These little men are Dol Harubang, a symbol of Jeju island. They’re carved of local volcanic rock and are guardians – as it says in Wikipedia, giving protection from demons travelling between realities. They come in pairs, either side of gateways and doorways or on bridges. They all look a bit grumpy to me, and always have one hand placed a little higher than the other. In a pair, one will have his right hand higher and the other his left hand.
This isn’t just any pair. These sit either side of our front door. We even saw the final touches being made to the ear of one of them in the masons yard. If there any demons around here, they won’t be coming in through the front door.
Notes from a Korean island 