Monkeys share key physiological and behavioral characteristics with humans, representing multiple talents and strong and delicate love for spouse and children. In the East, except for a few countries with a large Buddhist population, people regarded monkeys as "the emblem of ugliness and trickery" but could expel evil spirits. In China, the monkey was believed to have the power to bring good health, success, and protection. Monkeys were widely known as one of the smartest animals with crafts but, due to their human-like appearance and trickery, were not everyone's favorite. Koreans still use the old Korean expression "Jannabi" to refer to the Monkey. The general impression of the Monkey by ancient Koreans was known, often through orally transmitted tales, as a crafty, tricky, and playful prankster and mimicry master. The image of the Monkey in paintings or potteries portrays the animal as having strong maternal instinct, guarding Buddhist monks, and symbolizing long life holding a peach.

The Monkey's clever and crafty personality and theatrical behaviors such as feigning to be sick, sad, or dead and capriciously ever-ready to adapt to situations – looking jolly on fine days and gloomy on dull days -- were formulated through folk cultures into a specific type of persona or destiny. For example, people born in the Year of the Monkey were believed to be naturally good at numbers, so they engaged in number-related professions like mathematicians or engineers. Monkeys did not exist in the Korean Peninsula but were often part of various folk and traditional artworks. Through popular media, ancient Koreans were always familiar with the animal's shape, behaviors, and even physiological traits; thus assigning symbolism and implications to the Monkey.

Originally, Koreans regarded the Monkey as an unlucky creature, calling it "Jannabi" with a negative undertone and avoiding speaking about monkeys in the morning. Such negative image was changed somewhat, due mostly to the influence of Buddhism and Chinese and Japanese customs associated with monkeys transmitted to Korea. The image of a monkey in folk customs might be somewhat negative, but that in traditional artworks showed otherwise due to Chinese influence. Stories on the monkey mostly dealt with its features, mimicry, craft, and tricks but cautioned not to trust its talent or tricks too much. In some traditional mask dances, a monkey character boldly imitated a man with an aim of directly criticizing, through satire and humor, the superficial morality of an old monk or the misdemeanors of a shoe seller. In folk customs influenced by China, the Monkey was believed to have the power to drive away all sorts of evil spirits, so their image was carved onto large buildings or temples. Most of them depict grief, misfortune, or sad mischief. A clay monkey was used as a talisman and a funerary or a decorative object. The image of the Monkey in the twelve zodiac animals had changed over time, becoming the god of time or direction. Many objects of art, from blue-green celadon to blue and white porcelain, as well as seals, calligraphy, small jars, water droppers, and chairs vividly describe the Monkey in nature, often highlighting a loving relationship between a mother and her child. In classical paintings, the Monkey represents longevity and prosperity of offspring or portrays their life in nature and the role of protecting a Buddhist monk in accordance with Buddhist teachings as well as the Chinese novel "Journey to the West."