Park family

In the era of Japanese occupation in Korea, several Korean individuals opted to betray their homeland and fellow citizens in favour of Japan, seeking power, privilege, and wealth. The wealthy Parks family in America traces their lineage back to one such individual. Their grandfather chose to betray Korea, gaining riches, influence, and a position of great power in return. This is the disgraceful family secret that the Parks were reluctant to disclose.

Angry & Vengeful Grandfather Park

The introduction of the film adeptly illustrates the challenges faced by the Park Family due to the improper burial of their ancestor. That mistake has resulted in life threats to the Park Family members. Soon we came to know in the film that Grandfather Park’s burial was in a negative and vile location.

It was done on top of a metal rod obstructing Korean land energy. Besides, it was atop an evil demon general anima monster. Grandfather Park’s horrible burial site created a hostile environment for his spirit. In addition, because of his descendants’ neglect and failure to visit his grave, Grandpa Park’s resentment towards them grew over generations, as depicted in a conversation at the morgue.

And when his resentful spirit is unleashed, he embarks on a vengeful quest to hunt down his descendants in a state of rage and resentment.

These incidents kickstarted a horrific chain of events.

The Gisune (or Kitsune)

In reminiscences of the past, the mysterious Japanese figure known as “Gisune” was a powerful civil servant (Onmyōji), often associated with a fox-like resemblance due to his pale countenance. We learn in the film that Hwa Rim’s instructor once encountered him and commented on the intense and seemingly otherworldly nature of his spirit.

It is intriguing to consider that “Gisune” might be a misinterpretation by the Korean populace of the Japanese term “Kitsune,” which denotes a Japanese fox spirit or East Asian ghost (Youkai) that is sometimes revered as a deity or feared as a monstrous entity in Japan.

According to Japanese folklore, “Kitsune” possess formidable spiritual abilities and can transform into human form to seamlessly integrate into society.

How did the Fox split the spine of the tiger?

Based on Korean folklore, one of the key characters in the film claims that a Japanese (Gisune/Kitsune) figure strategically placed metal rods in specific locations across Korea to intercept the natural energy flow of the land. These metal rods act as barriers, preventing the Korean people from experiencing any depletion in strength, energy, prosperity, and fortune.

The movie highlights a reference to the fox splitting the spine of the tiger, symbolizing the Korean peninsula’s vulnerability.

The said location was detailed as – 38.3417 latitude & 128.3189 longitude (38°20’30.1″N & 128°19’08.0″E).

The burial site with negative energy

To protect the metal rods from being tampered with at the said burial site, the Gisune (Kitsune/a Japanese fox) transformed into a demon by using the body of a Japanese general. This Japanese General was notoriously known for killing many people. Therefore, this (General/Soldier) demon, manifested in a flaming metal sword, was designated as the guardian of the burial site.

So, his coffin was placed vertically to serve as a symbolic rod of the burial site. Moreover, Gisune also advised the Park Family to bury their grandfather at the site to ensure its protection from grave robbers. Whether the Park Family members were aware of Gisune’s plan remains unclear, but it is evident that Gisune’s primary concern was safeguarding the said burial site.

Grave Robbers

It seems that the so-called “grave robbers” were a group of resourceful and highly motivated Korean men. Most probably, they were Taoists, who believed in spiritual immortality, where the spirit of the body joins the universe after death. So, these Taoists travelled across Korea to retrieve metal rods, leaving behind tools marked with their names and spiritual symbols, and the metal rods collected from various burial sites. Their belongings included an instruction book outlining their Taoist beliefs. The book also explained the roles of the five elements: earth, fire, water, metal, and wood.

They used the Taoism principle to vanish the Anima

Well, the important Taoist principles are inaction, simplicity and living in harmony with nature. So, the Taoist principle rested on a belief in the law of the unity of the two opposite forces: yin and yang.

In the film, Geomancer Kim had read the Taoists’ book left by the so-called grave robbers and noticed a discrepancy. Contrary to what the book stated, there was no metal rod present in the grave. This discovery strengthened his conviction. Initially, he had not realized that the Anima, the essence of life, was embodied by the metal rod. However, through his visions, he witnessed the creation of the Anima and came to understand that the flaming metal sword served as the vessel for its formation.

As a result, the Anima itself represented the metal rod at the burial site. This newfound understanding, combined with the opposing elements emphasized by the Taoists, led to a significant revelation for him.

Firstly, the Anima materialized through the fusion of flame and metal.

Secondly, the water acted as a counterforce to fire, while wood countered metal.

Therefore, damp wood would neutralize the power of the flaming metal. This realization played a crucial role in overcoming Anima and defeating him in the end.