Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 (구미호뎐 1938) is a sequel to the much-loved fantasy Kdrama of the same named and is directed by Kang Shin-hyo and Jo Nam-hyung. The Kdrama stars Lee Dong-wook, Kim So-yeon, Kim Bum, Ryu Kyung-soo, Kim Young-ji, and Hwang Hee alongside other cast members.
The sequel brings the gumiho Lee Yeon away from his happy ending and back to the year 1938 where he once again comes face to face with his brother Lee Rang and Ryu Hong-joo. Now, he has to find a way to return to the present and to his loved one, but this isn’t something that will come to him easily.
The show will have 16 episodes and be broadcasted on tvN’s Saturday-Sunday 9:20 PM KST timeslot previously occupied by Pandora Beneath the Paradise. Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 episode 3 has a run time of 76 minutes.
The synopsis of the show reads:
A K-FANTASY ACTION UNFOLDS AS THE NINE-TAILED FOX (PLAYED BY LEE DONG-WOOK) MAKES A CRASH LANDING IN THE YEAR 1938, AN ERA OF CHAOS, AND HE STRUGGLES TO RETURN TO THE PRESENT.
-Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 Episode 3 Recap Contains Spoilers-
Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 episode 3 begins with a ruckus that is caused by Japanese envoys at Myoyeongak which is handled efficiently by Hong-joo. But when the envoy doesn’t learn his lesson and harms one of the gisaengs, Hong-joo doesn’t back off from taking her revenge.
Meanwhile, Rang overhears Yeon telling Shin-joo about leaving within a month which leaves him stunned as he goes to a bar. There he sees a mermaid on the stage who is none other than the woman who helped him when buying clothes. The two are immediately drawn to each other after Rang saves her from a dispute in return to which she gives him a scale from her tail.
Also Read: Cannes 2023: When, Where and Who is Set to Attend the Prestigious Film Festival!
On the other hand, Moo-young releases a Saetani, which is a curse that he sends to Yeon. Yeon is awoken suddenly and looks around to see no one, unaware that the curse has already taken place. The next day, Hong-joo and Shin-joo have a memorable reunion where the former ends up beating the latter.
Later, Hong-joo leaves to meet Moo-young while Yeon is also called by an unknown person. Hong-joo tries to find out what happened between Moo-young and Yeon. Moo-young diverts the topic and asks her about her family only to find out that they all died when her friends were not around to help her.
He is stunned but when Hong-joo tries to ask him the same question again, he tells her that Yeon is arriving and sends her to him. Yeon arrives at a nearby bridge and sees Hong-joo standing there with the flowers given by Moo-young. But when he steps forward to approach her, he suddenly feels everything go blind.
Hong-joo is shocked and catches him when Moo-young arrives behind Yeon and tries to attack him. Hong-joo stops his attack and takes Yeon away. At Myoyeongak, Shin-joo checks his sight and tells him that he has gone blind. He then tells Rang to take care of Yeon while he looks for a solution.
The two are left alone and Yeon once again starts to untie the knots in Rang’s heart. The two then spend some time when Rang helps Yeon find his way through the yard. Elsewhere, Eun-ho’s father is ready to receive his Order of Military Merit, while Ryuhei Kato sends his subordinate to keep an eye on Eun-ho’s movements.
On the other hand, Shin-joo suggests exorcism to help Yeon and soon leaves. Yeon is then left with Hong-joo who gives him a choice. To either be with her or make her his enemy. When Yeon makes it clear that he will not be with her, she asks her subordinate to spread the news of him being blind.
Later that night, Yeon is left all alone at Myoyeongak. He comes out and hears an unknown voice which alerts him. Soon, he is surrounded by 15 men who are here for revenge and begin attacking him. Yeon fights back effortlessly while listening to their movements and remembering the way Rang navigated him.
Hoong-joo sees this and orders to have him lose his sense of hearing by playing music. Yeon is soon pushed back for some time, but not for long as he damages the lighting of the place and fights back in the dark. Seeing this, Hong-joo leaves and lets Moo-young do whatever he wants.
On the other hand, Shin-joo prepares the exorcism circle and gives Rang instructions on what to do before leaving. When the clock strikes midnight, Rang follows the instructions and witnesses weird things happening around him. He then quickly begins to leave but senses someone following him.
Rang begins running to escape but when he reaches the entrance of Myoyeongak, he is made unconscious by Moo-young. Elsewhere, Shin-joo too is taken away by Moo-young in the same way.
Yeon soon takes care of his attackers and looks for Rang and Shin-joo when an arrow passes by him with a message. But this becomes a cause of frustration for him as he is unable to read what is written. He soon comes out of Myoyeongak where the Saetani is waiting for him and reads the message before leading the way for him.
Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 Episode 3 Ending
Yeon soon reaches the base of the mountain where Saetani was captured. He begins searching for the two when arrows are rained on him by Moo-young. Yeon realises that it is the man in the red-white mask and that he is playing with him right now. He strikes lightning on him and escapes to the place where Saetani was held.
She then questions him about her name and why he didn’t save her. Yeon then remembers how he promised a little girl to grant her a wish. But when the girl was made the Saetani and kept in a box without food and water, he didn’t arrive.
Yeon feels guilt and regret because of what he did. He apologises to the girl and remembers her name, removing the curse on him. The girl then tells him Rang’s location and is finally liberated.
Yeon rushes to save Rang and Shin-joo, helping the latter out of the well as he was already climbing out. Shin-joo then tells him that Rang is still inside the well. Suddenly, a girl comes running and jumps inside the well. It is the mermaid who had given her scale to Rang which let her know that he is in danger.
She saves him and a bond is formed between the two. Seeing the two together, Yeon decides to make sure to leave someone next to Rang before he has to leave.
On the other hand, Hong-joo meets with Taluipa and finds out that there is something wrong with the Yeon in front of her. She also finds out that it wasn’t Taluipa who released him. The series of information interests her, and while she is kept imprisoned temporarily by Taluipa, she begins to plan for what is to come next.
Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 Episode 3 Review
The excitement has taken another turn as Yeon gets closer to finding out who the masked man is. And with a new item on his bucket list, a new romance is soon to be seen in our gumiho’s tale. And if the love between Rang and the mermaid really takes place, then we can guess where his impeccable style in the later years came from.
This episode brought us closer to the childhood of Yeon and while it is beautiful, a lot of pain is also attached to the past. However, it is Hong-joo who is suffering the most and the other two are unable to understand this.
While the rivalry between Yeon and Moo-young continues, it is Hong-joo who has behaved the most maturely in this trio. Even when her friends failed to help her when she needed them the most, she bears no grudge and welcomes them with open arms.
Now knowing the tension between the two, how Hong-joo proceeds from here is what interests us. That is apart from Rang’s love story and the person who released Moo-young.
What do you think about this episode? Let us know in the comments below!
Watch Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 on Prime Video.
Also Read: Heavenly Delusion Episode 7 Review: The Repulsive Reality
Wen will season 3 be released?