Arangโs Ghost is only one of many Korean water ghost stories that have haunted generations of Koreans. This is the tale of a beautiful woman, brutally murdered whose soul is out for revenge.
The Beautiful Lady Arang
Arang was the most beautiful woman in all of Miryang City. She was not only beautiful outside, but also had a very kind soul and many talents. Her father, who was the cityโs magistrate, was extremely protective of his daughter. He believed that no man was good enough for her, and wanted to preserve her beautiful innocent spirit. And so, he kept her locked at home while he searched for the ideal man for his daughter.
However, one day, a low-ranked soldier named Baek Ha passed by Arangโs house and spotted her through the gate. He fell in love with her immediately. He only saw her for a few seconds but it was enough for her to develop a deep obsession with her. As expected, Arang had no interest in the soldier and made it very clear.
That night, Baek Ha tried to get close to Arang through her maid. The maid helped him arrange a secret meeting with Arang outside under the full moon. Once outside, the maid went back inside, leaving Arang alone with Baek Ha.
Tragedy
Baek Ha soon began making advances but Arang rejected him. Arang insisted that she was not interested in the man and begged for him to leave her alone. However, Baek Ha was obsessed with the woman and refused to take no for an answer.
He tried with all of his strength to force Arang to stay with him and ended up killing her. Baek Ha then disposed of Arangโs body in a nearby river.
The next morning, Arangโs father found that she was missing. He believed that as a result of his strict and protective parenting his daughter had escaped as an act of rebellion. He immediately resigned from his post as a magistrate and began searching far and wide for his daughter.
Once the magistrate position was empty, Seoul sent a replacement. But mysteriously, every single magistrate that arrived in Miryang ended up dead the very first night after their arrival.ย After hearing the rumors, a curious man named Lee Sang Sa decided to go and take the charge to investigate what was going on.
Arangโs Revenge
While walking around at night, Sang Sa saw a mysterious light coming from the river. He approached the light and found himself face-to-face with Arangโs ghost. She told Sang Sa the truth about her death and asked for help. Sang Sa accepted the task, saving his own life in the process.
Arangโs ghost told him that her murderer would soon come to him looking for a job. A moth would fly around the head of the man who murdered her three times. She asked the new magistrate to avenge her death so that she could finally rest in peace and her father could grieve.ย Sang Sa being a brave and rightful man, was the first new magistrate who agreed to help Arangโs ghost.
After a couple of days, just as the ghost said, Baek Ha went to see the new magistrate looking for a job. A big moth flew three times around his head during the interview. The new magistrate made him confess and he was arrested and tried for his crime.
From that day on, no magistrate who arrived in Miryang died. But on nights when the moon reaches its full glow, people still often see a ghostly light and the figure of a beautiful woman wandering the bank of Miryangโs river.
If you enjoy Korean myths, you wonโt want to miss out on the Bulgasal. Click Here to read about Koreaโs deadliest monster.
