Amidst a lot of things going on in the launch week of Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938, the series kept its charming and engrossing vibe flowing.
Making no apologies for its ambitious K-Action-Fantasy story, Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 assures a promising spectacle for K-Drama fans each week.
abbyinhallyuland watches Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 on Prime Video
Opening Week Rating:
Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 Opening Week Story
When a thief with a red and white mask steals an important stone that keeps the balance between the mortal world and the spirit realm; Lee Yeon (Lee Dong Wook) was commissioned by his grandmother to retrieve it in a limited time to complete the mission.
It leads him to the year 1938, a turbulent period in Korean history when the Japanese were occupying Joseon. The stone he is looking for ends up at the hands of a thief who works with 1938 Lee Rang, the leader of the bandits.
Unfortunately, Lee Rang (Kim Bum) gets fatally wounded. Per his brother’s advice, Rang was brought to Myuyeongak, a hotel restaurant in 1938 Joseon. To save his brother, he makes a deal with Dong Bang Sak, a demon who can extend life, but he has to bring a special sword that can only defeat the demon.
Unfortunately, the person who wields the sword is 1938 Lee Yeon who is addicted to opium and painfully yearning for his one and only love. After retrieving the sword, he was not aware that Dong Bang Sak intended to double-cross him by using Lee Rang as a hostage.
Fortunately, Lee Rang whose soul is wandering got help from a young girl with shamanic abilities and was able to warn his brother about the demon he is confronting. Defeating Dong Bang Sak, Lee Yeon was able to save his brother but missed the time to return back to modern-day Seoul.
“There’s no salvation for those who don’t try to save themselves first.”
Meeting his grandmother in the past, Lee Yeon explained his mishap. Understanding his predicament, his grandmother gave him a task to retrieve a dangerous flute and she will help him with his problem, thereafter.
Onboard a train, Lee Rang’s crew takes advantage of a dark part of the course and loots the passengers. However, the flute ends up in the hands of Hong-ju (Kim So Yeon). She is a former mountain god, the strongest among the deities who is obsessed with Lee Yeon.
Forcing Lee Yeon to be with her, they engage in an intense scuffle. Escaping the scene, Lee brothers end up meeting Hong-ju when they seek a room at Myuyeongak which Hongju owns and manages. Unfortunately, he has to wait for a few days to be able to use the cabinet to return back to 2023.
He decides to use the time wisely by spending it with Lee Rang whom he can’t be with anymore in the present time.
Learning Hong-ju’s deep and wide connection, Lee Yeon asks for help to get the identity of the masked man he has previous encounters with and is also the thief of the stone in modern times.
It turns out the masked man is Cheon Mu-young (Ryu Kyung Soo) who is keen to avenge his father who is hinted to have died in the hands of Lee Yeon. He is closely acquainted with Sunwoo Eun-ho (Kim Yong-ji), a daughter of a rich and powerful family in the capital.
Later, Hong-ju confirms her intuition about the masked man Lee Yeon is curious about and welcomes him to her embrace when they reunite.
Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 Opening Week Musings
Tidy and energy-filled the premiere week of Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 lived up to its flamboyant promotional stint by keeping its promise.
From the set design, wardrobe, and combat scenes; the old and new characters of the series have settled well into the story.
Moreover, its trademark exploration of Korea’s folklore tweaked to deliver timeless meaningful lessons is also present.
Needless to say, the distribution of scenes to highlight the fresh charm of each role in the main cast is evident. Likewise, the humor was also abundantly sprinkled.
Viewers can foresee a detailed probe into the relationship of the mountain gods that had since blended with mortals. Along with that, some old grudges are also set to be resolved.
Notably, the effort to make the series familiar yet unique because of its new setting and characters makes the narrative all the more worth anticipating.
Were Lee Yeon’s trip and eventual 1938 trap intentional? Will Hong-ju side with either Lee Yeon or Mu-yeong?
Be awash in the fascinating world of Lee Yeon in Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 every Saturday and Sunday on tvN.
Photos: tvN Drama
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