[DiaryPoint = Reporter Choi Seung-jin] Korean Folk Village said on Nov. 12 that its “Ghost Discipline” experience, which has drawn allegations of child abuse, will end on Nov. 15. The village said the program is wrapping up on the scheduled closing date of its fall festival, “Ghost Saba Ghost Play,” and that it is neither ending early nor being suspended. The official event listing gives the festival dates as Sept. 1 through Nov. 15, 2026, while Yonhap News reported that the program itself was scheduled to run from Sept. 12 through Nov. 15.
In “Ghost Discipline,” a staff member dressed as a ghost tells a child to change a behavior after a parent describes issues such as picky eating or daily habits. The village said the experience took place with a parent’s request and consent, and that staff were instructed to stop immediately if a child became too frightened. The Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that performers dressed as a ghost bride, a maiden ghost, a nine-tailed fox and an eoduksini—a spirit said to lurk in the dark—would respond to concerns such as excessive smartphone use or refusing to brush one’s teeth by telling the child to change their behavior.
Videos of the experience spread online, prompting debate over whether frightening children was appropriate. Yongin City received nine related complaints, and one request was reportedly made to police to investigate possible child abuse. Chosun Biz said the videos had reached 8 million views on social media as of Nov. 8. CBS No Cut News reported that the ghost performers were nicknamed “the dark Oh Eun-young”—a reference to a well-known Korean child psychiatrist—and that some families came to see the experience after the videos went viral.
The experience was not a children’s discipline program originally planned as part of the festival. According to CBS No Cut News, Lee Jeong-seok, head of Korean Folk Village’s communications team, said, “This discipline program actually isn’t one of our official programs.” He said visitors began making similar requests after social media clips filmed by parents attracted attention as short-form videos. The same outlet reported that “Ghost Saba Ghost Play,” a horror-themed festival launched in 2025, was designed as an interactive event where ghosts meet and engage with visitors.
Yongin City visited the folk village on Nov. 9 and spent about four hours reviewing how the program was run and what was happening on site. The city explained, among other things, how child abuse is defined. CBS No Cut News reported that no final determination had been made at the time; the relevant local government would make that decision after investigating the child suspected of being harmed and the child’s guardian. The site visit was an inspection and guidance measure, separate from the decision to end the program.
A Korean Folk Village representative told Chosun Biz, “Once the program ends, we plan to gather the feedback we’ve received and revise it for next year.” The Kyunghyang Shinmun also reported that the village would adjust how it operates the experience after the festival and would not extend it. Families interested in the ghost-themed experience have through Nov. 15, the festival’s final day. “Ghost Saba Ghost Play” began on Sept. 12, and the village reiterated that the experience is ending according to its original schedule.