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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