Lee Yeon is a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox that populates Korean folklore legends. He was once the powerful spirit of mount Baekdudaegan but lost his position when he fell in love with a human.
He now lives in modern Seoul, chasing down spirits who should leave Earth for the afterworld and spending his time with his best friend Goo Shin-Jo, who's also a gumiho and work as a veterinarian.
Lee Yeon is tirelessly looking for the reincarnation of his first love but what he doesn't know is that someone else is also looking for him: Nam Ji-ah.
Ji-ah is the producer of a series of documentaries related to urban legends and paranormal folklore. She has been interested in it since when she and her parents were involved in a mysterious car accident and they simply vanished.
Ji-Ah is a smart and tough young woman and so immediately understands Lee Yeon's true identity. He's also very intrigued by her and decides to stick around, mainly because of his vengeful half-brother, Lee Rang, who has voted his life to make his brother's a living hell.
Long-fighting half-brothers aside, Lee Yeon and Ji-ah will have to face someone who far more powerful and dangerous: Imoogi, Korean folklore semi-dragon, is about to rise again and his only goal is to take Lee Yeon's life.
My Opinion👍👎
This is the first K-drama review of 2021 and I think "Tale of the Nine Tailed" deserved to open this year as it has been the last drama I completed in 2020.
There are so many things about this drama worth a proper highlight but I promise it's not going to be burdensome...please, bear with me!
JO BO-AH ACTING
The whole cast is an A-level one and the crew did an excellent job, but the one person who stood above all to me was Jo Bo-ah.
Actress Jo Bo-ah portrayed her character PERFECTLY and BRILLIANTLY! The chemistry she had with main actor Lee Dong-Wook is beyond doubt and it goes on off-screen as well (just check their hilarious videos, recommending fans to watch the show, they made my days!). Not to mention she had to play basically three characters and how she switches from one another so flawlessly is the proof of what a great actress she is!
Nam Ji-ah is fierce, loyal, skillful and even in the worst situation possible she doesn't herself down and tries to find a solution that will save all the people she loves.
The character herself was well written and detailed so I guess that played a good part in her on-screen success, but I've been watching k-dramas for a while now and I can't find another actress that would have been as good as Jo Bo-ah. Casting made a very good choice indeed!
THE FOLKLORE
Starting with the title's character gumiho to the ultimate villain Imoogi, Korean folklore and urban legends myths are the links to all the events and adventures the characters experience. We have the Snail's bride who is the owner of a traditional restaurant with the same name or the gatekeeper of Samdo River (who's much funnier than his job could let intend) or darker figures like the spirit of darkness and the blind fortune teller that will lead to dangerous deals.
THE AESTHETIC
Every aspect of the scenography in this drama was jaw-dropping: from the settings (both indoors and outdoors), the style of the characters, and the CGI were always at the top of their game and helped OH SO MUCH the viewer to get involved in the scenes and situations.
The stylish lady over here is King Ade's younger sister and the guardian of the After World entrance, Lee Yeon lovingly calls her 'Grandma': it's her who gave Lee Yeon the task to track down and bring to her the souls who wanted to live on Earth past their given time.
She is a grumpy and demanding person but has the funniest relationship with Lee Yeon, whom she considers as her own son.
Being this a fantasy drama and having more than its fair share of drama, the atmosphere is always dark and melancholic hence the abundance of colors like pitch black, deep red, and green but, in co-ord with Lee Yeon's witty and sarcastic personality, there's often an element to twist the overall gravity of the situation (read Lee Yeon's lilac sneakers).
PRAISE THE STYLIST(s)
The number of luxury brands that are featured in k-drama is mindblowing but it's undoubted that clothes can help you remember a character or a story (Breakfast at Tiffany's, anyone?).
Well, the same applies here as Lee Yeon is one stylish fox, the Snail's Bride wears a different hanbok in each episode and they're always better than the previous one and Nam Ji-ah gives us the 'working girl' ultimate lookbook.
Not to mention Lee Rang's only friend Yu Ri, who's always elegant and trendy.
The stylists here really went beyond their duties and delivered one killing outfit after another.
I really hope you all had a safe and nice end of the year,
thank you so much for stopping by and I hope this positive review will
reflect on this 2021 we're about to start.
Rating: 5/5
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