'Tale of the Nine-Tailed' Episode 9: Lee Rang reunites with Lee Yeon as Imoogi's plan to capture gumiho fails
Just when Lee Rang (Kim Beom) believed that he was abandoned yet again by his brother Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-wook), as he is almost consumed by zombies, his brother appears in 'Tale of the Nine-Tailed'. The two fight, guarding each other's back, as brothers are supposed to. Initially, Lee Rang is unable to believe that his brother would appear despite the danger that Ji-ah (Jo Bo-ah) is in at the moment. After all, Ji-ah is the reincarnation of Ae Eum, the woman that his brother had loved deeply.
Lee Rang tries to ensure that the man who appeared is his brother and as proof, Lee Yeon tells him about an incident when Lee Rang had wet his bed. The two then attempt to fight and slay the zombies but despite slaying as many as they can, they see more appear. Just as Lee Yeon gets a break from the surge of zombies, he realizes that his decision could lead to the death of the two people that he is closest to. His brother and his lover.
Imoogi (Lee Tae-ri) is not surprised that Lee Yeon chose Lee Rang because he believes that the mountain spirit is not an easy opponent to have. It is then proof enough that Imoogi, a powerful water monster would be aligned with the Spirit of Darkness, who has appeared now as the Juice Lady who manipulates people's worst fears. Just as she had pushed Lee Rang back to a time when he was abandoned by his mother, the spirit sends Ji-ah back to the night that she had met with an accident in Yeowu Gogae. When Lee Yeon chose to follow the door leading to Lee Rang, Ji-ah is left to deal with her nightmare by burying herself in her subconscious where even the Imoogi or the Spirit of Darkness is not welcome. In this space, she wakes up to a house where her mother and father are still alive and everything that she had been through was just a dream.
However, Ji-ah realizes that this slice of her dream that she is experiencing at the moment is not real. She still continues to enjoy the company of her mother as much as she can, because she knows this won't last too long. In the meantime, by choosing Lee Rang, Lee Yeon has given himself and his brother a chance to get back together. Lee Rang and Lee Yeon are in the Forest of the Starved and Lee Rang also realizes that his brother had never meant to hurt him. That is what really gives Lee Rang the chance to resolve the feelings with his brother. The two are unable to find the way out and at that moment, we hope that Lee Yeon's doctor friend Shin-joo (Hwang Hee) who is also a fox living as a human succeeds. He gets a piece of cloth from Taluipa in exchange for servitude, so if he can successfully wake Lee Yeon and Lee Rang, maybe -- just maybe he can help Ji-ah wake up as well.
Ji-ah, for her part, attempts to figure out where she really is. What neither Ji-ah, not Lee Rang never understood is that Lee Yeon always put the people that he loved before he put himself. So when he saved Lee Rang, he put his brother first. It is probably his sincerity that has instilled the kind of loyalty that his friend shows him and this is how Lee Yeon, who had managed to save Lee Rang also finds his way to Ji-ah in her subconscious. He reaches her through a phone that is disconnected, one that her parents cannot hear, and tells her to find out where she is, why she is there, and to not forget him. He says, he is Lee Yeon and that he will wait for her always, but can Ji-ah really resolve her fear to recall who Lee Yeon is.
Lee Yeon's voice brings Ji-ah's memories back, and she attempts to do her best, as per Lee Yeon requests. Lee Rang, however, has returned from the Forest of the Starved and has been poisoned. There seems to be nothing that anyone can do for him.
Lee Rang's friend, the female fox Yuri (Kim Yong-ji) who is loyal to him attempts to save his life. Can two loyal friends save Lee Rang and Lee Yeon? Will Ji-ah, who managed to return from her dream be able to bring Lee Yeon back as well? She tries her best to pull Lee Yeon back from his worst fear – to be left alone. But we realize in a bit that Lee Yeon is not someone who one should be careless around. He is, after all, a gumiho who safeguarded a mountain, and trifling around with him is like poking an animal in the eye. So, in the end, as he reached out and grabbed Imoogi by the collar was the kind of twist audiences truly appreciate this fantasy drama for. It is more strategic war play and less melodrama!
'Tale of the Nine-Tailed' will be aired on tvN on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10.30 pm KST and can be streamed on Viki Global.