If you saw the title of Netflix’s upcoming Korean movie Dochabi and wondered:
“Is that another word for Dokkaebi?”
Yes.
And that strange-looking title tells you something important about the movie’s hero.
What Does “Dochabi” Mean in Korean?
Netflix explains that Dochabi (도차비) is a native Korean word meaning dokkaebi (도깨비) — the supernatural goblin-like figure found throughout Korean folklore.
International K-drama fans may already recognize the word dokkaebi thanks to Korean dramas, folklore and popular culture.
But Netflix chose the less familiar word:
Dochabi.
And in this movie, it isn’t just a reference to a mythical creature.
It becomes the name of a man.
So Who Is the “Dochabi”?
The story takes place in a border region where slash-and-burn farmers have formed settlements.
Tae-san, played by Kim Do-hoon, is a former military officer living deep in the mountains with a Jurchen woman named Ahai, played by Jun Jong-seo.
Tae-san becomes caught in a mysterious conspiracy and is falsely accused of being the leader of invaders.
He is forced to survive like a monster and fight like a ghost.
Eventually, as he protects the people around him, he becomes known as:
“Dochabi.”
Suddenly, the title makes much more sense.
Lee Joon-gi Is on the Other Side
There’s another reason this movie should attract international K-drama fans.
Lee Joon-gi plays Yi Do-gwan, the powerful commander of the border region.
And he isn’t the hero.
Netflix describes Yi Do-gwan as a man with a deep hunger for power who hunts the farmers living in the borderlands.
For viewers familiar with Lee Joon-gi from Flower of Evil, Again My Life and Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, seeing him on the opposing side could be one of the movie’s biggest attractions.
Jun Jong-seo Won’t Be Waiting to Be Rescued Either
Jun Jong-seo’s Ahai is described as a Jurchen woman with exceptional agility and martial-arts skills.
She lives in hiding with Tae-san and fights alongside him when they become caught in the conspiracy.
The cast also includes Lee Sang-yi as inspector Park Se-ryong and Bae In-hyuk as Crown Prince Yeolhwagun.
Why This Korean Word Matters
That brings us back to the title.
Tae-san isn’t literally introduced as a supernatural goblin.
He is a human being who is hunted, framed and forced into a brutal fight for survival.
But to those watching him fight almost like a ghost, he gradually becomes something else:
Dochabi.
So when Netflix eventually puts that strange Korean word in front of millions of international viewers, remember:
Dochabi means dokkaebi.
But in this story, the real “goblin” may be a man.