T/N:
Thank you for all the feedback, everyone! I've decided to continue using Soleum for our MC's name. As people have said, we've established familiarity with this spelling and pronunciation in English, and at the end of the day, translation isn't just transliteration but also localization. Most of all, while his name's technically closer to Soreum due to consonant assimilation, I like how the 'Sol' from the original Korean spelling (sol – eum) is retained. I've already been calling our ~bright ray of sunshine~ 'Sol-ah' in my head all this time lmao (well, still 'Sor-ah' but you get the gist) Thanks again, and if you have more suggestions/clarifications about the story and my translation, feel free to just send them down in the comments! I'm always open to and grateful for constructive criticism.
Let's break it down.
I was trying to find a missing person, encountered some bizarre, terrifying phenomena, and got sucked in somewhere.
In short: I'm a missing person now, too.
Swallowed up by a creepypasta.
"E-Excuse me, sir, are you a policeman…?"
And maybe, these kids are as well.
There were five or six of them in middle school uniforms, looking at me with a mixture of hope and fear.
Seeing their faces somehow cleared away my initial shock, grounding me back in reality.
'First things first.'
I need to figure out the situation…!
"I'm not a policeman."
I showed them the logo sewn on the front of my security uniform.
"I'm with a private security company."
"Ahh…"
It seemed they'd mistaken the security uniform for a police uniform. Their faces were starting to fill with resignation and fear, so I quickly added, "I can still file a report and initiate security procedures. So, please calm down and explain what's going on, alright?"
"Umm, yes…!"
The first student who spoke, a girl with short hair, swallowed nervously before beginning, her voice trembling.
"It's, um. We, we… were on a school trip."
They're first-year students from a middle school in Seoul had come on a field trip to Gyeongju.
The teachers had split the kids into groups to keep things manageable, and this group, Group 3, seemed to be especially cheerful and curious.
"B-Behind our lodging, there was this mountain… and we saw something like a gazebo up there, so… we decided to do a test of courage and check it out."
They had decided to sneak out at night and go up to that 'gazebo' by themselves.
'Huu…'
Normally, they'd have been caught by a teacher, scolded, and sent back, or they'd have just looked around, laughed, and returned safely.
But…
"There was this painting hanging in that gazebo."
But this is the world of creepypastas.
"I-It was a painting of something that looked… like a weird house…" The student gulped again.
"And someone was watching us from that house."
"..."
"So, we dared each other to get closer, and…"
"You touched it."
"..."
The girl nodded, then started to sob.
"S-Suddenly, a voice from the painting said, 'Good job, good job,' laughing, and then… something strange came out of it—" And when we came to, we're already in this creepy abandoned house. "We can hear strange noises outside the window, and even when it's daytime, the fog is so thick we can't see… we c-can't get out…"
Even a boy in the back with a mischievous face was sniffling. They all seemed to be on the verge of panic.
'Ugh…'
I kept my voice calm on purpose as I asked, "Was that painting by any chance a scroll?"
"Hiic, sniffle, a scroll?"
"You know, something that rolls up—a vertical scroll."
"Ah… uh, I don't think so… It was more like, um, a traditional painting? O-One that's painted with that old brush thingie…"
"…An ink wash painting?"
"Yes!!"
The student nodded vigorously.
So… could that be the common factor that draws people into this creepypasta?
Scrolls are typically antique items.
'The scroll that Section Chief Lee had was probably also a traditional ink painting.'
And that creepy, dark red liquid (uuugh) that was swirling around in the restroom… it was probably ink too.
In summary…
It's a creepypasta where a bizarre ink painting captures anyone who touches it, pulling them into a terrifying place.
'…Seems like there could be five or six of them.'
I'm finally narrowing it down. But the problem is, none of the Darkness I could think of in this category are easy to deal with.
'This is a classic, traditional creepypasta…'
The kind of story rooted in superstitious fear that tightens around your throat.
A frightening tale with a hint of a shamanistic undertone, something that chills you to the bone.
"..."
This is really bad. I'm already weak against ghosts as it is…
'This feels way more intense than that convenience store ghost…'
In desperation, I started counting heads. Usually, having more people around makes things less scary!
Is there anyone else here?
Come to think of it, where did the security sergeant go? He should've been caught up in this mess with me, but there's no sign of him anywhere. Having him here would be reassuring… and I can't exactly rely on these kids, either.
'This is a nightmare.'
I kept my tone steady and asked, "That must have been really frightening. How long have you been here?"
"A-A day…? I'm not sure…"
"You're not hungry?"
"We brought snacks, kinda… so we ate those."
"I see."
'These kids must be at their limit.'
These kids, who've barely graduated elementary school, have been trapped here on their own?
They're likely still alert because they're terrified, which is keeping them from feeling tired, but it won't be long before they crash hard.
"We're s-so scared, and our phones don't work, so…"
"I get it. I'll look for a way out, so in the meantime, don't touch anything else…"
Wait.
"So, is it just you here? No other adults around?"
"An adult! There's one! There's one, but…!"
Then, at that moment.
…A scream rang out from far away.
AAAAHHHH!
"..."
"He's been screaming… all by himself… that ahjussi's scaring us."
"…Yeah."
I'm scared too…
'But I can't just drag all of you along…'
In times like this, having a comforting (living) plush toy around definitely comes in handy.
'Braun.'
I called out to the 'Good Friend' in my pocket.
Come to think of it, he's been pretty quiet.
– Mr. Roe Deer.
A slightly crestfallen voice answered.
– I'm sorry. To think you went to such a filthy, unhygienic place just to bring me a gift…
It seemed he was feeling rather guilty. I let out a faint chuckle.
'It's alright. We'll get out of here.'
Actually, it's not alright at all.
But getting angry here won't let me quit halfway, either… That would only leave me with a resentful, murderous plush toy.
– You're truly bold! That's an admirable talent, even as an entertainer!
No, I'm just absolutely scared out of my wits.
So I'm counting on you for some serious help.
'Can you help me find a way out?'
– What do you need? Just say the word, and this Braun, will prepare it…
Mm. This is great—at this rate, even if I don't manage to pull the full fifty million, our friendship won't be at risk.
After giving Braun a few taps of gratitude on my pocket, I stepped deeper into the abandoned house.
…Toward the source of the scream.
"Wait here for just a moment. I'll go check it out."
"O-Okay…!"
Of course, I'd already loaded a 500-won coin in case I needed to activate the remote hand at any moment.
And I had a flashlight ready too.
'Good thing it's attached to the uniform.'
Relying on the thin beam of light, I moved forward.
Aaaahhh…! No, stop…!
…Save me, save meeeeee!
As I got closer, I could make out the words and phrases. The desperate screams echoed clearly from beyond the dark walls of the abandoned house.
'S-Stay calm.'
I was so terrified that my spine tingled, but I forced myself to press on. As I rounded the corner—
"This crazy fucking world! Crazy fucking company…!!"
I recognized the face.
"…The manual evaluator?"
In front of a wooden board plastered with talismans, a middle-aged office worker was struggling. When he saw me, his eyes went wide. It was the missing section chief, Lee Byeongjin.
"S-Security Team…??"
Ah, right.
I'm wearing a Security Team uniform.
"T-Thank the heavens! Are you from the Security Team, sir?!" The man's face lit up, and he began trembling as he approached me. "You came to find me!!"
No, I got dragged here, too.
'But why is he being so deferential?'
Oh, right. He's mistaken me for a Security Team member. Since I ended up here, this was the first time I'd seen a company employee act this submissively.
I glanced down at the borrowed security uniform I was wearing.
'…The administrative staff tend to look down on people from the Field Exploration Team…'
More specifically, the ones at the bottom of the barrel. They didn't bother with us, treating us like we were disposable and likely to die on the job. I remembered the administrative staff who changed their attitude once they found out I nearly made it into the elite team.
And now, standing before me, sweating and nervously trying to smile, was Section Chief Lee Byeongjin.
Hmm.
Might as well take advantage of this.
I clasped my hands behind my back and spoke like a Security Team member would.
"A missing person report was lodged from within the company, so a search is being conducted."
"R-Really? Haha! Ha, hahaha…! I knew it!! The company didn't abandon me…!!"
Actually, yes they did.
"Sooo, um… y-y-you're going to break down this Darkness? Right?? You're with the Security Team after all, so…"
I deliberately responded with a detached tone.
"The Security Team isn't in the business of break down Darkness."
"...!"
"The team's role is to contain disturbances."
"R…Right. Of course, haha… I've just, n-never had much experience with field exploration like this, you see, um."
Okay, the tone was set.
"Explain the situation."
"Pardon??"
"Describe what happened since your disappearance in chronological order."
I needed to compare this with what the kids had told me and figure out exactly what kind of creepypasta we were dealing with!
"Ah, yes! Yes, sir!"
The man scrambled to his feet and quickly started babbling.
"Well, I… I came across this very rare-looking scroll at a souvenir shop near Mount Jiri…"
It was almost exactly what I'd heard in the office.
He'd bought the suspicious scroll after the shop owner hinted that it 'grants wishes', and afterward, his luck with money noticeably improved.
"I was told to keep it close to water and not to touch the scroll… and believe it or not, I struck big at the lottery! Second place!!"
But then…
"I began to hear… strange whispers…"
Lee Byeongjin's eyes twitched as he dug his fingers into his palms, spitting out his words.
"I-It… whispered that since my wish had been granted, it was, uh, only proper to repay the debt, that it was the way of a true scholar… those whispers, every night… every night, the sound of water, and then… cries… animal cries creeping closer and closerrrr!!"
Eeeek.
"It became… completely unbearable! So…"
"…So—"
I recalled the scroll I'd seen in the restroom, shredded and stained with what looked like blood.
"You tried to tear it up?"
"…Yes."
So, during the middle of the day, he'd gone to a place other than his own home, where there would be no witnesses but where he could escape immediately after ripping it up. A place like…
'An unused restroom in the company.'
He'd found a spot like that and tore up the scroll.
"That was the plan, but…"
"And then you got dragged here."
"…Huff! Yes…"
Lee Byeongjin panted heavily.
I rubbed the back of my neck.
'…What am I supposed to say to that?'
He'd done all the typical things people do to get themselves killed in a horror story…
And going so far as to pick a restroom in the basement of Daydream Inc.'s building just to avoid witnesses? Honestly, that deserves some applause.
'To be frank, at this point, if he dies, he can't really complain.'
Suppressing a sigh, I looked up.
In front of where Lee Byeongjin had been rolling around was a wall plastered with talismans.
There were noticeably more torn talismans here than elsewhere.
'Why was he freaking out in front of this spot?'
I shone my flashlight on the wall.
And then I realized why.
"…Is that a door?"
Through the torn talisman, I could see a door handle.
And judging by the lock on the handle…
'A door that leads outside?'
"I-It comes here every day!"
"What does?"
"The ghost! It comes here every day!"
Section Chief Lee Byeongjin, with bloodshot eyes, crawled over and grabbed onto my pant leg, mumbling.
"It… it comes to devour us. It comes to devour…! And the, the talismans! They're falling off every day!"
"That means…"
"I-It'll come again today…"
Knock, knock.
"..."
"..."
Knock, knock, knock.
From the door—
There was a sound.
Knock knock knock knock.
"It's here again…"
I clamped a hand over Lee Byeongjin's mouth.
Excuse me, sir.
"..."
It's really cold out here, so could you open the door for me?
"..."
Ahjussi, don't you remember me? I'm Na-eun, the seven-year-old girl who lived next door in Somang Apartments…
A young child's sniffling, sobbing voice drifted from beyond the door.
Please help me. It's so cold, and I'm so tired… I don't know where I am. Please, just open the door…
The voice carried a strange, pitiful tone that made you forget your fear and feel genuine sympathy…
In a daze, a trembling voice spoke up beside me.
"N, Na-eun-ah." [1]
Ahjussi.
The talisman on the door started to smolder.
The sobbing voice mixed with a faint laughter.
You answered again?
"...!"
"N-No!! Ahh!! No, I didn't! I didn't answer!! Go away! Go away!!"
The section chief, snapping back to his senses, started to scream in terror. But.
I don't wanna though?
I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna I don't wanna
"Eeeek!"
Thud.
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang
The door began to shake violently, as if it were about to break. The smoldering talismans fell off.
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang
The talismans were falling off in heaps.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang
I barely managed to move my arm.
Thud.
I tossed a coin into the air and summoned the hand.
Thud.
Then, from among the scattered talismans on the floor, I gathered up as many of the intact ones as I could…
Bang.
I placed those talismans over the doorknob.
BANG.
The talismans immediately started falling off again.
"Haaah…"
But…
.
The knocking stopped.
Out of all the talismans I'd slapped onto the doorknob, only one remained.
"..."
"..."
Close one.
A shiver ran down my spine.
Hiic, sob… sooob…
The sound of footsteps gradually faded away beyond the door…
"Hah… haaaaahh…"
Section Chief Lee Byeongjin collapsed onto the floor.
I clenched and unclenched my sweaty fist.
'I'm going nuts.'
I almost fainted from fear with the door pounding like that. I hid my trembling hands behind my back.
A creepypasta about trapping prey.
Shamanistic atmosphere, talismans, devouring, luring, calling voices, horror…
'...'
I know now.
Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story [Sangun-nim]
: A ghost story featured in
: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-C-51
An ominous Darkness depicted in a traditional ink wash painting featuring changgwi spirits.
Exploration Records indicate a total of up to 17 entries.
This… is a Jangsanbeom-type ghost story. [2]
Note/s:
[1] Adding -ah (or -ya, -ee) to the end of a person's name indicates closeness between friends or family, or when one is talking to someone younger. In Japanese, the closest equivalents are -chan and -kun.
[2] Sangun (山君), translated literally as Lord of the Mountain, is a mountain spirit or deity often depicted as a tiger.
Jangsanbeom (장산범), from folk tradition, is the tiger of Mt. Jang (in Busan) that has the ability to conjure hallucinations, imitate people's voices and possess their bodies. It is often depicted as a white-haired ghost or a tiger/cryptid with crimson skin and long, silvery fur. Read more about it here https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Jangsan_beom or here https://en.namu.wiki/w/장산범#rfn-3/
Changgwi (창귀), from folk tradition, are spirits who have either drowned to death or have fallen prey to a tiger, becoming resentful ghosts who further create more victims. Read more about it here: https://en.namu.wiki/w/창귀
Instead of trying to translate them to fit a more Western point of view, I've decided to keep the terms as is given that we're dealing with a traditional Eastern folktale/ghost story this time. Translating them as Mountain Lord, Jangsan Tiger and Vengeful Ghosts might be fine, but they don't exactly retain the original contexts of their respective folktales.
Side note, if you're up for something spooky, here's a 2013 webtoon oneshot featuring the Jangsanbeom: https://comic.naver.com/webtoon/detail?titleId=574303&no=6&week=finish
I'm not sure if there's an English translation out there, but do let me know if there is!