Tale Of The Nine-Tailed 1938 Promises An Explosive 2nd Season … – soompi

The Tale of the Nine-Tailed was easily one of the best shows of 2020 despite faltering slightly toward the end. All seemed well as we left the characters on a bittersweet, happy note, so it came as a surprise when it was announced that the show was renewed not for one but two seasons. Anticipation and curiosity arose with the first stills and show being set in 1938, and Im happy to announce that season 2 is off to anincredible start.

Theres so much to love about the action-adventure mysterical caper that season 2 promises to be. Its chockful of references to season 1, hasnt retconned anything (thus far!), and continues Lee Yeons (Lee Dong Wook) devotion to his now-wife Nam Ji Ah (Jo Bo Ah). Heres what we loved about the premiere and every reason to start watching!

The show picks up right at the end of the drama but before the epilogue. Yeon, still devastated by his half-brother Lee Rangs (Kim Bum) sacrifice to save him, pesters the Underworlds manager, Taluipa (Kim Jung Nan), on how to reincarnate him. The first seasons epilogue shows that this reincarnation works because Yeon finds Rang reincarnated, albeit with no memory of him. However 2020s Lee Yeon has no clue, and Taluipa isnt spilling, unless Lee Yeon returns to being a gumiho and enforces law and order among non-human beings interfering in matters between the spiritual and human realms. Yeon agrees on the condition that he doesnt get the immortality portion of being a gumiho. He wants to die at the same time Ji Ah does. He throws it out so casually too. And if that isnt the most insanely romantic thing, I dont know what is.

And just like that, our gumiho is back in business. And just in time too because a new enemy has appeared, whose roots are buried in the murky years Yeon spent between Ah Eums (Jo Bo Ah) death and her reincarnation as Nam Ji Ah. The mystery masked man steals the gem that wards the boundary between life and the Samdo River that carries the dead and jumps into a portal. Yeon follows with Taluipas warning that hell be stuck if he doesnt get back with the gem within 16 hours of entry. Yeon expects to fight his way through one of the hells, but he suddenly finds himself back in 1938!

Yeons chase of the mystery masked man with the gem leads him to none other than Lee Rang, the devious half-gumiho you cant help but love. Naturally, this past iteration of Rang holds all the resentment that the first seasons Rang held and then some. 2020s Rang had a long time for that resentment to fester, but 1938s Rang hasnt had even 50 years yet. But he still tries to kill his brother because its Rang were talking about. But Yeon gets visibly emotional at having his brother back and happily takes it all, apologizing for drowning his own sorrows in the wake of Ah Eums death instead of watching for his brother. But he also knows that he cant stay in this timeline when its imperative that the gem be returned to 2020.

He makes his farewells and apologies and is about to leave when Rang is stabbed through the heart by the mystery masked man. Yeon vows revenge but has to stay in 1938 in order to find a way to save him. And the only method of doing that is to trust a mercurial being with the ability to lengthen lifespans located in a courtesan house called Myoyeongak. Trapped between life and death, Rangs spirit follow Yeon around invisible to him while he tries to outwit the being to save his brother.

This is a great concept because it provides a great reason for why Lee Yeon would be stuck in 1938 because he loves his brother as much as he loves Ji Ah. In addition, having Yeon risk everything to save Rangs life in this timeline is the best way of earning 1938 Rangs trust. And Lee Yeon is going to need all the allies he can get here, seeing as hes both out of time and running out of time.

As for where 1938s Lee Yeon is? Well, hes in a rather embarrassing place physically and emotionally.

The Lee Yeon of this era is relatively fresh off losing his beloved and drowns his sorrows in drink, opium, and sleep. The way Lee Dong Wook plays two very different iterations of the same character while grounding them enough to show their commonalities is just incredible. In order to save Rang, Yeon needs to steal a legendary weapon known as Uturis sword. The trouble is that he was the swords owner. Sneak tactics dont work, and Yeon ends up fighting 1938s Yeon.

The two are evenly matched. What 1938s Yeon has in sheer strength, 2020s Yeon can outmatch in street smarts with 82 years more knowledge. And, hilariously enough, its a picture of Ji Ah that saves the day as 1938s Yeon immediately stops everything to hunt for his Ah Eum. Yeon sends him off on a wild goose chase to Manchuria for her, so it looks like we wont be seeing double for a bit. Its such clever writing to incorporate 1938s Yeon into the story! But perhaps we could do with having him around because Yeons facing enemies from all sides and doesnt know it.

Unbeknownst to Yeon, Ryu Hong Joo (Kim So Yeon) is the proprietor of Myoyeongak. Shes a businesswoman with a deep network throughout Japanese-occupied Joseon and has a rather bad desire to possess Yeon. Hes wary upon finding her, determined to elude her grasp, and he knows how dangerous it is to explain that hes from the past. Yeon has never been one to trust easily, and he knows that telling Hong Joo the truth could result in her wanting to see 2020 for herself. Hong Joo has all the charm of Jang Man Wol from Hotel Del Luna and is incredibly powerful. Physically, shes the strongest of the four mountain gods. And seeing as Yeon is on her turf, that could make for a troubling game.

At present, it isnt clear whether Hong Joo is an ally or an enemy. Shes blatant about wanting to possess Yeon, without any regard for his feelings in the matter. But like Rang, she seems to have noticed that theres something different about this Yeon. Given her extensive network of informants, she gets to the masked man that Yeon is looking for before him. And to her surprise, its someone she knows well.

Cheon Mu Young (Ryu Kyung Soo) is a man on a mission: to ruin Yeon. The show makes no secret of the fact that 1938s Yeon wasnt the greatest person. He was prone to outbursts, easily angered, and utterly ruthless in punishment. A bit of a drama queen at times too. It was a time when gods were revered instead of hunted and a tumultuous historical era where violence was the name of the game. But none of that explains the glimpse we get of Mu Youngs memories that show Yeon driving a sword through his older brothers chest. Clearly, this is Mu Youngs rationale for hunting Yeon, but theres not a lot of detail as to why. Judging by Yeons garb, its clear that he killed Mu Youngs brother at a time when he was still the god of Mount Baekdu.

We also know that Mu Young was presumed dead for some time because Hong Joo tearfully embraces him, showing more emotion than she ever has in her pursuit of Yeon. Something deep ties those two together, and theres so much to unpack on just what it could be! But for now, all we know of Mu Youngs plans are that he intends on taking everything from Yeon and seems to have lured him to this time period for that. But it isnt clear whether he knows that an even greater threat lies in wait because theres a villain more powerful than either of them, and he hasnt even gotten started yet.

Ryuhei Kato (Ha Do Kwon) is the Japanese Governor-General of Korea. He also happens to be a very powerful demon. In a great addition to its mythology, the show demonstrates that gods and demons took part in the political turmoil of the era, both aggravating it and helping defend the people of Joseon from occupation. Ryuhei is definitely the former. He intends of accumulating as many powerful artifacts from Joseons gods and demons as he can and using them to make himself more powerful.And the worst part is that he isnt on Yeon or Mu Youngs radar.

Given the hardcore team vibe that the poster for this season gives off, it seems likely that Yeon, Rang, Mu Young, and Hong Joo will team up to fight Ryuhei after settling the bad blood between them. And what a glorious time that promises to be! But until then, theres about to be a lot of infighting, if next weeks preview is any indication. Yeon muses that having his wife safe in 2020 means that he has nothing to lose in this era and can go all out. We see glimpses of his former ruthlessness in him, even as he tempers it because of the man hes become. But if Yeon thinks that he is without weakness, he has it all wrong. His loyal servant and best friend, Gu Shin Ju (Hwang Hee), has accompanied him to this era and found him after much effort. He and Rang remain Yeons Achilles heel. Plus a young reporter by the name of Sun Woo Eun Ho (Kim Yong Ji) is a secret freedom fighter in this era despite her father being heavily involved in the Japanese occupation. And Sun Woo Eun Hos face is the same as that of Shin Jus wife, Ki Yu Ri. So theres another potential weakness there.

Thankfully, Yeon wont face any consequences via the butterfly effect. He seeks help from 1938s Taluipa and is told that hes just a passing traveller in this era and what he does here will not change the future. However, he only has 29 days until the Gate of Time opens, allowing him to return back home. And, in order to return, he needs to hold onto that gem. If he misses his time, or loses the gem, then theres no going back home.

The show pays great respect to Yeons love for Ji Ah and constantly shows him thinking about her. Theyve even added that time passes differently in 2020, so a month in 1938 will only be a few days there. Its the level of care here that makes the show feel well-realized. Next weeks preview shows Hong Joo and Mu Young teaming up to blind Yeon, kidnap Rang and Shin Ju, and dump a lot of monsters in Yeons path for him to fight them off in the hopes of rescuing those he loves. Yeon has his work cut out for him! Its nice that we know how this all ends. But Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 promises to show that the journey there is the best part.

Pretty sure this is heaven.

What did you think of the premiere weeks episodes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Shalini_Ais a long time Asian-drama addict. When not watching dramas, she works as a lawyer, fangirls overJi Sung, and attempts towrite the greatest fantasy romance of all time. Follow her onTwitterandInstagram, and feel free to ask her anything!

Currently Watching:My Perfect Stranger, Tail of the Nine-Tailed 1938, Stealer: The Treasure Keeper, and Dr. Romantic 3.Looking Forward to:Black Knight, Gyeongseong Creature, Ask The Stars, The Girl Downstairs, The Worst Evil, Queen of Tears, Vigilante, Demon, Daily Dose of Sunshine, and Ji Sungs next drama.

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Tale Of The Nine-Tailed 1938 Promises An Explosive 2nd Season ... - soompi