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49 I n 1866, as a French fleet came down the Han River in preparation for an invasion, thousands of Korean Catholics were gathered by the Daewongun (a Joseon Dynasty regent to the king) and mercilessly decapitated. After the brutal execution, it is said that he rolled their heads down into the river below to cleanse it of foreigners. He was determined for Korea to follow an isolationist policy and set out to purge the country of all foreign elements, including the Catholic religion. The site of the massacre, Jeoldusan, which translates to “Cut Head Mountain,” stands near what is now the Yanghwajin Foreigners’ Cem- etery. Foreign residents in Seoul were allocated this site for a cemetery in 1890, after years of difficulty in obtaining appropriate burial places. However, some speculate that this land was only offered to the expat community because it was considered to be haunted; it was believed that the ghosts of those who were murdered still roamed the area, un- able to rest after their wrongful execution. Seoul is certainly not the only city in which gruesome murders have taken place; most large cities with a long history have had their share of cruel tyrants, war-mongering generals and violent criminals. That being said, most history aficionados will find Seoul a veritable treasure trove of fascinating and gory incidents: familial betrayal, assassination plots and espionage. Because of this, Seoul also has a high number of intriguing accounts revolving around ghosts — especially those of a vengeful and violent nature. It is not surprising, then, that since the Joseon Dynasty, both Koreans and expatriates living in Seoul have reported personal experiences with the supernatural. Ghosts are widespread in Korean pop culture as well, appearing in horror films, reality TV shows and dramas. Recently, popular webtoons depicting the frightening tales of the Bongcheon-dong ghost and the Oksu Station ghost have become Internet sensations. Story and Photos by Christine Pickering of Seoul The GhoSTS Searching for spirits in a city with a long and gruesome history