A stone haechi standing guard at Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster Headquarters in central Seoul

One of Korea's most iconic mythical creatures is the haechi, a chimeric animal that most closely resembles a lion or a dog, but it's covered with scales and has a dragon's tail and a single horn on its fierce-looking head.

The haechi is widely seen as a protective animal, able to tell good from evil and also ward off misfortune and prevent fire. Its origin and appearance is similar to China's xiezhi, but Korea's haechi is more widely depicted as friendly and playful, rather than ferocious and belligerent.

For more than 600 years, the haechi has been visible all around central Seoul. In the 1390s when the Joseon Kingdom was formed, the site of the new capital was selected according to the geomantic principles of pungsu (feng shui).

However, Gwanaksan Mountain in the south posed a major problem as it gave off a fire energy that threatened the city’s future. Consequently, two haechi statues were placed in front of Gwanghwamun, the main entrance to Gyeongbokgung Palace. They block the negative fire energy from Gwanaksan, and the bell around their necks is supposed to sound the alarm should any dangerous fires ignite.

Haechi statues also stand guard at other Joseon-era structures as well as the National Assembly and Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster Headquarters, where they symbolize justice and protection from disaster.

The creature was selected as Seoul’s mascot in 2008 and has since appeared all over the city, even on the side of taxis and public transportation. The cute haechi character stands on two feet, wears white gloves and also bears the signature bell and a pair of white wings.

Koreans know the haechi very well for another reason. Haitai is another way of pronouncing haechi and is also the name of a major Crown Confectionery subsidiary that specializes in snack food, beverages and ice cream.

And these days if you search online for the beast, you're likely to find references to the 2019 Joseon-period K-drama "Haechi." 

Based on its ubiquity in modern Seoul, the haechi remains a beloved part of Korean folklore.

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