Unlike her nine-tailed fox predecessors who have always longed to become humans, our MZ gumiho resolves to indulge in immortality and a life of luxury.
Putting in immense efforts to keep the balance aligned, our heroine managed to steer clear of becoming a human. But fate has another say and her encounter with our soccer player will thwart her meticulously crafted plans and ruffle her fur.
Bunny S. watches No Tail To Tell on Netflix
Opening Week Ratings:
No Tail To Tell Opening Week Story
“She finally became human and married the one she loved. And so, they lived happily ever after.”
Our story opens in the Joseon era where our nine-tailed fox, Eun-ho (Kim Hye-yoon) is on the way to Hanyang to attend the wedding of her elder sister, Geum-ho (Lee Si-woo). The sisters used to live together in the mountains but Geum-ho fell in love with a man and decided to become a human and marry the love of her life. We don’t know the exact details but it ended tragically. And now Eun-ho staunchly refuses to become human and vows to live as a fox forever.
Jumping to the present day, Eun-ho stands before a dying man, ruminating about how futile human life is as humans are doomed to die in the end. Then, we rewind in time to nine years ago to see the story of Eun-ho and that man unfold. Kang Si-yeol (Park Solomon/Lomon) is a high school student with an impressive talent for playing soccer but has yet to catch a lucky break.
Growing up poor, with no parents and his sick grandmother as his only family, Si-yeol has to put up with the bullying of his coach. When scouts from the youth national team come to watch the training, Si-yeol tries to catch their eyes. But he gets a beating since the coach favors someone else.
“I can’t risk cultivating more virtue and accidentally becoming human.”
Shifting the focus back to Eun-ho, she lives her life following two simple rules. 1# Never do any good deeds, no matter how trivial. 2# Don’t do major misdeeds either. She can do anything for money, yet draws the line at murder. And that is how she keeps things balanced and avoids turning into a human. Rambling about how tough it is to be a human, Eun-ho argues that her life as a gumiho is like a never-ending festival. Normally, a long life is deemed tedious, but Eun-ho has never felt bored due to the quickly changing human world. (Or, so she claims.) She can just grant rich people’s wishes, get paid handsomely for it, and live in luxury.
While shopping with a “friend” (cameo by Woo Da-vi), Eun-ho literally bumps into Si-yeol and knocks him down. They kick off on the wrong foot with Eun-ho calling Si-yeol weak. But the thing is Eun-ho had a vision of Si-yeol’s friend, Hyeon Woo-seok (Jang Dong-joo), becoming a world-class player. Normally, those visions are inevitable. And not even Eun-do can do anything to alter that fate. But then, a drunk driver crashes into Woo-seok and runs away. Si-yeol tries to chase after the driver, but he loses him.
As it so happens, the hit-and-run driver is one of Eun-ho’s clients and he offers to pay a hefty sum in return for erasing the witness’s memory of seeing his face. Eun-ho is stunned to realize Si-yeol is the witness. But a deal is a deal so she attempts to tweak his memory. Just then, she has the same vision from before. But instead of Woo-seok, it is Si-yeol. Simply put, their fates have switched. Yet that isn’t everything. Eun-ho collapses, having lost a big chunk of her spiritual power.
To regain her lost power, Eun-ho needs to sort out this mess and put the real culprit behind bars. But since she can’t meddle in human affairs, Eun-ho needs Si-yeol to make a wish first for the driver to be caught. Then, she uses her magic and has that man admit to all his crimes. Thus, she regains some of her spiritual power.
Before going on a break to self-cultivate, Eun-ho meets Si-yeol one last time where she gifts him a suitcase, reveals her gumiho identity, and hands over her business card, claiming he will soon become wealthy enough to be her client. And truly so, Si-yeol is selected for the youth national team as Woo-seok’s replacement and has to join the overseas training in a week. Looks like the suitcase came in handy.
“Do you remember me now? Long time no see, Si-yeol.”
The drama skips to nine years ahead, which is the main timeline of our story. Si-yeol is now a Premier League star, signing an extension contract with an overseas club as their team leader and endorsing almost every product out there in Korea. His face is on the news. He is raking in money and has even released an autobiography. And this tremendous success has made him turn quite cocky yet charming.
Meanwhile, Eun-ho has blown her entire savings and needs to make more money. Hearing the news about Si-yeol’s return, she greets him at the airport. But it takes some effort to make Si-yeol recognize her. Eun-ho offers to grant him any wish he wants in return for money. But Si-yeol stuns her, arguing he likes his life the way it is and doesn’t want anything changed. His physical condition is perfect and titles that he doesn’t claim by his own effort are meaningless. Still, Eun-ho counters that human life is futile and can be easily shattered.
After Eun-ho leaves, Woo-seok drops by Si-yeol’s place. The rehab failed and he was cut from the team where he was playing. So, Woo-seok currently works as a deliveryman. Which is how he ended up at Si-yeol’s house. In a moment that he will come back to bite him later, Si-yeol asks Woo-seok about his wish. And the next thing we know, their fates have switched once again.
No Tail To Tell Opening Week Musings
That was an absorbing premiere. The story feels gripping and there is a lot to be curious about from the opening sequence where Si-yeol lies down on the floor with blood seeping from him, to the back and forth switch between Si-yeol and Woo-seok, to the rules of that mystical world. The chemistry between the actors is a big draw too and they both breathe life into their characters.
A big highlight is the refreshing and modern take on gumihos. Usually, a mythical figure is tired of immortality and yearns to become a human. But Eun-ho embraces her foxy nature and indulges in the perks that come with it. Her motive for remaining a gumiho is profound (having watched his sister get doomed after becoming a human) and not just about enjoying a fancy lifestyle and living forever.
Eun-ho is quite mischievous but she isn’t entirely evil. She is always bluffing so others might not take her seriously. Yet underneath that facade, there is a warm heart awaiting a chance to come through. Eun-ho might claim to have a blast living as a fox, but the truth seeps through the cracks. She keeps trying different things but hasn’t followed through on anything, either quitting or taking the easy way out when things get tough. For all her prolonged life, Eun-ho has nothing to show for.
Perfectly balancing out Eun-ho is Si-yeol. And his cockiness adds an interesting layer to his character. He isn’t a typical goody two-shoes but a multifaceted character. And we look forward to watching him handle the aftermath of the latest fate switch with Woo-seok. Of course, he will freak out yet he will try to convince Eun-ho to give him his life back. The question is what she will ask for in return for granting his wish. Either way, we are hooked on the story and find the characters very likable. More episodes please, show.
Photos and Videos: SBS Drama
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