Licca-chan phone
The Licca-chan Phone is a Japanese urban legend associated with the Licca-chan doll, a popular doll manufactured by Takara Tomy, similar to Barbie dolls in the U.S. and Mimi dolls in South Korea. The Licca-chan Phone was a dedicated hotline service established by Takara in 1968. This service allowed callers to hear pre-recorded messages from Licca-chan, similar to the 700 services popular in South Korea during the 1990s.
The urban legend goes as follows: One afternoon, a girl was home alone and feeling bored. Remembering the Licca-chan Phone, she decided to call it for some amusement. The first call resulted in Licca-chan saying, "Hello. My name is Licca-chan. Thank you for calling. I am currently at home and will be going out soon." The girl was disappointed by the brief response and called again. The second call had Licca-chan saying, "Hello. My name is Licca-chan. I am currently out." Amused by the changing responses, the girl dialed again, and this time Licca-chan said, "Hello. My name is Licca-chan. I am currently in front of your house." The girl, feeling a chill, immediately hung up the phone. She peeked outside to check if anyone was there but saw no one. Relieved, she returned to her room.
Just as she settled back in, the phone rang again. Surprised, she answered, thinking it might be her mother calling from outside. However, the voice on the other end was Licca-chan's, saying, "Hello. My name is Licca-chan. I am now behind you..."
This urban legend is known to be the original source of the "Mary's Phone" ghost story. When adapted into Korean, the story often features different names such as Mary. The legend is specific to Japan, and as the Licca-chan Phone became obsolete, the story evolved into various forms, including ones where dolls seek revenge or have sinister motives. Despite the many adaptations, the original version remains impactful due to its use of the real phone service and its suspenseful twist of the doll's voice calling back unexpectedly.
