13) Korea - 7. Geuseunsae

'Geuseunsae' is a yokai from Jeju Island. 'Geuseun' means wrong or error, and 'sae' in Jeju dialect refers to evil spirits, misfortune, or vengeful souls. It is said to wear a Jeju-style raincoat called 'jujengi,' fly around in broad daylight, and attack lone individuals for no reason. Those attacked by the Geuseunsae are said to lose their minds and attempt to take their own lives. Below is a related folktale. A farmer in Pyeongdae-ri was plowing his field when his neighbor tied his cow's halter to a tree and tried to hang himself with it. The farmer quickly stopped him, and the friend came to his senses, saying that something resembling a raincoat had flown from the sky and tried to hang him with the halter rope. He expressed his gratitude, stating that he would have died if not for the farmer's intervention. Modern interpretations suggest that the Geuseunsae is a manifestation of the loneliness and resulting hallucinations experienced by laborers working alone in vast pastures or forests. The setting, where individuals recover when someone speaks to them, is also interpreted as reflecting Jeju's unique communal bonds, encouraging neighborly interest and mutual care.