Tale of the Nine Tailed (2020)

Unexploited potential...

Tale of the Nine Tailed was promising in the first episodes, but what happened ??

The major failure is the character development. None of them evolve, except Lee Rang who's the only one who profoundly questions himself. The Gatekeeper evolves a little bit as well, opening her heart, but she is rather insignificant and despite her status and supposed strength she barely does nothing. Nam Ji Ah has the worst development as she becomes more and more helpless as the plot goes.

I liked the couple chemistry between LY and NJA, but as soon as they unveil their feelings towards one another it gets a bit too cheesy. Actually, the romance takes too much place within the plot. There are a lot of elements that are forgotten of abandoned and it spoils the chain of events in aid of the love story. Who were the foxes at the beginning ? Did LY knew for Imugi's resurrection then , and so why did he not kill the perpetrator ?
What about the parents, what is NJA's goal when there are brought back ? Maybe the plot meant to make her switch from finding her parents to protect her lover, but it doesn't work. She is happy and forgets them after a plain encounter. Had they been dead it would have been better. Had she discovered thay they were actually dead 20y ago, she could have learned to move forward and then turn to devote her life to LY.

As for Imugi, he is too manichean. He has no real motivation. He is just born evil, and that's all. At some point he alludes to a vengeance to the God of the Mountain, but it is a mere allusion and he does not even seem to have pleasure doing that. For a moment he wants NJA as his wife ( wtf she has no strength ), and I thought then that it was because she had a part of Imugi, but he still tried to kill her while killing her meant his own death... simply illogical.

Besides, there could have been further development of the identity crisis of NJA. She just has one line when they first kiss with LY, asking if he likes her or her past life self. And then ?? Nothing. It's ambiguous, and we don't know who LY really does love. He says later that he waited 600 years for her ( ep 16 ) but before he claimed loving Ji Ah and not Ah Eum anymore ... it just does not make sense. NJA seems fine with that and her identity seems mixed with Ah Eum's from the moment she discovered her life through the glasses. Why didn't we have a further identity crisis ? It would have questioned their love, and most importantly their fate as it is a theme that was preponderant throughout the drama ( especially with the Gatekeeper who wanted to keep their destiny as it should be. )

And let's talk about the ending. What was that seriously ? The dramatic ending of LY's death to save his lover was good enough to forget the other incoherences. His farewells are poignant and forecasts the tragedy. He fought his destiny, died saving his lady... why making him come again ?? All the more so as he is not even just resurrected, but is just the same man ? Why making LR die this way when he eventually made peace with himself and found a family ? Besides LR is the one who actually kills LY and Imugi, meaning that his ending was not that happy as he would carry the burden of having sacrificed LY at his demand. Why making HIM resurrecting his brother ?? He was at the end of his lifespan anyway, his disappearance is useless.

The rest of the ending is a mess as well, and suggests a sequel, or a second season, which would just be useless. A new enemy ? for what ? Aren't they a happy couple now ? There is nothing more to add.

Overall the drama is good, because of the rhythm and the action ; and the visuals are a pleasure to the eyes. It is a mostly a love story while it is expected to be an action/ horror/ fantasy series as well. It could have been way better, and that's disappointing.

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Enjoyable, but a disappointing ending and unrealized potential - watch it for Kim Bum

I'll try to keep my review short and sweet and unspoilery. I watched this drama while airing and genuinely loved it at first, but toward the last third it started to fall apart. It's one of those dramas that you enjoy it while watching, but after the episode finishes and you think it all over, you're left with too many questions. Each of the abandoned little plot threads and inconsistencies might be minor and ignorable alone, but when you add it all up, it makes the story feel flimsy. The chemistry between the lead couple never really convinced me, I felt very much as if I was being told "they're star-crossed lovers!" without being organically shown. Multiple aspects of the last episode were confusing and upsetting, or felt forced and slapdash. The star of this drama is Kim Bum as Lee Rang, the misguided, damaged, emotionally tormented younger brother - it was an absolutely fantastic performance, and far more compelling than the actual lead. Lee Rang is a character I'll never forget.

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One of the best dramas of 2020

It was a drama full of clichés but it was interesting to watch because of the acting. This drama hooked you without realising.
Lee Dong Wook and Jo Bo Ah nailed their roles but honestly the one character that stayed in my mind was Kim Bum's Lee Rang. His character was really frustrating to watch in earlier episodes but after some time you couldn't just not love him.
Yoo Ri and Shin Joo were couple goals honestly, and Soo Oh (the little boy) was the cutest ❤️.
The ending was something I expected but wasn't ready for. It left unanswered questions with me so I don't know how I feel about it.

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Birth Of One Of My Favorite TV Characters, But Confused Face O_O

Okay so "Tale of the Nine-Tailed" was actually a really fun show to watch with others. My dad really got into it and I enjoyed watching it with him over quarantine. I think the series came out at the perfect time because more people streamed it due to being home. However, that also means that more people were invested and therefore pissed at the ending choices like I was. I'll dive into those at the end.

The actors all did a really good job. Each character was distinct, likeable in their own ways (even the Imugi) and layered af. I liked all of the characters, however I had my favorites. Lee Tae Ri as the Imugi was really good, super solid villain and even though he was hella evil I was kinda sad to see him be defeated. Hwang Hee as Shin Joo (Yeon's bff) was so wholesome and hilarious. I'm not gonna lie, I shipped him and Yeon a lot more than Yeon and Ji Ah half the time lol. Their relationship was so sweet! Yeon I actually liked better at the beginning of the series when there was an air of mystery to him. He became too good by the end because of "love" and whatever. So he went down on my list, but still very good character portrayal. But...now we get to THE BEST CHARACTER!!! Lee Rang played by the beautiful Kim Bum. My god this man was perfection. I love these types of characters. Sarcastic, whitty, gorgeous and edgy. I also love the brother arch in series, so seeing him and Yeon interact were honestly the best scenes. Both in acting and story telling. I want an entire series just about Rang because he deserves it! He became one of my favorite characters of television officially.

So the entire plot of TOTNT is wayyyy too convoluted for me to go over. It's got to many twists and turns that honestly it gets confusing sometimes to keep up. Especially once Ji Ah's parents are safe and the Imugi becomes a human form. It's a show you can't multi task during or you'll get lost. I enjoyed the effects in it and the filming quality. But that's Seoul for you, its a beautiful place. There's not much I can say about each plot point because again there are SO MANY, but I would say the whole reincarnation aspect didn't make much sense. It felt just random, like some people come back as exactly the same and others children again? (cough cough the Rang BS at the end). There should've been more variation I think. Also I didn't care as much about finding Ji Ah's parents, so once that ended I was way more invested because we had a solid villain to work off of. However, now we get into the ending. Ooh boy...

That ending was trash, I think we can all agree on that. I saw the twitter discussions and people were pretty unhappy as was I. One of the things I said to my dad while watching was "if they kill off Rang I stop watching" and I meant it. They set him up to be the best character, with the best storyline and a redemption arch. Which was all great, until the did the ever so stereotypical thing of "self-sacrificing himself" for his brother. NO, absolutely not! Listen I get the character loves Yeon more than anything but honestly 100% I would've rather Yeon stayed dead. Have him be the hero like they were setting him up to be anyway. That entire Ji Ah writing out Yeons story and Rang finally having a family was pretty good! I didn't hate it, so why kill off my favorite characters and many others favorite with zero need for it?! I hate the whole "self-sacrificial" storyline placed onto characters who have a redemption arch. It makes the point of all that character development useless. So when that happened I literally stopped watching and just read what happens after that because I didn't care I was so pissed. Then there's of course a wedding (big shock) between Yeon and Ji Ah, little baby boy Blacky is sad because his adopted dad died (f*** you show) and Yeon may still be a fox (HUH?). It was just poorly done and a sad attempt for the ending of a show that was trying to be different. But then they ended it with a predictable trash ending. I would say watch the show until Imugi and Yeon go down, then turn it off and pretend their aren't episodes left.

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ignore my rating I just love lee rang too much

I honestly don’t know how to feel about this kdrama, I have many mixed feelings and that’s because I absolutely loved Rang but I also loved Yeon, Yoori and Shinjoo, however I couldn’t care less about Jiah and her relationship with Yeon. One thing that made me keep watching kdramas was the fact that they made me love romance again, after middle school I started almost hating even the hint of romance in books and tv shows and movies, I always either didn’t care for the couple or hated it, kdramas broke that curse and made me even straight up giggle (GIGGLE) at romantic scenes. This specific show on the contrary made me feel absolutely NOTHING when it comes to the main couple. I didn’t giggle, I didn’t cry, my heart didn’t flutter or break for them. I simply didn’t care about them in the least. Maybe it’s because the build up, the slow burn, the way they got together wasn’t given enough care and depth, we were just supposed to believe that they were meant for each other, that they loved each other deeply and that we should root for them. Later on in the show we were given many nice and heartwarming moments of them together but by then it was already too late for me to start caring because they didn’t make me feel the yearning and the stages of actually falling in love with each other, which for me are the most important part.
Secondly: Jiah. Just like her relationship with Yeon she also felt really bland to me, she didn’t have any distinguishable characteristics that made her stand out, she just felt like the classic and bland YA protagonist that I used to find and not care for in books and shows when I was younger. I didn’t hate her and din’t find her annoying, I simply didn’t care about her.
The plot of the show itself wasn’t anything new, I’m sure I’ve read this story before, but if I had cared about Jiah and her relationship with Yeon I’m sure I wouldn’t have minded in the slighted however exactly because I didn’t care for her and her relationship I was less invested in the story because the plot itself revolved around those two thighs.
Now let’s talk about the reason why I’m having such a hard time rating this show: lee rang. It’s been years since I fell so hard for a character and a side character at that. Another thing that kdramas managed to do was make me fall for the main characters while in the past I used to fall for side characters, this drama managed to bring me back to my old ways. I honestly loved him in ways I haven’t loved a character in a long time. I cried and cried and cried because of him, from beginning to end. His relationship with Yeon and his relationship with Yoori and then his other relationships were all extremely well done and well written, they had depth and nuance to them, in a way it kind of shocks me just how well written his relationships are when yeon and jiah relationship felt so superficial to me.
Both him and Yeon aren’t necessarily new and original characters that we’ve never seen before, just like with Jiah, however I still loved both of them, they still had heart and depth and their own original things that made them stand out and that made me love them.
Talking about Yeon: I absolutely loved him in the beginning, he’s fun and funny and cool etc etc but from halfway through the show I started to care less about him because much of his character is strictly connected to Jiah. I still loved him of course but not as much as I thought I would have.
So here’s where my dilemma comes from. I honestly can’t decide what rating I should give this show because I LOVED to bits Rang and then also Yeon, Yoori and Shinjo, their relationships and their stories but didn’t care about what was actually the main focus of the story, so how can I say that loved the show when I didn’t really?
I’ve heard that there’ll be a season 2 so I’m 100% going to check it out.

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Seriously questioning the scriptwriter.

Story (6/10)
- at first few episodes it develop really well, how the each characters properly lay out their roles and characteristics. After 1/3 of the drama, the plot just goes BRUH?. The female lead Ji Ah, just become damsel in distress for the 2/3 of the drama and basically useless until the end. Her role there is just for the romance with the main lead that's it. The second male lead, Lee Rang, is much more important and driving the plot that the FL. Male Lead, Lee Yeon, still drives the plot really well except the romance. ML and FL does not have any chemistry and this drama keeps forcing us to watch their kinda useless chemistry-less romance most of the show. Tbh, I just watch it for the development between Lee Yeon and Lee Rang, and the 2nd couple.

The ending, OMG, I can't explain exactly how I felt. It really frustrates me. Seriously, the scriptwriter really want to push the ROMANTIC HAPPY ENDING in our face while disregarding the plot and the character development. Lee Rang deserves so much better than "heroicly" sacrificing himself. This just disregarding the essence of Lee Rang character itself. I can totally understand how Lee Yeon is sacrifing himself for others especially the female lead, because that is how his character is develop. However, no matter how much character development Lee Rang gets (and its the best character development in this entire story) it is still not in accordance with the essence of Lee Rang and how he is developed. If his character is not developed up till the ep 16, then I would buy it if he sacrificing himself this way. However, the way the writer just end Lee Rang in or der to brings back Lee Yeon is just a big HUHHHH?!!! It still can saves the ending if the comeback of Lee Yeon makes more sense and fulfilling. But no... the scriptwriter needed that REINCARNATION THEME and must have romance between the leads so He must reincarnated to himself (the sentence alone does not even make sense :D) and we got more HUH?! in our minds. I understand this is fantasy genre. but is still need to apply drama universe logic in it, and it does not even applying the drama logic in it.

Okay, I need to stop ranting about the plot cause I can write an essay for this.


Acting (8/10)
i would have score it 9 for both Lee Dong Wook and Kim Bum. Especially for Kim Bum, it has been so long since I watch his drama and I gotta say his acting is top notch while playing Lee Rang character.

Rewatch Value (6/10)
Basically it is great to rewatch for only the Lee Yeon and Lee Rang part, you can skip the whole Lee Yeon and Ji Ah part (most of it is pointless anyway)


Overall

I may sound really harsh on this drama, but the plot and ending just frustrate me so much that I need an outlet to rant... *peace out*

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A promising plot, superb acting for most part, somehow enigmatic alluring…

*[This review might contain some SPOILERS of my own inside perception, reader description is advised]*
It could almost resemble the old saying, Et Venit, Vidit, Vicit (I’ve come, saw, and conquer)
Only there is no victory with the progressing story of this drama to the very dreadful end.

As much as I love Lee Dong Wook acting, from the beginning I’ve been interested in this drama mainly because of Kim Bum and I admit that he was the sole reason I stayed and enjoyed the drama for most part.
To be honest, I am relieved to see that this wasn’t the whole two brothers in love with a woman, but rather one being a fool in love and the other craving for the love of his brother.

The plot was messy, and the sub plots as well.
There were many details forgotten or dragged down along the road. The villain and the split up were mostly cringy and could be properly executed if the goals or the clash they intended to do seemed believable, and yet that wasn’t the case. A villain or antagonist must have a presence, and as much as TaeRi is a promising good young actor and I’ve seen him in other roles, the role of Imoogi here was strange and passive aggressive with a massive and unnecessary killing spree.
Well that could be avoided if JiAh and Lee Yeon accepted their fate and it was mainly their fault the creature come back in the first place.

I’ve preferred 1000x the plot of the brothers bromance than the so called fated love story of the fox and the human.
The main characters present love story seemed forced, and the whole dramatic cliché of fighting against fate by defying everyone around them including powerful forces and risking thousands of lives amid the way.
It was completely selfish in many ways.

They were to blame, for the whole of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, which has brought a calamity to the world.
And Yeon was selfish for holding on for his love for her for centuries because he was heartbroken by losing her and yet condemning and calling his younger brother, Rang a brat with a 600 year old tantrum, when he was always the spoiled one in the first place. I mean we do see that a lot along the series, the fact that after centuries he still has a servant and a friend in ShinJoo who does most work for Yeon, so it seems. At least its commendable that Rang is independent.
Yeon over that span of time was never truly alone and yet completely obsessed with finding her to the point of neglecting the bond he had started with his brother centuries ago.

Many can defend otherwise but despite protecting Lee Rang many times, he was also the cause of his pain and I have to admit he didn’t knew his brother at all and he never took the time to do so, to try and love him and understand him. To him, Rang was still the scared little boy he once knew, or perhaps it was what Yeon wanted to keep in mind, and not the way the other had turned out.
But how could he ever perceive what Rang was going through if he never once truly looked at his brother and tried to atone their severed bond or fix the misunderstandings among them?

“It’s strange. I can’t remember how the Azaleas tasted back then.
I wish we could go back to those days. There were Azaleas everywhere.”

The symbolic use of the Azalea flower was well thought, the Azalea symbolizes, remembering your home with fondness and wishing to return it, and we get a glimpse of that for Rang’s wish to return to old times and his disdain for the Azalea’s he once loved to taste. It also symbolizes, taking care of yourself and your family, temperance, a fragile and yet developing passion, elegance, abundance of wealth, beauty, and intelligence. Despite being an overwhelming positive plant, Azaleas still have a dark side due to the association with death threats.

That was what annoyed me the most. Because if Rang was always blamed for crimes and taking lives in the past, and those he had to take because of his unbreakable bond with that cunning man, then why didn’t Yeon be blamed for the thousand of lives he and JiAh cost along the whole drama? It probably surpassed Rang’s wrongdoings and yet it was discarded with a few harsh words to get some sense into a desperate foolish fox in love with a shell of a past lover in JiAh.

If was preferable that JiAh would meet her fate, although unfair and heartbreaking, if her foolish decisions and actions hadn’t cost the fox bead she initially had, and allow her body to be a vessel for the Imoogi, several lives wouldn’t be lost in the first place. Just what did she possessed to make two overly powerful beings, that could embody the Yin Yang with their opposite forces to be interested in her, love her or even want her? Is beyond me. I’ve found her bland, and for the most part annoying and reckless.

Her disdain for Rang wasn’t at all justified, sure he initially acted like a jerk and he mostly hated or better yet resented her, but it was for the most part because he was jealous. Jealous of the woman who stole his brother from him and cause his world to be turned upside down. In a glimpse of a moment he had finally a peaceful existence with his brother and dog in the fair grounds of a holy Mountain and because of the so-called fated love, everything went to shambles, and burned to the ground. He lost his role model, and his best friend, and the fields that he learned to love and could have grown to be kind disappeared from his sight. I’ve found more justified the hate YooRi carried for Yeon because of her need to protect her savior.

To me Rang was the best character in the whole series, the antagonist whom we can’t help but to fall in love and cherish even with his bratty and somehow wrong attitudes. Still he had the best development through everything, and his good deeds helped more than one soul in there. It was to show just how warm hearted he was despite keeping the cold mask to protect himself. He was a lost boy who didn’t entirely grew up, his need to be acknowledge and his yearning to be loved by his only brother was what led him to the route of perdition.

And it was Yeon’s act of mercy with the sword that condemned him all those centuries ago.
Overall Rang felt like the most genuine and bashful in his needs and sayings, because his purpose never changed. He was silently desperate to be freed from the deal that made him trapped even if it meant that death was his only option, at least that’s what I consider for his persistence on annoying Yeon to the point of the other could kill him. Although I doubt that would happen.

Maybe because Rang’s lifespan was at it’s end or perhaps he had even surpassed it, since he was a half breed fox, but if it meant to die then I am only guessing it would be preferable to die by loving hands. The detail on how his life was cutting short was forgotten in the plot and honestly not many characters cared for it or even wondered on why he had been alive for so long, they probably assumed he was taking innocent lives in order to prolong his existence.
Again, these characters only assume without asking, and they only see what they want to see.
He carried the plot on his shoulders at some point, because when it comes to Yeon and JiAh it all seemed like an annoying endless loop of old/new weird endless love story with loads of mint choco.

I preferred the relationship and bond Rang had with YooRi, the one he saved and raised in a way like a little sister or a daughter even, because let’s face it their love wasn’t romantic at all. And the fact that he even got reunited with his pet dog in another form and took him over, under his wing when knowing the kid’s background. Even when he claimed to dislike children or even dogs, he was kind, like a tsundere. Rang showed kindness in the little details and warmest actions.

“You could never pass by an injured dog ever since you were young.
And I wondered why you had changed so much.
But you haven’t changed at all.
You haven’t changed one bit.”

Yeon’s words describe Rang perfectly.

Rang grew up to be an adult, but he had the insecurities and the need for love like a neglected child. Where can we find a sort of antagonist who at the wail of a helpless creature such as a dog being beaten, would not only stop and save it, but also care to send the poor soul to a vet?
How can we call him an antagonist when he opened his house and heart to a helpless and tortured wild fox and to an abused child, whom he spent his money for like it was nothing?

There’s a quote from a character of a book series I like, that goes, “There are three kinds of family. Those we are born to, those who are born to us, and those we let into our hearts”, I think Rang found his true family by letting people into his caring and aching heart.

And that’s what made me angry, sad, and bittersweet about his ending.

Because the minute he allowed himself to feel that ounce of happiness in his hollow life, finally finding a purpose and a family amid his losses, it was the minute Rang’s life seemed worthy enough to be taken for the sake of bringing his brother back and have him reincarnated.

“Yes, he’s the most precious thing in your life. Your brother.”

Now that was to be expected, from the beginning, given his endless love and devotion for his older brother, we knew something like this was bound to happen sooner or later.
It does not upset me that he chose to sacrifice himself for his brother, he was selfless enough to do it. He once had no purpose in his life because he never gave a chance into his heart to allow it to love and be loved out of fear of being abandoned, yet the moment he did, he was now compelled to loose it all.

How unfair is that?

What upsets me the most is that his happiness was short-lived, and his goodbye was even shorter and almost denied. He wasn’t able to do so properly, or given the opportunity to embrace those he loved, his made-up loving family. In mere minutes his existence was erased without leaving a trace behind other than those he saved, and his cellphone on the ground.
JiAh could just as well save her crocodile tears right there. He sacrificed himself for the sake of her and his older brother, and it cost YooRi, SooOh (Geomdoong) and ShinJoo a huge loss.
And it’s in these moments that followed that truly wrecked everything for me.

“It looks like you’ve found yourself a family. Now you’re cherishing your life.”

It’s not fair that now that he did, he won’t spend his final moments with them.
I wonder if this was premeditated, or if it was a coincidence, but given the mystical plot I highly doubt that this wasn’t entirely fabricated.
I mean Granny Taluipa, the Gatekeeper herself had once said that reincarnation is unpredictable in many varieties, both in time spans and appearances. But for all we know about this particular thematic, is that once you reincarnate you start a new life, and the memories eventually fade away within time. It’s the start of a brand-new existence, a rebirth so to say.

So, why with all this in mind, did Yeon showed up intact in his original form?

With the same appearance and memories but deeming to be human now.
I mean, did they do a magic trick there, or could it be that the many calls Granny did to save Yeon, made that miracle happen?
It was told that if someone falls into the Samdo River it can’t be granted the power of reincarnation.
Yeon fell there to prevent that, to seal the Imoogi and save his lover and the world, and all that.
Or was perhaps that fortune teller, the Final Judge who made this happen?
Could he possibly control the perception of time and make Yeon return to the present like he had never left, and to concede for one to exist without fully going through the passage of time?

It creates theories that not even I have answers to.

The final message Rang left on his phone for Yeon, felt way more heartbreaking than the one Yeon made when he was about to face his final moments, because he lacked the guts to show his true feelings in there, when Rang never failed to deliver them throughout the series.

“Still… Still, if we can, let’s meet again.” the heartbreaking smile amid the tears as he finally calls Yeon, “Hyung” in such a longing way, it’s what get us and truly tore our aching hearts.

Despite his so-called hate for his brother, it’s undeniable how much he loved Yeon and admired him enough to be this selfless. Pity that it took 600 years and that loss for Yeon to crumble down crying hard for losing his younger brother whom he seldom tried to protect in his own ways.

To say it was a happy ending is far from it.

Sure, Rang ends up happy but his final appearance or rather his reincarnated version embodies all the doubts that keep harboring out in our fickle minds.
More than his mother’s love, I think he changed that role to Yeon, because he was the one who truly showed him benevolence, kindness, and a warm fraternal love. So, I assume that Rang would prefer his brotherly love rather than being born without any memories of his past live and the man he had lost centuries doting on. And the messed up part here is the time loop, because either they didn’t told the right amount of time that passed or simply did not care for that, since all of a sudden a 10 year old or something Rang childhood version encounters Yeon and it serves to reassure the elder that Rang has found happiness in human form.

But that is what makes me doubtful is just why did Rang sacrificed himself and hoped for Yeon to be granted the possibility of reincarnation, which was why Rang sacrificed himself in the first place, if Yeon shows up in his original form while keeping all the memories completely intact?

The brothers meet again however it’s for a brief and single moment and that’s it.

Is Yeon lying about being human? But what for? How can he lie to all other mythical beings such as the Gatekeeper, and her husband who practically “raised” him since the loss of their only son? Why lie to JiAh or ShinJoo? And could he possibly be human with some leftover powers of his glory days? Because after an ordeal of facing the terrifying truths about being human being a struggle he shows at the very end that he still has his powers and glowing amber fox eyes.

All I have to say foxes are cunning. Yeon was a full-fledged fox spirit. So maybe he does lie.

Rang was partially half-human, despite his hatred of the race, he couldn’t deny his humanity and maybe that’s what made him more altruistic and to love as passionately like he did. Allowing him to drown in his own misery and pain while struggling with his turmoil of emotions.
He was ever the emotional one, while Yeon was blinded by what he considered to be love and apparently an obsession over a girl that intruded in his holy territory and changed his purpose and existence, while affecting other parties too.
In the end I believe Granny Taluipa was right all along.
By their foolish decisions many people died, and many suffered losses.
It’s not a selfless love story of 600 years and many reincarnations. But a romantic massacre.

Overall, almost every character played their role and purpose, some better than others through the inconsistency of the plot.
The acting is superb, everyone dots on Lee DongWook but I also highly praise Kim Bum for giving life to such an iconic character as Lee Rang.

The OST is okay, not too over the top or really memorable.
The thing I can praise is that unlike most dramas it included some instrumental melodies, and of most there by the composer Hong DaeSung, the melody Parting at the River of the Three Crossings is my favorite. As for the song I liked most, I’ll be There, by Shownu from MonstaX.

I might re-watch again someday, because once we come back to something of the past, we find in the nostalgy certain details that we missed in the first place. But mostly if I ever watch again its solely because of Rang despite knowing his route in the plot, his character grew on me in ways that I can’t even explain.

There are rare characters who are deemed unforgettable and Rang is certainly one of those.

I am sorry for the particular SPOILERS I might have included along this HUGE review, but despite everything I do recommend watching this series, because who knows?
Perhaps you might end up having a favorite character too or create more theories different than mine. And appreciate the symbolic value that this drama presents.

I also do recommend watching the sideline story called, “Tale of the Nine Tailed: An Unfinished Story” which is solely 3 episodes of Rang’s adventures before and after the events of the main series. The first episode mostly about the Azaleas and his longing, the second is about YooRi and their odd and yet lovely connection, and the third is about SooOh his long lost Geomdoongie.

Thank you to whoever will read this review, hopefully it will help others to appease their minds or even share theories too.
I focused too much on the main characters here rather than the whole plot because other wise this would be longer and with more spoilers that’s for sure, just bare in mind that like every series it has it’s flaws but it also has it’s qualities. And it’s not based on a sole review that you are bound to not give a chance to watch something that can change your perception of things, because not every review, vision or opinion is the same, and yours shouldn’t be either.

Just buckle your seatbelts and enjoy the crazy ride (o゜▽゜)o☆

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Amo esse tipo de enredo que mistura a fantasia com o mundo real. Essa série é perfeita, prende a atenção do começo ao fim. Como não amar a raposa de nove caudas? Esse veradeiro apaixonado que faz de tudo para reencontrar e ter seu amor... E a protagonista? Esperta, sabe se cuidar sozinha e tem personalidade forte, o que nos faz gostar logo de cara. Esses dois talentosos atores como protagonistas, ainda são cercados por coadjuvantes de peso e com papéis interessantes e carismáticos. A história tem ritmo, se desenrola bem e um final perfeito.

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The ending was... an odd one.

The cast was great. I felt like they all fit the character except the gatekeeper of Samdo; she gave too many mixed signals. The storyline was kinda slow especially near the end. I watched it as it aired but I would have dropped it at episode 12. I honestly only finished it so I could mark it as "complete." The ending was redundant and I wouldn't even be mad if they let Lee Yeon perish. They had to make it a good ending so they put way too many twists. At this point, I just felt like the characters were just sacrificing lives back and forth to revive other characters. It had such a great build-up/rising action but the ending was redundant and unsatisfying.

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A well produced fantasy series with an intense plot and great music!

Tale of the Nine Tailed is an interesting plot-driven drama with an incredible music score, well-developed characters, romance, and a dash of comedy.

From the opening of the first episode I was drawn in by the plot and encaptured by the characters that were being portrayed before me. The story of Ji-Ah and her parents was highly upsetting, but I never imagined that Lee Yeon would actually be able to find them for her. I wasn't sure whether to believe they were actually there when reunited with Ji-Ah but was glad of it ever the same.

There were a few creepy bits which unnerved me and I actually didn't want to watch the show at night to begin with. In particular, the episode where Ji-Ah was being followed by the two little ghost girls was creepy. Also, it was gruesome when the Imugi killed the woman who lost the finger nail and then used her corpse hand to knock on the door.

I also didn't like it when the scales appeared on Ji-Ah's face as it grossed me out.

Now for some positives...

I really liked how the the show not only focused on the leads, but also included the supporting characters development and own personal growth. In particular, I liked the relationship formed between Shin-Joo and Yu-Ri. I was so happy when they got married in the final episode and even looked after the little boy (who I assume they adopted and didn't just kidnap?).

I found the relationship between the older couple who tended to look after Lee Yeon quite comical but sweet, and it made me laugh a few times. When the man left, that was sad but I'm glad he returned in the end.

I never knew whether to like Lee Rang or hate him. I know it was awful what he had done in the past, but then I ended up feeling sorry for him because he was messed up and confused. It was funny when the fortune teller/blind man noted that the most important thing to him was his brother, Lee Yeon. Even though throughout the series you were kind of meant to not like Lee Rang, I couldn't help but be sad when he was gone. Despite what others may think, I actually did end up liking Lee Rang and it was sweet how he bonded with the cute little boy who he nicknamed 'Blacky' after his childhood pet.

The beginning of the final episode was so sad and distressing that it left me balling my eyes out. I'm so thankful that the episode turned around and ended on a high (for the most part). Watching Lee Yeon's body drift away into the abyss was quite cruel on the viewer's behalf.

On the flip side, it was really nice to wrap up the season (yes I am expecting another!) with the two leads being reunited and them getting married! I was also expecting them to have a child, but maybe the reason they didn't is because of the ending.

I am quite confused as to what was going on in those few final seconds but will expect that to be explained in a follow-up series. I feel like the show has been left on a definite cliffhanger and would hope that the producers wouldn't be so cruel as to leave us guessing forever. As soon as Lee Yeon picked up the umbrella off of the wall, I knew that part of the Gumiho was still in him.

One thing I found spectacular about this show was the score. There are certain pieces that every time I listen to, I get chills. The music definitely added a lot to the production of this show and has made it stand out. I don't think I can ever recall a show that I've watched to have music that makes you really feel something. It might just be me, but I usually only find it in films.

I didn't have a problem with any of the actors. However, in the beginning I was unsure of Yu-Ri, but as the characters developed I came around.

The reason I gave it a 5/10 rewatch is because I don't tend to rewatch any show so really this is just a neutral score.

Overall I gave it 8/10 as it was a quality show that kept me entertained, but it wouldn't be way up there at the top of my list. This might just be based on genre as I do prefer a good rom-com style rather than an intense fantasy plot, but I am glad that I watched.

I would recommend to anyone who enjoys watching a fantasy-style show or is just looking for a change in genre.

-E

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Generic fantasy combined with generic romance

When I started this drama, I didn't have great expectations, I just hoped for a good love story, unfortunately I didn't get even that, although this show has its good moments. Honestly it was difficult to rate it because it's not terrible but it's also quite forgettable.

The first few episodes were my favorites. I liked to see more about Korean mithology, however the drama doesn't dive too deep into the lore and uses fantasy more as a set up. The plot is quite far-fatched and honestly straight up dumb at some points. Characters were either holding information out or simply choosing to do things the hard way. The problem when you have such powerful beings as characters in your story is that you need the conflict to be a match to their powers and very high stakes, otherwise it would be too easy for them to solve it. This is one of the biggest problems of this show to me. You have gumihos and literal gods, but sometimes it's like the writers conveniently forget about how almighty these beings are in order to not end much of the conflict in this story in lass than a minute. I myself thought of at least two ways where they could've ended the Imoogi in a much easier way, but we need some drama in the last episodes, I guess.

The characters are pretty interesting. They are the driving force of this drama, even when they mess up the plot the characters are what keeps you entertained. Rang was definitely the character with my favorite arc (although the ending given to him was atrocious and downright lazy writing) in this whole thing, even when I was bored out of my mind with the main couple, his relationship with Yeon was what made me watch this until the end.

Talking about the main couple, oh boy what a disappointment. This was a set up to what should be an epic and heart-wrenching love story, but the execution was just piss poor. It's not the actors fault, since the acting here is overall pretty good. I think the writers just relied too much on the fact that Yeon has waited for Ji Ah for 600 years and that they are star-crossed lovers that they didn't even bother developing the relationship between the two leads in the present. I never skip scenes in dramas, but since I was close to finishing it I skipped almost all of the main couple interactions in the last 4 episodes just to see what would happen to all the other characters. All of that "I will sacrifice myself for you!" back and forth between the leads was extremely tedious, as well. To be fair I agreed completely with the Samdocheon guardian lady, they should've just killed Ji Ah or at least acted a bit faster on their plan, cause some good thousands of innocents died since they just sat with their heads up their asses instead of putting an end to the Imoogi as soon as possible.

The ending was also just a big ???????????? I always thought people were supposed to reincarnate as a baby and then grow up, living all the stages of their life, but apparently not? They were just reincarnating people as straight up adults and children right and left for the sake of forcing a happy ending. Not to mention how the writers just gave up at the very last scene and simply wrote whatever the hell came to their heads.

To sum it up, this drama has its ups and downs, It had potential and some scenes, specially certain ones between Rang and Yeon (in my opinion) were quite emotional. The cast tries their best, and while you can have some enjoyment out of it, Tale of the Nine-Tailed doesn't pull through and just fades into a limbo along with many other generic fantasy dramas.

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Aspired to be Goblin, Missed by a Mile

No doubt most of us were reeled in by Lee Dong Wook's stellar performance in Goblin. The man can act but this drama is proof that it takes so much more to recreate the magic of Goblin.

Lee Rang is easily the best part of this drama. I loved how they set him to be this ruthless villain early on only to peel back layers to reveal a sweet, scared, mistreated kid. He worshipped his half brother but turned dark when he thought Yeon abandoned him too. Kim Bum Soo was perfected casted for his innocent looks but strong acting skills. Seriously, i went from loathing his evil smirk in episode 2 to aww-ing at his adorable smile and childlike "hyung!" in episode 16. His character as the attention seeking younger brother was beautifully explored through scenes with Dong Wook's Yeon, which shed light beyond his Mr Romantic side - the aloof older brother who really adored Rang too.

Which is why I absolutely despise Rang's ending.

Dong Wook's acting as Yeon was good but that was to be expected. Yeon is entirely different from Goblin's Grim Reaper. True to his foxy nature, he's not smart, he's CUNNING. This was showed many, many times in the drama when he used his brains beond just brawns to save Nam Ji Ah. But what really stuck with me were the nuanced touches Dong Wook added to Yeon's interactions with Ji Ah. He remained snarky and sarcastic, but very considerate and attentive in small, subtle ways. Pushing the branch out out of Jiah's way, soft hair carresses. Very tender, not because she is fragile - she is too precious to him.

Her happiness list, he promised to do them all and indeed he did (sneakers, cooked rice, a wedding dress) and even though of Plan B in case he didn't make it. It so all was so endearing.

I have 3 big issues with this drama - Ji AH, Imoogi and Chemistry.
The plot is not coherant, especially in the middle around ep 7 to 14. This is where they jumbled up Ji Ah's and Imoogi's characters.

Ji Ah whom I adored early on for being perceptive, alert and semi-cunning at sussing people, succumbed to being a quintessential K-drama damsel in disstress the second Yeon became the knight in shining armour mid way.

And Imoogi, didn't have a strong character motivation. Did he want to reign chaos or did he want the girl? And what's that line about wanting Ji Ah because he wanted to be loved, trying to make him sympathetic like Rang? But then wait, 2 Imoogi's with different wants?? I'm throwing up my hands.

Yeon made a remark to Imoogi, something like the gods make creatures like him that don't receive love (a Ying Yang balance thing I asssume). If done right, it could have made Imoogi a complex, fascinating villain. Especially since they casted the boyishly handsome Lee Tae Ri who did not inspire much terror. Sad.

As others have mentioned, Chemistry was off for our main leads. Dong Wook did his best but sparks just weren't flying with Jo Bo Ah. Heck, even our secondary ML and FL had more chemistry, but nothing can top our half brothers.

I hope the Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 (2022) is better. But after this disappointment - I'm moving on.

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