Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 is about a gumiho (Lee Dong Wook) that gets transported back to the 1930’s, but he gets stuck there and has to figure out a way return to the present to reunite with his loved ones.
Lee Dong Wook is Lee Yeon who is a mythical nine-tailed fox (gumiho). This former mountain god has settled into a normal life with his true love, Ji Ah, but a mission sends him to 1938 where he unexpectedly gets trapped and reunites with his brother and old friends.
Kim Bum plays Lee Rang, the half-brother of Lee Yeon who is half human/half gumiho. He tends to be on the violent side and doesn’t hold back. He has a complicated relationship with Lee Yeon which frequently puts them at odds. Their fights are next level, but they both greatly care for each other.
Then we have Kim So Yeon as Ryu Hong Joo. She used to be a mountain god too, and once close with Lee Yeon. She also has a complicated history and relationship with him that proves to be pretty entertaining.
I was both surprised and excited that Tale of the Nine-Tailed got a second season. I really enjoyed the first season, so I’ve been looking forward to Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938. Thankfully, I had a lot of fun with the show too!
It’s another entertaining fantasy story with wonderful characters and complicated relationships. There’s some mystery and action as well as a good dose of humor. The soundtrack is again wonderful with lots of amazing music throughout the series.
Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 is a bit different from the first season. Some parts feel quite the same while others take another approach. The first season definitely fell into the fantasy romance genre with a strong focus on Lee Yeon and Ji Ah. Season 2 has Lee Yeon heading to 1938 where he is separated from Ji Ah, so this romance gets completely put on the backburner.
The bromance between Lee Yeon and Lee Rang was strong in the first season and takes an even more prominent spot in this season. That was a strong point in the previous season and continued to be in this one.
I thoroughly enjoy a good love/hate bromance, and this is a shining example of one. Getting to see this duo reunite in somewhat different circumstances was a lot of fun. We get more of the bickering as Lee Rang is back to having a lot animosity towards Lee Yeon, but they also share so many touching moments, and we see see the special bond between them build back up again.
Lots of great characters from the first season make their way back into this one even with the 1938 setting. That helped tie the seasons together, and of course, it was great to see all of these quirky characters again.
We do get a new villain in the form of Red/White Mask who is actually Cheon Moo Young (Ryu Kyung Soo). He used to be close with Lee Yeon and Hong Joo, but he is now out for revenge.
But I have to say, I thought this revenge story fell a bit flat for me. Moo Young’s reasons for revenge were weak at best, and the lengths he would go to for his revenge against one of his closest friends was ridiculous. I tried my best to roll with it all though.
The friendship between Yeon, Hong Joo, and Moo Young is a big part of the story. We see their history and the development of their relationships. We also learn what went wrong and why they are at odds in the present.
The all out violent brawls between these three sometimes made it challenging for me to really feel their deep caring for each other, but it was there, and they come together to face many challenges. It’s an interesting friendship for sure.
I love the setting of the 1930’s during the Japanese occupation. Of course, the sets and costumes are a treat to see. Plus, the drama feels quite fresh by adding in the fantasy elements as we get lots of supernatural stories amidst plenty of adventure.
I would say the overall story is weaker in season 2 with fewer big plot developments and less character development. Lee Rang again has the best character arc, though not quite as good as season one.
Also, everyone gets put into life and death situations a lot, but I was never too worried since they all escape quite easily, and convenient ways out frequently appear. I wasn’t completely satisfied with the ending either as some parts were left open.
Time travel is always a tricky genre because it’s almost impossible to not have some kind of plot loophole. This drama doesn’t really explain much about how everything works in this area other than mentioning that time traveling to the past apparently doesn’t affect future events.
But so much happens and changes in the past that it would have major effects on the future. The only way for it to work would be for an alternate time line to be created, which is definitely possible. There’s just no explanation for any of it.
But overall, the fun nature of the show with our ragtag group of supernatural beings fighting all sorts of creatures with plenty of adventure goes a long way to make up for any shortcomings.
Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 was a great continuation of the story. It definitely goes in a different direction, but it retains enough of the essence of the first season to still make for a wonderful watch. The fantasy, thrills, action, bromance, and romance are present throughout, and it all came together for a fun fantasy romp through the 1930s.
My Rating: 8/10
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