Bulgasari
불가사리
Legend, unconfirmed: a monster said to have appeared in Songdo (today's Kaesong) at the end of the Goryeo dynasty, growing bigger and bigger by eating iron needles, spoons and farm tools. It was described with a bear's body, an elephant's trunk, a rhino's eyes, tiger paws and an ox's tail, covered in needle-sharp hair. One story says its name comes from "bulgasal", meaning "cannot be killed", because no blade could hurt it.
See it on the 3D globe →At a glance
- Country
- North Korea
- Kind
- Legendary creatures
Quick answers
Where is Bulgasari?
Bulgasari is in North Korea.
The Bulgasari, also spelled Pulgasari, is a legendary creature from Korean folklore that eats metal. It is described as a mix of animals: the body of a bear, the trunk of an elephant, the eyes of a rhinoceros, the claws of a tiger and the tail of a bull. The legend is said to date from the late 14th century.
The name is usually explained as 'something impossible to kill'. In the story, the beast grows bigger and stronger the more metal it swallows. Many tales treat it as a hero that punishes evil, but some stories show it as a danger. It even inspired Korea's first monster film.
The legend
One version says a Buddhist monk, hiding from persecution in the Goryeo era, made a tiny figure from grains of rice and fed it needles. It began to grow. Soldiers came with arrows and swords, but the beast just ate the metal and became stronger.
Even fire did not stop it, and it spread the flames to burn a village. Stories disagree about its fate: some say monks defeated it, others say it still lives.
Protector and movie star
People believed the Bulgasari could drive away nightmares and evil spirits and protect against plagues and disasters. For this reason it was carved as a guardian on walls, chimneys, railings and pillars.
The tale inspired two films: 'Bulgasari' (1962) from South Korea and 'Pulgasari' (1985) from North Korea. An American remake called 'Galgameth' followed in 1996.
Fun facts
- The tale of the iron-eating Bulgasari inspired Korea's first monster film, 'Bulgasari' (1962), and the North Korean film 'Pulgasari' (1985).
- It is made of parts from a bear, an elephant, a rhinoceros, a tiger and a bull.
- In one tale it was born from rice grains and needles.
- Its image was carved on walls and pillars as a protector.
On the globe
The model shows the strange, bear-bodied creature with a trunk and tiger claws, a legend rather than a real animal.
Nearby on the globe
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14