Since ancient times, many tigers lived on the Korean peninsula, so these large, powerful predators often appeared in Korean culture both in folklore and in fine arts.
Hunting a strong beast was much more dangerous and difficult than hunting other animals. The tiger’s physical parameters – a large body and huge strength – caused not only fear, but also respect among people, his image was idolized. The tiger was associated with the mountain spirit, the divine messenger and was endowed with holiness.
The tiger was also often endowed with human features. In legends, he was a positive character, a man’s helper and defender.
In the Joseon era (조선, 1392-1897), the tiger represented a valor and strength of a nobleman, and military officials were called tiger officials, the powerful predator was depicted on their uniform.
But in folk art, the tiger began to appear as a negative character, representing the aristocracy of that time. For the common people, the tiger and sometimes the leopard began to embody the cruel nobility. The people also endowed the predator with cruelty, as well as stupidity and greed.
The genre of Jakhodo (jak – magpie, ho – tiger, do – painting) appears in Minhwa, folk Korean painting, where the tiger is deliberately given a ridiculous, comic and foolish look (that’s where his nickname «stupid tiger» (바보호랑이) comes from). In these paintings, the tiger (sometimes the leopard) represents power and aristocracy, while the clever and cunning magpie embodies the common man.
There are legends and fairy tales in which the tiger symbolizes the cruelty of the authorities towards ordinary people.
One of the legends that may have served as a plot for Jakhodo:
One day Tiger wandered into a small swamp. Failing to free himself, he anxiously waited for a passing-by to save him. Thus he sat for three days without food. And finally a kind-hearted Woodcutter appeared.
The Tiger begged the man to save his life. When the Woodcutter decided to help the predator, the ungrateful Tiger tried to eat him. Amazed at this turn of events, the man asked the Bull and the Pine to fairly judge this case. But they sided with the Tiger, convincing him to eat the Woodcutter.
The Woodcutter desperately approached the Magpie to know the final decision. The Magpie asked the man and the predator to retell this story so that she could reach her verdict.
The foolish Tiger returned to the swamp… and the Woodcutter was saved.