I finally figured out who this guy is. It’s Korea’s very own horned lion beast Haetae (or Xiezhi in Chinese). He can travel through time, breath fire, prevent natural disasters, and create a lunar eclipse by biting the moon.

According to Wikipedia, “Haetae sculptures were used in architecture during the early Joseon dynasty, as their image was trusted to be able to protect Hanyang (now Seoul) from natural disasters and to give law and order among the populace.” Today you can see Haetae sculptures at palaces like Gyoengbokgung in Seoul, and some homes around Korea. In 2009, Seoul chose Haechi (not sure why they changed the name) as the symbol of the city.

About the photo

One of my students showing off her new toy, 맥체괴물. Difficult to describe but it’s a bit like watery Play-Doh, but not… Kids enjoy stretching it out and letting it drip between their fingers. It’s wiggly and jiggly. Costs just about a dollar, which is good because it’s only entertaining for a few minutes. The blue kind stains and makes a mess.