Most of the dragons we've seen up until now have pretty clear origins in Europe and the classical West. Dragons, though, can be found the world over. Do they think they will escape my notice? Avoid, perhaps, my eagle eye and inexorable criticism? I think not.

The Korean dragon, or Yong, shares a lot with its Eastern cousins in China and Japan. Unlike Fafnir, Hydra, or Jormungandr, they're benevolent creatures, associated with water and rain-making. Serpentine, they possess four legs, a reptilian head, horns, and a beard. They also had eighty-one scales. Like, exactly. Each Yong had no more and no less! Apparently this is because the number nine is auspicious in Korea. And nine multiplied by nine is eighty-one. Which isn't actually the number nine, but numerologists are gonna numerologize and apparently a dragon with only nine scales would just be weird.

Now, Yong are a little different from our other entries. You see, a full-on dragon is what they aspire to be. But whatever could I mean? I mean classism, is what. See, most Yong have three claws on each foot. However, exceptionally wise and (presumably) even beardier Yong have four claws, which lets them wield the Yeouiju stones, these little orbs they carry sometimes. Yeouiju stones are crazy powerful, and holding one lets the bearer wield the powers of creation, which has to be pretty sweet.

But forget your Yeouiji power fantasies for a moment. Even getting to the three-toed middle-manager level of Yonghood is a journey. See, most Yong start out as a proto-dragon called an imugi, a kind of python-esque giant serpent that lives in caves or sources of water. Accounts differ, but Imugi are either; (A) accursed and can't normally become Yong, (B) have to live for a thousand years to become a Yong, or (C) they have to catch a Yeouiju that's fallen from Heaven to become a Yong. Curse-breaking happens and sticking around a cave for a millenia would be doable (if boring). Catching a falling Yeouiju would be kind of rough, I think. They don't seem like the kind of thing that Heaven lets go very often, unless Heaven has very poor inventory control systems.

I wasn't able to find out what happens when an imugi catches a Yeouiju and gets promoted to three-clawed Yong. Without that extra claw they can't carry the Yeouiju around. Maybe Heaven holds it for them until they can grow that fourth toe?

All in all, the Yong is a pretty weird critter. And while I couldn't find any stories about full-grown Yong, their life cycle is interesting enough to earn this dragon a solid B.

Artist unknown, "Dragon Amidst Clouds," Joseon Kingdom, 19th Century CE

Brass Horse Books