The shaggy haired Sapsaree is one of four dog breeds native to that country (the others being the Korean Jindo Dog, Korean Dosa Mastiff, and the Poong San), and it’s been cherished since the Three Kingdoms period (220 to 280 AD. Sometimes called the “lion dog” for its large and imposing paws and shaggy mane, Sapsarees were regarded as guardian angels for the Korean people, and thus were held in great esteem. Who wouldn’t want a dog around the house whose name literally translates to “One that root out evil spirits” (an alternative interpretation is “One who drives out devils). It is widely held that a Sapsaree drives away ghosts because the spirits are deathly afraid of the dog. This is why statues and sculptures of the breed are found all over East Asia. In Korea, the statues are called, “haetae;” in China, they are referred to as bi xie, and in Japan, they are Gomainu. 
The breed is also valued for its loyalty which is exemplified in an old Korean folktale. It tells the story of a Korean aristocrat who passed out on a riverbank after drinking way too much, his faithful Sapsaree by his side. An ember from his pipe caused a fire to start in the grass where he lay, and the quick thinking dog jumped into the river to wet his fur, then rolled in the grass and laid on his master saving his life.
The man lived, but sadly, his dog died. Out of grief and appreciation for his companion, the nobleman erected a stone monument of his dog in the village which is still standing today in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province. Try as we might, we never did find a photo of the statue.
We did find, however, a video of a delightful children’s song showing different images of this appealing breed:
You can read more about the breed in an earlier piece we did:
Image: Photo of artwork By Kim_Duryang-Sapsalgae via Wikicommons; photo of dogs sitting up found on Pinterest and happily credited upon receipt of information