Tale of the Nine Tailed Episode 16 (Final) Recap

Lee Yeon (Lee Dong Wook) tells Terry (the Imoogi) once he falls into the river to the afterworld, he won’t be able to come back. Lee Yeon pushes the sword in deeper. Lee Yeon backs up into the open abyss of the afterlife. He tells Ji Ah he loves her. He pulls Terry into the abyss.

Nam Ji Ah (Jo Bo Ah) sobs.

Lee Rang (Kim Bum) falls to his knees.

Lee Yeon and Terry fall into the river. They separate. Terry dissolves. Lee Yeon is suspended. He hears Ji Ah’s sob. He thinks “I can hear her crying. I must tell her relationships between fox and humans end this way. Our love was a bridge and I wanted to live in her world longer. I wanted to be mortal. My dream didn’t come true, but my death is a passionate love letter to my first and only love. I hope she doesn’t wait for me or cry for me. I wish I could see her one more time.” Lee Yeon reaches and imagines Ji Ah there, but they can’t touch. Ji Ah disappears. “I can no longer see her face.” Lee Yeon closes his eyes and falls deeper.

Chapter 16 – The Rewritten Tale of the Nine Tailed

Ki Yoo Ri (Kim Yong Ji) comforts Gu Shin Joo (Hwang Hee). The virus that gripped Kim Sae Rom (Ji Ah’s coworker) and her boss, disappear much to the relief of Pyo Jae Hwan (Ji Ah’s coworker) and the Snail Bride. The virus vanishes overnight across the country.

Granny tells her husband Hyun Ui Ong she couldn’t save Lee Yeon. Ui Ong says she helped him which is why he returned to her.

Ji Ah arrives at the Afterlife Immigration Office and calls to Ui Ong. Granny tells her husband Ji Ah must forget about Lee Yeon. Ji Ah begs for help to save Lee Yeon. She comes back again and again but the doors remain closed.

Lee Rang remembers stabbing Terry and Lee Yeon per Lee Yeon’s command. He drinks. Yoo Ri offers to buy him food. He orders her to leave. Yoo Ri points out that he only did what Lee Yeon wanted. Lee Rang yells at the little boy.

The doors of the Afterlife Immigration Office open. Ji Ah enters. She bows to Granny who tells her Lee Yeon is dead and cannot be brought back. Granny says it cannot be undone. Ji Ah wants him reincarnated. Granny says Lee Yeon knew he couldn’t be reincarnated and willingly died. The doors shut in Ji Ah’s stricken face.

Ji Ah tells Shin Joo that Granny said Lee Yeon couldn’t come back. Shin Joo confirms Lee Yeon knew this was the ending to save Ji Ah. Shin Joo urges her to live a normal life, just like Lee Yeon wanted her to do. Ji Ah sighs.

Shin Joo arrives at Lee Rang’s place. He points out drinking won’t bring Lee Yeon back. Lee Rang notes Shin Joo isn’t upset. Shin Joo smacks Lee Rang’s head and says Lee Yeon told him to do that. He hands Lee Rang a message from Lee Yeon.

Alone, Lee Rang watches “We just had lunch together. If you are watching this, I’m no longer alive. Lee Rang, are you drinking? You haven’t changed. You have a kind heart. You’ll be fine after I’m gone. You have a family to protect. Remember when I told you I wouldn’t abandon you? Don’t discard yourself. Cherish yourself. This is my final request. Take care.” Lee Rang sobs.

Ji Ah doesn’t forget Lee Yeon and decides to wait for him. She declares she’ll use her skills.

Ji Ah tells Lee Rang she’s making a video called the Tail of the Nine Tailed. She’s meeting with everyone that Lee Yeon knew. She interviews Lee Rang. He shares that Lee Yeon was vain, scared of spiders, and liked playing Go.  They one up each other with what Lee Yeon did for them, but in a friendly way. They agree Lee Yeon wanted to be human.

Granny call her brother to plead Lee Yeon’s case. He hangs up her when he refuses to help. Granny complains about his inflexibility. Ui Ong can’t help but laugh at the pot calling the kettle black.

Shin Joo serenades Yoo Ri and gets down on bended knee to propose to Yoo Ri.  She’s thrilled and slides the ring of her finger. Lee Rang tells Shin Joo he better not make Yoo Ri cry. Lee Rang tells Yoo Ri he’s extracted her from her fake parents. Everyone smiles. Shin Joo wishes Lee Yeon could be there to marry him. He cries.

Ji Ah continues to film messages to Lee Yeon from his friends and family. Ji Ah’s boss arrives and joins the festivities. Ji Ah thinks while she misses Lee Yeon she won’t cry and make their story end as a tragedy.

6 months later…

Ji Ah finishes video called the Tail of the Nine Tailed. Her father tells her to come downstairs. Her parents celebrate her birthday with a cake and gifts. There is a special gift. It is gift from Lee Yeon.

Flashback…Ji Ah tells Lee Yeon for her birthday she’d like a gift she’s never gotten before. Lee Yeon smiles and says he’ll make that happen.

Ji Ah asks if Lee Yeon dropped the gift off. Her parents report a courier dropped the gift off. It came with a letter.

Shin Joo sighs at the mess Lee Rang, the little boy and his wife make in living room. When they eat, Lee Rang complains about the salty soup. Shin Joo asks when Lee Rang will leave. Yoo Ri reminds him she came with Lee Rang and the little boy as a set.

Alone, Ji Ah reads the letter from Lee Yeon. “Do you like your gift? How stunning would you be in this dress? Whoever marries you in this dress, he’s a lucky man. I admit I hate the man you’ll marry. You were resilient, and I loved every moment we had together. You filled me with butterflies. You’ll do well without me. Please let me go. You must.” Ji Ah sobs she can’t let him go. She pleads with Lee Yeon to come back to her. She misses him so.

Lee Rang continues to search for a way to bring Lee Yeon back. Yoo Ri and the little boy wish him well.

Lee Rang sees Ji Ah in the park. He says he’s here to talk to the fortune teller. They both look at the fortune teller that Ji Ah gave Lee Yeon’s fox bead to.

Lee Rang asks if he’s an afterlife judge. The fortune teller confirms he’s the 10^th king of darkness and last judge. He informs them He determine what happens after someone dies and is in charge of reincarnation. He shows them the fox bead. Ji Ah asks if that can bring Lee Yeon back. The fortune teller states Granny kept calling the afterlife judges so he came but that doesn’t mean it will be easy. He smiles at Lee Rang and says he knows the rules. Ji Ah says they have to give him the most precious thing. She declares she can do that. The fortune teller asks what she’ll do if she can’t meet Lee Yeon if he returns to earth. He notes Lee Yeon could be reincarnated after she dies or they might not cross paths. Ji Ah doesn’t care. Lee Rang agrees to the deal. The fortune teller flips his hourglass and tells them to return before the sand runs out.

Granny senses the king of darkness is on earth. She rushes outside, Ui Ong follows. They hear a crow cawing. Granny says people will mourn a new death.

Ji Ah offers her memories of Lee Yeon. The fortune teller isn’t interested. Instead, he wants the rest of her life. Ji Ah asks if Lee Yeon will be reincarnated. The fortune teller to save Lee Yeon’s life, she can sacrifice hers. Ji Ah looks at Lee Rang. He shakes his head no. She agrees. Lee Rang yells that Lee Yeon died to save her life and she can’t give it up. The fortune teller asks Lee Rang if he’ll give his life to him. Lee Rang agrees. Ji Ah doesn’t want him to. The fortune teller examines Lee Rang through the magnifying glass. He sees the Lee Rang is cherishing his life. He agrees to take Lee Rang’s life. Lee Rang wants the remaining sands of the hourglass to say goodbye to his family.

Ji Ah calls Shin Joo and Yoo Ri. They arrive at the park as Lee Rang watches the sands tick away. Yoo Ri calls to Lee Rang. He sees her running to him. Tears fill his eyes. The sands run out. The fortune teller takes Lee Rang’s life and disappears. Yoo Ri sobs at the empty spot where Lee Rang was. Ji Ah picks up Lee Rang’s cells phone. The screen picture is his family. Tears fill her eyes.

They hold a funeral service for Lee Rang with Yoo Ri, Shin Joo, the little boy, the Snail Bride and Ji Ah in attendance.

Ji Ah walks the beach. She stares out to the sea.

Ji Ah exits her building. A security guard gives her a red umbrella. He reports someone dropped it moments ago. She rushes into the rain and looks for Lee Yeon. She sees a man under a red umbrella but it isn’t Lee Yeon. She spies Lee Yeon across the crosswalk. She gasps. He recognizes her. She asks if this is a dream. He tells her it is him. He says he’s human and no longer has powers. He says he can’t do anything for her. She rushes to him and hugs him. She says it doesn’t matter. She warns she’ll never let him go. Lee Yeon hugs her back and says he missed her terribly.  They hug and cry together.

Back at the apartment, Ji Ah says waiting 6 months for felt like 6 years. She can’t believe he waited 600 years for her to be reincarnated. She admits it was hard remembering the little things. Lee Yeon says he’s found her because of that. Ji Ah admires his human body. They kiss.

Lee Yeon watches Ji Ah’s video. He cringes when Shin Joo sings to Yoo Ri. He smiles at the kind words from his friends. He watches Lee Rang be tender and cherish his family.

Shin Joo walks the dog. He’s shocked to see Lee Yeon waiting at the animal hospital. They hug.

At the apartment, Lee Yeon warns that being a human, he has mood swings and feels inferior to others. Shin Joo admits they waited for his return. Lee Yeon asks about Lee Rang. Shin Joo shares Lee Rang was deeply hurt and mourned him. Shin Joo shares he wasn’t with Lee Rang in his final moments. Lee Yeon believes Lee Rang was scared in that final moment. Shin Joo gives him Lee Rang’s phone.

At the apartment, Lee Yeon looks at the pictures on Lee Rang’s phone.  He finds a video for him. “Brother, I’ll be dead soon. This is payback for your final message to me. You may be right I’m giving up easily, but don’t mourn me. I never cried for you. I’ve caused you trouble for years but I don’t want to apologize because you were a bigger jerk. Yet you were kind. I’ll be reincarnated as a shrimp, so don’t eat them. I hope you’ll be reincarnated too. I hope you have an ugly face. If we can, let’s meet again brother.” Lee Rang sobs. Lee Yeon sobs.

Other kids taunt the little boy for not having a mother. Yoo Ri sets them straight. Lee Yeon watches and smiles.

Lee Yeon muses that love is passed on as he sits next his brother’s grave.

Ui Ong greets Lee Yeon. He tells Granny he missed her. She scoffs at the sentiment. Lee Yeon remarks she worked hard to get him out. Ui Ong confirms that. Lee Yeon hugs her. He tells them now that he’s human they won’t be able to see him again until he’s dead. He thanks him for their support while he waited for Ji Ah. Ui Ong believes Lee Yeon will be a good human. He wishes them well. Granny invites him to one last meal. Lee Yeon smiles as he watches Granny and Ui Ong bicker.

Lee Yeon and Ji Ah marry. She wears his dress. They give each other rings of flowers. Ji Ah notes their differences make them a perfect couple. Lee Yeon murmurs they are finally married. Ji Ah notes he’s human. Lee Yeon says the Korean word for human breaks down to love. He vows to love Ji Ah forever. She vows her love. Flower petals fall through the air.

Granny and Ui Ong smile at the flower petals fall knowing they are for Lee Yeon.

Lee Yeon and Ji Ah smile then kiss.

Later they watch the video while snuggling in bed. Ji Ah suggests they have a baby. Lee Yeon worries their daughter might be embarrasses that he didn’t go to college. Ji Ah counters their daughter will be happy to have a father that saved the world. Ji Ah asks why he thought they’d have a daughter.

Lee Yeon admits to Shin Joo that being human isn’t always wonder.

Flashback…Lee Yeon has to get a root canal.

Lee Yeon sits on the bench in the park. A little boy falls off a bike. Lee Yeon goes to him an helps him up. Its Lee Rang reincarnated. Lee Yeon encourages him to get up on his own the next time he falls. Lee Rang smiles and waves goodbye. Lee Yeon muses he wasn’t reincarnated as a shrimp.

Ji Ah steps outside her office building. Lee Yeon is there to drive her home. She describes a man she met with a mask that wouldn’t come off. Lee Yeon asks if she stepped in anything. Ji Ah remembers she stepped on gum. Lee Yeon says the man was the spirit of misfortune which humans suffer every 9^th year of 10 years. Ji Ah muses about living in a world of powerful entities.

That night Lee Yeon looks at the cityscape. He muses that being human is full of firsts and lasts. Ji Ah joins him. He smiles at his first and forever love.

While Ji Ah sleeps, Lee Yeon looks at the red umbrella and takes it with him. He finds the spirit of misfortune. The umbrella flashes into a sword and Lee Yeon’s fox eyes glow.

My Thoughts

Interesting twist in the last moments. Writer Han Woo Ri had Lee Yeon return as human when Lee Rang made the ultimate sacrifice for his brother. Lee Rang offered himself to bring Lee Yeon back. The fortune teller, aka the King of Darkness, took him up on the offer. I thought Lee Yeon’s fox bead would surface during this interaction. When Lee Yeon did return, he was human. His reunion with Ji Ah was sweet as they stared at each other across the crosswalk. Lee Yeon dealt with his humanity and married the love of his life. But in the final scene his fox eyes flashed as he faced the spirit of misfortune. I’ll assume Lee Yeon was human when he returned. I’ll assume Lee Yeon was a nine tailed fox in the last scene. Not sure why that switch was made. Perhaps Lee Yeon had to have the power to protect those he loved. This series worked for me. Writer Han kept the rules of the series firm…until the last moments. There was humor, heart, characters that I rooted for, villains that threatened, and a hero and heroine that sacrificed for each other. Love triumphed over evil. What more could you ask for?

Lee Yeon (Lee Dong Wook) returned to Ji Ah as a human. Lee Yeon’s sacrifice eliminated the Imoogi. When Lee Yeon returned, he had to deal with the reality of a body that wasn’t perfect but his love for Ji Ah was. The last scene surprised me. I wondered if something was up when Lee Yeon recognized the reincarnated Lee Rang.

Nam Ji Ah (Jo Bo Ah) never gave up on Lee Yeon. This series began with Lee Yeon waiting 600 years for Ji Ah to be reincarnated. After he sacrificed himself, she waited for him. She made the video but it didn’t factor strongly in the story. I thought it might, but it appeared to be a side project for Ji Ah while she waited. I liked this couple. Ji Ah was strong, brave, and capable. She loved Lee Yeon as he loved her.

Lee Rang (Kim Bum) sacrificed himself to bring his brother back.  Lee Rang was a prickly, insecure character who found faith in his tribe at the end of this series. It was fitting he sacrificed himself when he was secure with his life, because his love for Lee Yeon never stopped. I enjoyed the goodbye videos both brothers left each other.

Was my wish list for the final episode granted?
The Imoogi is locked away forever or dies. GRANTED. The Imoogi fizzled to nothing when he and Lee Yeon hit the river.

Lee Yeon is reunited with Ji Ah. GRANTED. Lee Yeon returned as a human. These two reunited and married. They agreed to have a child. Lee Yeon knew it would be a daughter. Was he a fox when he predicted that?

Everyone else lives and thrives. GRANTED – Except for Lee Rang’s sacrifice. With the Imoogi dead, the virus gripping Sae Rom and Ji Ah’s boss (the Snail Bride’s reincarnated husband) disappeared. Shin Joo and Yoo Ri married and included Lee Rang and the little boy in their home. Lee Rang lived secure in his brother’s love. That gave him the strength him to sacrifice himself for his brother.

The full OST has 62 total tracks.

I rank this episode as terrific, 9 on a 10-point scale.

 

About KJT (aka kjtamuser)

Asian drama fan. I watch and blog dramas on https://kjtamusings.wordpress.com/.

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