Mythical Creatures: The Worldbuilding Guide to Korean Fantasy by Huck Kahng is an imaginative exploration of Korea’s folklore, providing readers with a unique guide for integrating its legendary beings and mythic themes into fantasy tales. The book presents a detailed taxonomy of Korean mythical creatures, ranging from humans and animals to monsters, each accompanied by intriguing tales, cultural takes, and worldbuilding exercises. The book catalogs these beings while providing creative prompts for writers, game developers, and worldbuilders to craft immersive, culturally authentic worlds. The book integrates elements of humor, tradition, and mythic symbolism, exploring the fluid boundaries between the celestial, human, and animal realms in Korean mythology.

Reading Mythical Creatures was a unique experience for me. Huck Kahng’s book introduces Korean mythology and fantasy elements in a way that fascinated and gripped me. I loved the playful yet scholarly approach to folklore and the excellent blend of storytelling with a toolkit for creative application. The unique angle lies in framing Korean myths as dynamic sources of inspiration rather than static legends; each creature and story becomes a seed for worldbuilding, accompanied by exercises that challenge creators to think beyond conventional fantasy images. The writing is excellent, and the author's voice is as captivating as the creatures it discusses and the themes it explores. The author takes standard folklore compilations and weaves them into fantasy worlds for readers to navigate. This is the first book I have read about Korean mythology, and it doesn’t disappoint. While its primary audience is writers and game creators seeking inspiration for building engaging worlds, it left me satisfied. It excites the reader's mind!

Huck Kahng is a Korean fantasy novelist who introduces us to the fascinating folklore of his country by sharing traditional myths. At the same time, he offers valuable ideas for building creative and original fantasy worlds. At the beginning of Mythical Creatures: The Worldbuilding Guide to Korean Fantasy, he includes the characters' names in Korean with their romanization and pronunciation, which makes reading easier. He then divides the content into three sections by topic. The first part presents stories centered on humans or animals aspiring to become one. The second part explores stories starring animals and includes reflections on karma and its narrative use. The third part is about monsters and explains how myths can vary around the same creature. The stories throughout the book cover the most diverse topics, such as love, fear, and justice.

I loved how Huck Kahng tells the myths, with a steady pace and unique characters. His writing style is quite entertaining because of his fun and relaxed tone. He also shows a lot of creativity in describing how the ancient teachings can be adapted to the present day. I also liked how he explained Korea's cultural and historical context without interrupting the stories. Another interesting aspect is the complexity of some of the morals. They talk about the power of transformation in fantastic worlds and encourage you to think about what one would be willing to sacrifice to grow as a person. At the end of each chapter, there is a section with creative exercises that stimulate the imagination and allow you to put into practice what you have learned. Mythical Creatures is an excellent resource for both creators of fantasy worlds and those who want to learn more about Korean culture.