Minhwa Tiger: The Meaning of Korea’s Tiger and Magpie Paintings
A tiger with a big grin, a magpie chattering in a pine tree: if you have watched KPop Demon Hunters, you already know this duo. Derpy the tiger and his magpie companion come straight from one of the most popular images of Korean art: the minhwa tiger, painted in Korea for centuries to protect homes and bring good news. Here is what these paintings mean, why their tigers look so funny, and how to choose a Korean tiger painting for your walls.
All the works mentioned are available in our collection Tigers & Dragons of Asia.
What is minhwa?
Minhwa (민화) means “painting of the people”: the Korean folk painting that flourished at the end of the Joseon dynasty, in the 18th and 19th centuries. Painted mostly by anonymous, often itinerant artists, these pictures decorated homes and screens, and were used as talismans and good-luck wishes rather than as museum pieces. Their bright colours, flat compositions and humour set them apart from the refined court painting of the time. The term itself was coined in the 20th century by the Japanese critic Yanagi Sōetsu, one of the first to champion the beauty of this popular art.
Hojakdo: the meaning of the tiger and the magpie
The most famous subject in minhwa is the hojakdo (호작도) or jakhodo, the “tiger and magpie painting”, known in Korean as kkachi horangi. In the Joseon period, these images were hung on gates and doors at the New Year. Each figure has its role:
- The tiger drives away evil spirits and misfortune. In Korean folk belief, it is also the messenger and companion of the mountain spirit.
- The magpie brings good news: in Korea, its call announces a happy event or the arrival of a guest.
- The pine tree, almost always present, stands for long life.
Together, they form a New Year wish: protection for the household and good news for the year to come.
Why do minhwa tigers look so funny?
Forget the ferocious tigers of court painting. The minhwa tiger has round eyes, a sheepish grin and sometimes a coat that mixes stripes and leopard spots. This humour is often read as satire: the clumsy, pompous tiger stands for the powerful officials and aristocrats of the time, while the small, lively magpie stands for the common people who mock them.
The joke goes even further with the tiger smoking a pipe. Korean folk tales traditionally begin with “Long ago, when tigers smoked tobacco”, the Korean equivalent of “once upon a time”. And the long pipe, which aristocrats had their servants light for them, makes the satire easy to read.
The tiger in Korean culture
The tiger is everywhere in Korean culture. In the founding myth of Korea, a tiger and a bear ask to become human; the bear succeeds and gives birth to Dangun, the first king, while the impatient tiger gives up. The tiger was the mascot of the Seoul Olympics in 1988 (Hodori) and of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in 2018 (Soohorang), and the shape of the Korean peninsula is often compared to a leaping tiger.
From the Joseon dynasty to KPop Demon Hunters
In 2025, the animated film KPop Demon Hunters gave the minhwa tiger a new life: Derpy, the big blue tiger with a goofy smile, and his magpie companion are directly inspired by the hojakdo. Since then, many viewers have discovered the centuries-old paintings behind the characters. Our minhwa prints show the tradition that inspired them.
Korean tiger paintings to hang at home
1. Hojakdo, Tiger and Magpie – Lee Kun-hee Collection
A classic hojakdo by an anonymous painter, now at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul as part of the Lee Kun-hee Collection: the tiger sits beneath the pine while the magpie calls from the branch. The archetype of the genre. See the print →
2. Tiger Smoking a Pipe, with Magpies
The tiger puffs on a long pipe while magpies tease it: a funny, satirical image and one of our customers’ favourite Korean prints. See the print →
3. Tiger Family
A tiger mother surrounded by her cubs, with wide, expressive eyes and supple lines. A tender image, perfect for a child’s room or a family living room. See the print →
4. Tigers and Magpies, Ink Painting
A whole tiger family gathers under an old pine while five magpies scold them from the branches, painted only in black ink: a sober, graphic version of the hojakdo. See the print →
5. Tigers and Magpies – attributed to Shin Jae-hyeon
A naive-looking tiger surrounded by playful magpies: the contrast between the cartoonish cat and the elegant birds gives the scene both humour and charm. See the print →
6. Minhwa Tiger with a Magpie – Joseon Dynasty
A watchful tiger with expressive eyes and finely painted stripes, visited by a single magpie. A protective image, ideal near an entrance. See the print →
7. Tiger under the Pine – Joseon Dynasty
The tiger, with vivid stripes and a striking gaze, looks up at the magpie perched in the pine above: all the symbols of the New Year painting in one image. See the print →
8. Hojakdo by Soam Lee Seong-su
Proof that the tradition is alive: a contemporary hojakdo by Soam Lee Seong-su, Buddhist monk and award-winning minhwa painter, kept at the Jeju National Museum. See the print →
9. Tiger, Late Joseon Dynasty – National Museum of Korea
Not a folk painting this time, but a refined ink painting from the National Museum of Korea, long attributed to Sim Sa-jeong: the tiger walks slowly towards you, head low, golden eyes fixed on yours. One of the most famous tigers in Korean art, and one of our best-selling prints. See the print →
Korean dragons are part of the same tradition: discover the Dragon in the Clouds and the Dragon and Carp, or read our article on tigers and dragons in East Asian art.
How to hang a minhwa tiger
In the entrance. It is the traditional place: the tiger guards the door and the magpie welcomes good news. A minhwa tiger in a hallway is both a nod to Korean custom and a cheerful welcome.
In a living room or a child’s room. The funny tigers and the tiger family bring warmth and humour; the ink versions suit more sober, minimalist interiors.
As a gift. As a New Year wish of protection and good news, a tiger and magpie print is a meaningful gift, especially for the Lunar New Year.
Frequently asked questions
What does a tiger and magpie painting mean?
In Korean minhwa, the tiger drives away evil spirits and the magpie brings good news. Hung at the New Year, the painting wishes the household protection and happiness.
What is minhwa?
Korean folk painting from the late Joseon dynasty (18th-19th centuries), made mostly by anonymous painters to decorate homes and bring good luck.
Why does the tiger smoke a pipe?
Korean tales begin with “when tigers smoked tobacco”, the equivalent of “once upon a time”. The long pipe is also a satire of the aristocrats of the Joseon period.
Is Derpy from KPop Demon Hunters a minhwa tiger?
Yes: Derpy and his magpie companion are directly inspired by the hojakdo, the tiger and magpie paintings of Korean folk art.
Every print is available in 13 sizes, from A4 to A0, on thick matte archival paper. Free shipping, no minimum order. Shipped rolled in a sturdy tube. See them all in our collection Tigers & Dragons of Asia.