Arang (Korean folklore)


Arang is a figure in the folklore of the Miryang area of Korea. According to the legend, she was the daughter of a magistrate of Miryang during the Joseon Dynasty. Her wicked nanny conspired to have the servant Baekga seize her at night and rape her; however, she resisted and Baekga stabbed her to death. Her father, thinking she had eloped with a stranger, resigned his position in shame. Thereafter, whenever a new magistrate was appointed Arang's corpse would appear; soon no-one would take the position. At last a bold man named Yi Sang-sa was appointed to the post, and he promised Arang's ghost that he would avenge her. He had Baekga seized and executed. Thereafter, her spirit ceased to trouble the town.
The Aranggak shrine, where Arang's spirit is venerated, still stands in Miryang, on the Yeongnamnu bluff overlooking the Miryang River.

Fictional portrayals