In Korean folklore, what demon is a nine-tailed fox that seduces men? The answer is Gumiho.
A gumiho, also written kumiho, is a Korean fox spirit with nine tails. Traditional stories often portray it as dangerous and deceptive, sometimes taking the form of a beautiful woman to lure or seduce men. Some tales describe the creature seeking human organs or blood, while others focus on its wish to become human.
The name comes from Korean words meaning “nine-tailed fox,” written with the Sino-Korean characters 九尾狐. Kumiho is the McCune–Reischauer spelling, while Gumiho is the official modern romanization used in South Korea.
The seductive femme-fatale image is influential but not universal. Korean literature also includes fox spirits that are tragic, morally mixed, benevolent, or associated with mountains and supernatural power. Gumiho is related to China’s huli jing and Japan’s kitsune, but those traditions are not interchangeable: their powers, morality, and storytelling roles differ across cultures.