Good, but nothing new.
Lee Dong Wook knows how to act, and his co-protagonist too (lucky us). His character is quite fun and a bit anti-hero but at the same time the typical hero. About the script I can say: is not new, sorry. The romantic story is well-known as many others, but if you are a fan of this kind of scprits, or maybe a new watcher of korean dramas, then be my guest and enjoy.The music is very good for the story theme =)
It has very interesting actors and characters that for me became more interesting than the leads romantic story.
Anyways, is good, but nothing new.
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Interesting plot but seems like too heavy to take sometimes
I am really into these types of interspecies romance drama . The storyline was interesting and the actors were excellent. But sometimes it feels like the plot is too heavy to take . They could make it a little bit lighter. I was expecting some more fluff when it is about romance . Btw I love the female leads personality.She is not dumb but intelligent and strong. Lee Dong Wook just nailed his role . How could I forget the amazing siblings relationship? The younger brother will give you a vibe of naughty and cute personality and the villain was so hot.Pardon my grammertical errors
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I enjoyed it..?
So, first of all I would have to say that this is a good drama but it has its disappointments.But let's first look at its strong points:
1. The acting was really good and I was especially impressed by Jo Bo Ah who did a very good job of acting the two very different sides of her character. I don't understand why I saw many comments/reviews saying that the two main leads didn't have any chemistry because I definitely didn't think that; I thought they were really cute together especially later on in the drama.
2. The OST was AMAZING !! It had these powerful and beautiful soundtracks that really added to the scenes.
3. I enjoyed the story and weirdly it had many resemblances to the Vampire Diaries, Twilight, Teen Wolf. The plot was also a lot darker than I thought it was going to be so that was a bit of a surprise.
Now let's look at its disappointments:
1. Although I liked the story, I felt that this was also the drama's downfall. Firstly, near the end they were dragging it out so much to the point that I was getting fed up and just wanted to move on. They could have definitely ended it earlier. Secondly, the fact that they suddenly decided to sacrifice Lee Rang at the very end, I just found that very bizarre and it backs my point up about them dragging it out for no apparent reason.
2. This is a very small point but I was disappointed by Kim Yong Ji's performance, I just didn't think it believable.
Overall, I think it is worth a watch but beware the last episodes!!
(p.s. I really loved seeing Kim Bum again as the last time I saw him was in Boys Over Flowers which was my first ever kdrama!)
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A drama to just chill
I'm too lazy to write a long review, but I'm here to say that:1) the best character of this whole story is Rang. I love his arch and the way his character develops through the story;
2) the ost is absolutely beautiful;
3) the most beautiful thing about this drama is the relationship between Rang and Yeon, and how it evolves throug out the episodes;
4) it's a good drama to just enjoy and learn a little about korean folklore (that's one of the reasons I started watching in the first place).
The story in general is intresting and keeps you wanting to watch the following episodes. If you just want to chill and watch a little of Dongwook and Kibum, this is a great opportunity to do it.
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NOTE: It is advised not to skip scenes as each and every scene unfolds a secret or gives birth to a new mystery.
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Thrilling
I can’t say enough about this series. I loved it! The casting was phenomenal. I loved Lee Don Wook in the Guardians. He is even better in this one. Of course I can’t find enough words to say about Kim Bum. I first met him in Boys Over Flowers and I gushed over him in That Winter. In this he is simply breathtaking. I never got bored watching this and it gave me the perfect ending. Kudos to all the actors. I also loved the music and I even have to compliment the stylist. I want more. Please have a sequel.Was this review helpful to you?
The best the genre has to offer
I'm writing this review partly as a response to the frustratingly many criticisms of the show here, most of which are concerned with the ending or, unfathomably, claim that the main couple lacks chemistry. As I had a completely opposite response to the show, I just wanted to present my point of view and encourage those doubting whether to watch it to just go for it and form their own opinion.I started Tale of the Nine Tailed with zero expectations, not even sure whether its urban fantasy vibe will appeal to me. And I was sucked right into a mesmerizing world filled with well-rounded characters, surprisingly fast-paced plot, and an extremely healthy main relationship which made me fall completely in love.
The story moves beautifully through the traditional K-Drama structure, with the first four episodes forming a complete mini-story arc which solidified the show as an early favourite for me. The backstories of the characters are revealed gradually and paced expertly so they always add momentum to the story, while the balance of major plot events and periods of lull which allow for the characters to bond and grow is just perfect. There was never a moment when I felt bored or thought the story was dragging, and some episodes such as 9 even have a remarkably strong arcs on their own.
The acting was absolutely phenomenal, with every cast member breathing life into their multi-faceted character. Lee Dong Wook's portrayal of the gumiho Lee Yeon was not only fantastic, but also remarkable in its seamless blend of sarcasm, silliness, slyness, and softness. Lee Yeon is a character who is totally unpredictable and always fascinating to watch. Jo Bo Ah deserves so much more recognition for her feat of portraying not one but three (!) characters, two of which were basically polar opposites and demanded her to switch from acting completely unhinged to emotional within half a second. Her main character of Nam Ji Ah easily became my favourite K-Drama female character with her cleverness and resourcefulness, her level-headedness in the face of disaster, and her beautiful character arc of learning that giving and receiving love can be a powerful weapon. Kim Bum did an amazing job portraying the morally grey Lee Rang and making the audience go from feeling intimidated by him to understanding him and sympathizing with him. Without giving anything away, I'm satisfied with his character arc, and I think that if you pay close attention to his actions from the beginning, they inevitably lead to his fate in the end, which feels both just and allows him to finally grow as a character.
The main romantic relationship developed extremely naturally and gradually throughout the series, both playing to the audience's expectation of angst while avoiding the usual K-Drama pitfall of a non-sense break-up in the face of adversity. As a viewer who is usually dissatisfied with the reincarnation trope and the power imbalance typically stemming from relationships between a mortal and a powerful immortal being, I am stunned by how the characters and the story made these tropes feel exactly right and removed any power imbalance that could have existed between the couple. Yeon and Ji Ah have a snarky, supportive, healthy dynamic, and their love languages of physical touch and quality time really make them shine as an OTP. One of the small details of their relationship that really stuck with me is how many meals they shared throughout the series, building up their bond through such a casual yet vital part of intimacy in everyday life.
Tale of the Nine Tailed is going to stay in my heart for a long time, and I'm looking forward to rewatching the show again and again and introducing it to more of my friends. Thank you if you've read this far, and I'm hoping my review will make you feel encouraged to give this story a chance and see whether it manages to take roots into your heart like it did with mine.
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I watched this drama twice!!
I love fantasy themes and this one was perfect. It included some horror and graphic scenes that I didn’t expect, but it made the drama even better so it was worth it. Lee Rang’s character made me hate him but I loved his role in the story. He was a good villain.I first watched it when it came out and the second time was in 2022. I would say it has a high rewatchable value because when I watched it again it was like watching it for the first time. I still cried during sad scenes the second time.
I highly recommend it. <3
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This review may contain spoilers
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.Was this review helpful to you?
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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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