What everyone has been waiting for
The cutest and most wonderful mountain spirit in the world, Gomsinhalmi!
“What kind of guy came to our village without fear?”

Gomsin Halmi is the mountain spirit of Gombaeryeong, who usually sleeps deeply with her stomach up, but when the village is in danger, she suddenly wakes up and helps the villagers.
Bears have been familiar to our people since ancient times through folk tales, tales, and legends, and they are animals with which we have a close psychological distance, so much so that many children have a teddy bear as their first toy.
Based on the familiar and cozy image of the bear, this book presents the mountain spirit 'Gomsinhalmi', who is strong yet cute, dignified yet warm.


And all the characters and backgrounds are drawn in gentle, curved, round shapes without any sharp or pointed parts. This is a device that provides comfort to the viewer and makes them feel like the mountain god is not an oppressive or fearful being, but rather a kind, 'on my side' who cares for humans.
In addition, he worked on two layers of Korean paper, using Korean painting paints, folk painting brushes, and fine brushes. He also utilized the folk painting technique of expressing the colors naturally by spreading them without clearly dividing the boundaries, completing a new legend of Jo Yeong-geul-pyo that embraces tradition while also being fresh.

The whole town is in an uproar to find the missing child!
Wishing for the healthy growth of all children in the world
A very special era in Gombae-ryeong Village

San, the only child in Gombae-ryeong Village, takes advantage of the busy farming season when all the adults are busy to silently go up to the Cloud Land with Gureumkebi and worry the villagers.
However, the whole village moves to find the missing San-i, and eventually even Gomsin Halmi steps in and brings San-i back to the village safely.
Afterwards, a flower garden was created for San-i, who was bored because he had no peers, and the villagers expressed their gratitude by covering the old woman with a flower blanket for bringing San-i home safely.


The legend of this warm bear belly is finally completed on the cover.
The cover illustration, in which the villagers offer hot rice to Gomshin Halmi and San-i, fully embodies the author's wish for all children in the world to grow up healthy, allowing young readers to feel the world's affectionate gaze toward children through this book.
Author Jo Young-geul's ambitious work, "The Tale of the Bear Goddess: The Legend of Gombae Ridge," which gives children the joy of imagination, will be a warm gift that will be remembered for a long time by young readers.

[Author's Note]

『The Tale of the Bear Goddess: The Legend of Gombae-ryeong』 is a story I heard in the fragrant breeze while visiting Gombae-ryeong, which is said to resemble a bear's belly.

If you happen to go to Gombae-ryeong, shout out “Gombaehalmi~!”

Who knows, maybe Grandma Bear will wake up and say, “Our grandson is here.”

_ Spring 2025, Jo Young-geul