Gimnyeongsagul (Snake Cave)

Jeju · South Korea · Natural site

In the lava cave at Gimnyeong a giant serpent demanded a young girl in sacrifice each year – the officer who slew it dropped dead after glancing back at a blood-red cloud.

The lava tube Gimnyeongsagul on Jeju's north coast takes its name from the island's most famous serpent legend. A giant snake was said to dwell in the cave, demanding a fifteen-year-old girl in sacrifice each year – otherwise it ravaged the villages' harvests with storms and blight. Around 1515 the young military commander Seo Ryeon lured the beast out with a sacrificial feast, ran it through with spears and burned it. Riding back he defied the warning never to look behind him; a blood-red cloud came chasing, and soon after he sickened and died. The cave, neighbour to the famous Manjanggul, is today a protected natural monument where the tale is still told.

FAQ

Where is Gimnyeongsagul (Snake Cave) located?

Gimnyeongsagul (Snake Cave) is in Jeju, South Korea.

More haunted places in Jeju

Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.