how it becomes a true dragon, a yong. The most common answers are that it must survive for a thousand years, or that it must catch a yeouiju, the wish-granting jewel, when one falls from heaven. Some stories say certain imugi are cursed and can never make the change at all.
The idea of a serpent slowly maturing into a dragon has close parallels in China, where old books describe a water snake turning into a jiao and the jiao into a dragon over centuries.
The Failed Ascent
A common folktale theme is the moment of ascent. The imugi finally rises from its pool toward the sky, but if a human sees it and calls it a snake instead of a dragon, it falls back to earth and must remain an imugi. Some tales blame such failures for landslides, floods, or the shapes of local hills and lakes. A frustrated imugi could turn bitter and dangerous, which is why many stories treat it as a threat rather than a blessing.
Appearance and Powers
The imugi is pictured as an enormous snake, sometimes with small horns, without the full features of a dragon. Its powers are those of a water spirit in the making: it can stir up storms and floods, but it lacks the control over rain and clouds that a yong possesses.
Legacy
The imugi has become well known through modern Korean film and television. Shim Hyung-rae's monster movie D-War (2007, released in English as Dragon Wars) is built around imugi fighting for the chance to become a dragon, and an imoogi is the villain of the K-drama Tale of the Nine Tailed (2020). These are modern stories that borrow the folk belief and change it freely. For the dragon the imugi hopes to become, see the Korean section of our Dragons Across Cultures page.
Related
- Yong (Korean dragon): The yong is the Korean dragon, a benevolent water and weather spirit that brings rain, guards the sea, and protects kings and the nation, often shown holding the wish-granting jewel called the yeouiju.
- Jiaolong: The jiaolong, or jiao, is a Chinese water dragon of rivers, lakes, and floods, often described as scaly and not yet fully a dragon, and feared for drowning people and overturning boats.
- Panlong: The panlong, or "coiled dragon," is a Chinese dragon that lies curled up on earth or in water and has not yet ascended to heaven, a favorite motif on bronzes, pillars, and roof beams.
- Lóng (Chinese dragon): The lóng is the Chinese dragon: a long, scaly, usually wingless creature with four clawed legs that rules rain, rivers, and seas and became the emblem of the emperor and of Chinese culture.
- Dragons Across Cultures
Sources and Further Reading
- Chŏng Myŏng-sŏp, ed., Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Literature (Seoul: National Folk Museum of Korea, 2014)
- James Huntley Grayson, Myths and Legends from Korea: An Annotated Compendium of Ancient and Modern Materials (Curzon Press, 2001)
Cite this entry: “Imugi,” Draconika Encyclopedia of Dragons, https://www.draconika.com/dragons/imugi.