Influence of Korean shamanism

Main article: Korean shamanism

A Korean shaman performing a ritual.

Korean shamanism played a major role in the creation of ancient Korean

myths.[4] Shamanistic myths are referred to as musoksinhwa (Hangul: 무속신화; Hanja: 巫
俗神話) and are recited as a part of rituals meant to protect humans and nature.
A keungut (Hangul: 큰굿), meaning "grand ritual" is the archetypal Korean shamanistic
ritual, and each of its twelve parts includes a bonpuri (Hangul: 본풀이; Hanja: 本--),
meaning a myth about a god.[5]
Ancient Koreans followed an animistic concept and believed that every object had a soul
and, as such, shamanistic rituals included worshiping the spirits and demons that inhabit
objects such as mountains and rivers.[4] A shaman is believed to be able to communicate
with the spirit world. In Korean mythology, early leaders of Korea are said to have
shamanistic qualities or to be descended from shamans. Dangun, the mythological founder
of Korea was said to possess shamanistic traits and is sometimes portrayed as a mountain
god, otherwise known as a sanshin.[6]
The largest number of shamanistic myths come from Jeju Island and South Hamgyeong
Province.[5]

Creation myths
Creation myths explain how the world began and where people came from. They typically
include a first man or first woman who is responsible for creating the world.[7]

Changsega
Changsega (Hangul: 창세가, Hanja: 創世歌) is a shamanistic creation myth
from Hamhung, Hamgyong Province in present-day North Korea. The story explains how
the sky and the earth were separated by a giant god named Mireuk, who placed a copper
column in each corner of the earth to hold up the sky. He created men from five golden
insects, and women from five silver insects. Humankind was peaceful under Mireuk's rule,
until another giant named Seokga appeared, and the two competed to rule the human
world. Seokga won, but his victory was unjust and is considered, in this myth, the source of
evil and sin in humankind.[8]
Cheonjiwang Bonpuri
Main article: Cheonjiwang Bonpuri

Cheonjiwang Bonpuri (Hangul: 천지왕본풀이, Hanja: 天地王本--) is a shamanistic creation

myth from Jeju Island in present-day South Korea. It tells the story of Cheonjiwang (the
Celestial King), who comes down from the heavens to battle a rude man Sumyeongjangja,
but fails in his mission. While on earth, Cheonjiwang marries Bakiwang, who gives birth to
two sons, Daebyeolwang (the Big Star King) and Sobyeolwang (the Small Star King).
Eventually, Cheonjiwang has his sons compete to become ruler of the human world.
Sobyeolwang wins and punishes Sumyeongjangja by turning him into an insect.[9]
In some versions of the story, Daebyeolwang becomes the ruler of the underworld as well.[9]

Magohalmoni
Magohalmi (Hangul: 마고할미, Hanja: 麻姑--) is a creation myth from the Kwanbuk region
of North Hamgyeong Province in present-day North Korea about a giant goddess named
Grandmother Mago. Mago creates all the geological formations on earth using mud, rocks,
and her own urine and excrement. Unlike creation myths about male deities, this myth was
only passed down orally and was not included in formal records or rituals.[10]