The Collection of Korean Folk Paintings (Kyonggi University Museum, 2001). Princeton University Library.
A very hearty congratulations to KPop Demon Hunters for winning two Golden Globes this weekend – Best Animated Feature Film, and Best Original Song!
Not to say my daughter and I are bias, but we believe that KPop Demon Hunters is the best animated movie of all time. Not only is it beautifully styled, well written, and moving, it is an incredible representation of East Asian culture, both historic and modern. And today we’re celebrating that with minhwa, historic Korean folk art traditionally created by anonymous craftsmen and untrained artists. Specifically, we’re looking at kkachi horangi, a genre of minhwa that depicts magpies and tigers.
In KPop Demon Hunters, one of the main characters (Rumi) is repeatedly visited by a supernatural blue tiger (Derpy) and a six-eyed magpie (Sussie). Derpy is a sweet bumbler, Sussie is a tad more watchful and world-weary.
Image from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters, 2025
Both hearken back to kkachi horangi paintings in which the tiger represents authority and the magpie represents the common man. The paintings were meant to be satirical images of the feudal hierarchy at the time, so the tiger was often depicted with an intentionally stupid expression, while the magpie was given a more dignified appearance.
Image from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters, 2025
Following the suggestions of colleagues Minjie Chen, Cotsen Children’s Library Cataloging Team Leader, and Flora Kim, Metadata Operations Specialist, I tapped the the Princeton University Library catalog to acquire The Collection of Korean Folk Paintings (Kyonggi University Museum, 2001). This three-volume set features an incredible array of art, but it was the tigers and magpies I was seeking!
The Collection of Korean Folk Paintings (Kyonggi University Museum, 2001). Princeton University Library.
The Collection of Korean Folk Paintings (Kyonggi University Museum, 2001). Princeton University Library.
For those wishing to see more gorgeous images of tigers and magpies, please visit this exhibit on Korea Minhwa Association’s site. If you’d like to see Derpy and Sussie immortalized at Macy’s 2025 Thanksgiving Day parade, you’ll find them here.
Many thanks to Minjie Chen and Flora Kim for their knowledge and expertise!