Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 (2023)

From Laughter to Chills : Tale of The Nine Tailed 1938 Delivers an Unforgettable Experience

The show captivated viewers from start to finish, delivering thrilling & satisfying experience. It stands out as one of those rare instances where the sequel surpasses the original. Although S1 was enjoyable to me, S2 gained even more popularity & favor among audiences.

When the show began, there were uncertainties surrounding the new Female Lead's romantic involvement with Yeon & revival of Rang who was easily most favourite character from S1. However, it gave satisfactory answers to all the curious viewers.

Season 2 transported Main lead Yeon back 82 years to time when South Korea was still under Japanese colonial rule.

The new season introduced plethora of new characters while retaining most of the original cast. Some characters remained unchanged, while one particular actress from S1 took on new & even more challenging role in S2.

Two new leads were introduced as frenemies of Yeon. The first was Hong Joo, the current West Mountain God, an owl & second was Mu Young, the former North Mountain God, Siberian tiger harboring deep resentment towards Yeon. Mu Young sets the stage for Season 2 by time traveling to the year 1938 from year of 2020.

Through time travel, Yeon reunites with his beloved little brother Rang, who is half fox & half human. Although their relationship remains love hate during this era, Yeon gradually wins Rang over.
Additionally new villain emerges in the form of Akira Ryuhei, powerful Japanese ruler & demon.

The show masterfully blended comedy & thriller elements. The comedic moments, primarily delivered by Yeon, Hong Joo, Shinjoo & Rang's loyal bandit boss were exceptional.
The comedy was so well executed that it often left viewers laughing for several minutes after each scene.

In terms of thrills, the show delivered exhilarating elements by incorporating Korean folklore inspired tracks. These tracks were engaging & kept viewers on the edge of their seats throughout the season.

The execution of various fantasy thriller storylines was absolutely fantastic. It exemplified what fantasy show should be in contrast to another fantasy drama that aired on the same channel the previous year, which failed to provide similar level of excitement. Other writers should take notes from the creators of this drama on how to craft a captivating fantasy drama.

Season 2 showcased strong bonds that had endured for centuries such as the brotherly bond between Yeon & Rang as well as Yeon's precious friendships with his past acquaintances. The scenes depicting these bonds were exceptionally well written & portrayed.

Since romance was not the central focus of this season, show was able to give equal attention to all the major characters. It was refreshing to see how Eunho became entangled in the main plot, even though she was not directly connected to the leads in this season.

Complex characters like Hong Joo & Mu Young were explored in great detail, adding depth to the storyline.

The standout character of this season was Ryu Hong Joo who is new female lead of new season. Her strength & portrayal left lasting impact on viewers despite not being involved in any romantic storyline. She was the most powerful mountain god among all the mountain gods & possessed rare combination of strength, badassery & intelligence. Such characters are rarely seen in other shows making her a refreshing addition.

Rang also underwent significant character development in this season. Initially harboring resentment towards his brother, he gradually softened & displayed more affection as the season progressed. His personal romantic storyline further added depth to his character.

Mu Young was a complex character in the second season, starting off as smart villain. However some of his later choices raised questions about his intelligence. It would have been satisfying to see him handle situations more cleverly, as he had great potential. The writers should have provided valid reasons behind his actions which would have greatly enhanced his character development.

In terms of acting, entire cast excelled in this drama, from the Baeksang Awardee Kim So Yeon to the minor Japanese mercenary characters introduced later on.
Kim So Yeon's portrayal of the character Ryu Hong Joo, the West mountain god, was particularly impressive. Her expressions & delivery were always on point.
Lee Dongwook & Kim Beom, as in the previous season, delivered fantastic performances, making Season 2 equally enjoyable. Their bromance was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the season.

The other actors who portrayed characters like Mu Young, Ko Shinjoo, Bandit Boss, Jaeyoo, Akira Ryuhei & Eunhoo also did a fantastic job.

The music in the season was great although personally I found S1's music & OST tracks to be even more memorable.

While Season 2 had some flaws I won't delve into them because the pros easily outweighs the cons.

All in all, this season was a truly enjoyable watch and exceeded my expectations. Now I will patiently wait for Season 3.

Fantasy lovers should definitely not miss this masterpiece.

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Nostalgic and Humorous

I gotta say, the humor is spot-on. It’s a perfect combination of witty remarks, dry humor, and dramatic irony. There’s also a good amount of S1 nostalgia without trying to recreate the original show. Best part of all is the chemistry between the actors that makes these fictional relationships feel so real and unique. I’m also loving the historic setting!

On a more controversial note, I’m glad Ji-ah doesn’t make an appearance in this so far, even though all the other main characters have. To me, Ji-ah and Lee Yeon’s relationship felt lacking. Perhaps it was the writing, the direction, or just the lack of chemistry between actors, which is hard to say, since the rest of the actors seem to have such great chemistry maybe it’s the character of Ji-ah that just felt flat…

Anyway, highly recommend!

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