Overview of Tale of the Nine Tailed
‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’ is a South Korean fantasy drama starred by Lee Dong-wook, Kim Bum, Lee Tae-ri and Jo Bo-ah. In this drama Lee Dong-wook comes as a gumiho or the nine-tailed fox, the guardian of Baekdudaegan with the name Lee Yeon. Yeon is in search of his mate in the present world, who was a Josean princess once who died at the hands of Yeon. In the flashback, when Ah-eum died, he asked her to reincarnate for him giving her his fox bead. The K-Drama was released in 2020, under the direction of Kang Shin-hyo and Jo Nam-hyung.
Profile
- Name: ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’
- Directed by: Kang Shin-hyo, Jo Nam-hyung
- Starring: Lee Dong-wook, Jo Bo-ah, Kim Bum
- Episodes: 16
- Number of seasons:Â 2
- Running time: 65–70 minutes
- Original network: tvN
-  Release: 7 October – 3 December 2020
- Producers: Park Jin-hyung, Park Seung-woo
- Production companies: Studio Dragon, How Pictures
- Country: South Korea
- Language: Korean
Cast
Main
- Lee Dong-wook as Lee YeonÂ
Lee Yeon is a nine-tailed fox and the former mountain spirit of Baekdudaegan. - Kim Bum as Lee RangÂ
- Lee Joo-won as young Lee Rang
Lee Rang is Lee Yeon’s only blood relation. Lee Rang is his half-brother because he is the child born to Yeon’s father and a human. Being born as a half-blood gumiho, (nine-tailed fox) Lee Rang was considered outcasted by humans. His miserable life ended when he got adopted by Yeon, his elder brother. However, Lee Rang is taken over by his grudge against Yeon for abandoning him and going in search of Ah-eum, his love. - Jo Bo-ah as Nam Ji-ah / Yi Ah-eum
- Park Da-yeon as young Ji-ah / Ah-eum
Nam Ji-ah is the reincarnation of Yi Ah-eum, Lee Yeon’s lover. Yi Ah-eum was the daughter of a Joseon king.

Supporting
- Lee Tae-ri as adult Imoogi / Lee Ryong / Terry
- Hwang Hee as Goo Shin-joo
- Kim Yong-ji as Ki Yu-ri
- Kim Jung-nan as Taluipa
- Ahn Gil-kang as Hyunuiong
- Kim Soo-jin as Snail Bride / Bok Hye-ja
Synopsis
The 1000-year-old gumiho Lee Yeon starts to reside with the humans leaving his mountain and his only blood relation Lee Rang, his half-brother. He now helps Taluipa, the protector of the Samdo River. Taluipa works as an agent in the Afterlife Immigration Office. Her husband, Hyunuiong, the housekeeper of Samdo River, also accompanies her. A gumiho named Goo Shin-joo, Yeon’s friend is also there to help him and he works as a veterinarian.
Yeon is waiting for his mate whom he once lost during the Josean period. When his lover died, he stops time and meets Ah-eum, his lover, while she crosses the river to the afterlife. He transfers his fox bead to her and asks her to reincarnate to fulfil their love.
Now, the story happens in the present when Ah-eum reincarnates as Ji-ah. On her ninth birthday, Ji-ah and her parents get into an accident. Young Ji-ah asks for help looking out and finds her parents staring at her from outside of the car. Little Ji-ah startles and wakes up from her dream and, to her relief, she finds herself sitting with her parents in their drawing room. Soon she realises that they are not her real parents and run to her room from getting captured by them.

Little Ji-ah hides in her room seeing a fox-like hand reaching for her through a hole in the door. Within a few minutes, she hears the cry of the foxes in pain and opens her eyes which she closed in terror. She finds Yeon standing in front of her holding a red umbrella in his hand. Yeon asks her if she is the reincarnation of Ah-eum and, using his powers, he tries to dictate his fox bead in her.
Unfortunately, the fox bead in her does not respond at that time. Therefore, he erases her memory of the incident by bewitching her. In the blink of an eye, Ji-ah finds herself crying and standing at the accident spot as the police search for her parents who are missing from the car.
Years later, Ji-ah grows up as a young lady and works as a television programme producer. The missing of her parents from the accident spot makes her believe in supernatural powers. She believes her parents are still alive and through her TV programs she investigates various myths in the hope of finding any lead to reach her parents.
One day Ji-ah spots Yeon at a wedding ceremony when he is out for his evil fox hunt. She recognises his umbrella which was once gifted by Ah-eum. She starts to stalk him to test whether he is a human. She finds out his residence and jumps from his balcony in order to test him. Yeon jumps and saves her from falling. Slowly romance blooms between Yeon and Ji-ah as time passes.
Then arrives Lee Rang, the troublemaker and the beloved half-brother of Lee Yeon. Rang’s mother is a human and he spent his childhood with his mother. In the village, he was an outcasted child due to his birth as a half-blooded fox. Later, Yeon saves his life and adopts him. He has the same amount of love and grudge towards his brother for saving him at first and later abandoning him for Ah-eum.
On top of Rang, Imoogi’s magic and powers come into play. Imoogi’s involvement in their lives unites the brothers. Imoogi is an evil earth dragon doomed by Yeon in the Josean period when Ah-eum was alive and sacrificed her life to save Yeon from Imoogi. As the story progresses, Yeon and Rang uncover the truth behind the missing of Ji-ah’s parents.
The souls of Ji-ah’s parents were taken by the servant of Imoogi to fulfil his greed to live longer.

In the fight to banish Imoogi, Yeon sacrifices his life this time. However, Rang trades his life to bring back Yeon to unite him with Ji-ah. Furthermore, through this sacrifice, he shows the intense love that he has for his brother.
Theme
Love
Love is a major theme discussed in the ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’. According to myths, a nine-tailed fox servers and loves a single mate until the end of its life. Yeon, the nine-tailed fox in the story, who is supposed to guard the Baekdu-daegan mountain leaves his duties and his mountain to live in the human world to meet his lover when she reincarnates. He has already crossed many eras in the human world in search of her and has met plenty of pretty girls who resemble his lover. However, he still waits for his real lover to reincarnate as a human.
Myths
The K-drama has a good deal of myths in it. In addition to the nine-tailed fox, the K-Drama introduces many mythical characters like Taluipa, the younger sister of King Yeomra, Hyunuiong, the gatekeeper of Samdo River and the husband of Taluipa, Snail Bride, Imoogi and many more.
Awards
No information is available regarding the awards.

Interesting Facts about ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’
- The airing of the 13th & 14th episodes of ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’ was delayed to provide the time to complete the filming.
- Jo Bo-ah in an interview said Lee Dong-wook exceptionally handled the role of the nine-tailed fox in the Kdrama.
- The expectation and trust that the cast members and the audience put in Lee Dong-wook made him feel pressurised.
- The brotherly attitude of Lee Dong-wook towards Jo Bo-ah made her feel comfortable while filming.
- Hwang Hee began his acting career in 2017 and Kim Yong Ji began her acting career in 2018. Therefore, both of these cast members are treated as rookie actors in this drama.
- The name of the second season of the Kdrama ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’ is ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938’.
- The second season of ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’ is released in 2023.
FAQs
- When is the ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’ released?
‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’ was released in 2020.
- Is there a second season for the Kdrama ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’?
Yes. - What is the name of the second season of the Kdrama ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’?The second season of ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’ is named ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938‘.
- How many episodes are there in ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’ season one?
There are 16 episodes in ‘Tale of the Nine Tailed’. - What is the Instagram ID of Kim Bum?
@k.kbeom - What is the Instagram Id of Lee Dong-wook?
@Lee Dong-wook