Jangsanbeom (萇山-)

Around 2009, the name first surfaced in the rumors of an alley in Daegu. No one knows who first saw it, nor who first came back alive. The story simply crossed the river, spreading to the foot of Jangsan (萇山) in Haeundae-gu, Busan, and there it took root.

Its form is said to resemble a tiger, yet its fur is white as snow. A strange proportion to its silhouette — as though something human has been folded into the shape of a wild beast. Those who have witnessed it all say the same thing: they could not look at it directly. The moment their gaze fell upon it, it seemed to dissolve into the shadows of the trees.

The most chilling ability of the Jangsanbeom is its mimicry of voices. A mother's voice, a friend's voice, or the voice of someone who was standing beside you only moments before. They say the danger comes when you are walking a mountain path, your name is called, and you turn back to see whether it is a person or a beast.

Even now, word passes near the hiking trails of Jangsan: do not go up the mountain alone. When the sun begins to tilt and a voice drifts over the ridge toward you — there is no way to tell whether it is an echo, the wind, or something else entirely.