Our Gods, Our Monsters 1: The Story of Gods and Humans

Author's Note

Chapter 1.
To all of you who have come to our world of God

① Mysterious stories, myths
Things to know before reading Korean mythology - The current state of Korean mythology
② Characteristics of Korean mythology
- A story where reality and romance coexist
③ Various branches of our old stories
What are myths, legends, and folktales? Korean mythology: Dividing it like this reveals the path.

Chapter 2.
Vinaida, Vinaida - A folk god accompanying our daily lives

① Even if you don't know the folk gods, you know the gods of heaven and earth.
-Which god is a folk god?
② Sky, wind, stars, and nature gods
-What kind of nature gods are there? -Gungsan Scholar and Myeongwol Gaksi who became the sun and moon gods -My brother will be the sun, and I will be the moon to illuminate the world -The daughter and daughter-in-law of Yeongdeung Halmeoni, the wind god -Yeongdeunggut, the time when the wind god briefly stays in this world -Why did the tiger leave and only the bear remain? -How is a god who lost in a power struggle remembered? -The snake god who crossed the sea following grain -The power of the snake god that collapsed in the face of environmental change

Column 1) Symbols Hidden in Our Numbers

③ The guardian deity of our house
-Blessings run away just because you stepped on the threshold! -Blessings abound in the house where the Seongjusin resides -The two pillars that support the family, Seongjusin and Teojusin -How a family and a wicked woman became vassals -Cheoyong, the most famous tattoo in Korea -The true meaning of tolerance hidden behind dance and song -The fate of the three gods that began with a single grain of rice -Jejudo Samsin Halmang, please grant one more wish
④ A village god who helps everyone live well
- From earning a living to major and minor matters, the village god's hand - The reason why a daughter-in-law who broke a taboo is worshipped as a village god - Hooray! A gift-giving ceremony for the gods - Im Gyeong-eop, the god of generals while alive and early birds after death - The only condition for the village god to continue
⑤ The creator god who created the world and established order
- When heaven, earth, and people were created, there was a grandmother goddess. - Mago Halmi, who could truly be called a goddess. - Seolmundae Halmang, the giant who created Jeju. - Why did the goddess of creation become a laughing stock?
⑥ The Roots of Power and Bloodline: The Founding God and the Progenitor God
- An ordinary person cannot establish a country - If Jumong were a god, this much would be basic - All these signs are a performance for the gods - The story of the 'three living together' in the Samsung myth of Jeju Island

Column 2) If I knew this pattern, I could write a myth too.

Chapter 3.
A god who is worshipped in a laughter-filled ritual

-Until a good game is played
① A ritual to comfort the dead and the living together
- The path to the afterlife is made in this world - An abandoned child becomes a being who cares for the dead - The path of a shaman chosen after abandoning the throne - A woman who did 'this' for reunion - Gut, the path that begins with hope and returns to reality - A rich man who saved his life with a single meal - Gut stage, a place where Confucianism and Buddhism permeate
② The god of the disease ritual that removes pain
-Sometimes gut is the medicine -Guests are happier when they leave than when they come -The smallpox god you can hate, but you can't keep by your side either -When gut makes you see the world again -I can't stand Simcheong gut!
③ Another name for good luck, Jaesugut
- Come in, blessings - Flowers picked while waiting for a baby - Hallakgung, the manager of the Seocheon Flower Garden - If you ask who is blessings - Gam Eun-jae, the goddess who reorganizes the board of life
④ When the whole village calls out to God
- When a god comes, the village becomes abuzz - What remains where the old man Bangin rolled - If you please the god, great fortune will come - General Nami, who was reborn as the village guardian deity - The secret to the survival of the village ritual is 'the power of divine fusion'

Column 3) How do shamans convey the will of the gods?

Chapter 4.
Buddhist and Taoist gods that took root in Korea

① The Buddhist god who designed the afterlife
- A landscape of Korean mythology infused with Buddhism and Taoism - Ten judges who rule the underworld, the King of Hell - The judgment of the underworld that questions the morality of this world - A god who seems to embrace even my mistakes - Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, the last hope on humanity's side

Column 4) Low-level civil servants in the afterlife, grim reapers

② Taoist god who embraces nature
- The intersection of Taoism and Korean folk beliefs - The Jade Emperor, the god who rules the sky - The Big Dipper, who rules destiny through the flow of stars - The belief in the Seven Stars, which has permeated other religions - The Dragon King, the ruler of all waterways - The hope that flows along the waterways: The meaning of the Dragon King custom

Column 5) Korean mythology: Where should I start studying it?
Appendix) Information on national gut performances where you can see gut and eat rice cakes
Editor's Note

The series “Our God, Our Monster” began when three people who were studying classical literature at the Graduate School of Korean Literature at Korea University met again.
These individuals, who have spent a long time going back and forth between research and the field, each accumulated their own expertise and experience, and came together with the intention of retelling Korean myths and monster stories in modern language.
The two professors in charge of writing the book and the publisher in charge of planning and editing put their heads together.
This series does not only cover our old stories through papers or materials.
Each person adds a sense of life to the knowledge they have studied, reinterpreting the human mind and world order in Korean mythology from a modern perspective.
As we revisited stories from hundreds of years ago, we discovered questions and emotions that still resonate with us today.

They each contributed to the perfection of the book from their respective positions, from the planning stage to writing, reviewing materials, composing, and creating visual images.
Countless discussions were held to achieve both academic depth and popularity, and through this process, 《Our God, Our Monster》 was solidly completed.
This is the most contemporary classic literature book, created by people who wanted to revive tradition.
This book conveys not only the knowledge of old myths, but also the emotions of the ancient people who embraced the stories.
It will serve as a friendly introduction for readers new to mythology, and a solid source of inspiration for creators seeking Korean material.

Read with your eyes and feel with your heart

This book categorizes stories according to the god's personality and worldview.
Village gods, nature gods, household gods, folk gods, and even national founding gods—if you follow the stories of each god, the system and flow of Korean faith will come into view.
Moreover, the rich illustrations and delicate drawings by illustrator Hong Seon-ju make the world of mythology even more vivid.
At the end of the book are columns and appendices.
It provides interesting answers to questions such as 'low-level civil servants in the other world, grim reapers' and 'symbols hidden in numbers', combining academic evidence with the imagination of the story.
If the main text is a map of God's world, the columns and appendix are like lenses that allow us to look deeper into that map.
As you read, becoming immersed in the story, the stories of the gods become connected, and within them, the structure of the mind that moved Korean faith becomes clear.

Books chosen first by 970 people

《Our God, Our Monster 1》 is a book that was first selected by 970 Tumblbug supporters even before its official release.
Rather than simply interpreting myths, they wanted to properly understand the origins of Korean stories.
Artists and writers who wanted to use Korean mythology as creative material, teachers and parents who wanted to tell accurate old stories to children, and readers who loved old stories came together.
Responses continued, such as “The content is rich and warm” and “It’s been a long time since I read a good book.”
This book, which combines academic depth and narrative warmth, shows that ancient myths are stories that still recur in our lives today.
This is a book of 'Korean mythology of today' that anyone can read with interest.