Once you fall into the Samdo River,
you'll never be able to come back.
No.
I love you.
No!
Yeon!
Don't leave me.
Yeon!
I can hear her crying.
Yeon!
I must tell her...
that she shouldn't be so sad...
and that the love story of a human and fox...
always ends this way.
From the beginning,
we belonged in two different worlds.
Using our love as a bridge,
I wished to cross over to her world.
I wished to be with her longer.
I wished to be a mortal.
My dreams...
never came true,
but my death...
is the most...
passionate love letter...
sent to my first and last love.
I hope...
that she doesn't wait for me.
I hope she doesn't cry too much.
And I'd give anything to see her one last time.
I...
no longer can see her face.
(Chapter 16: The Rewritten Tale of the Nine Tailed)
Jae Hwan.
Ms. Kim?
Ms. Kim!
- Hold on. - Are you all right?
Well...
Could a miracle actually exist in this world?
The unknown contagious disease that drove people to fear...
vanished as of last night.
Patients of this puzzling disease and their family members...
who had no choice but to succumb to it...
embraced with each other with tears of joy.
Finally, everything has come back to normal.
I couldn't...
save Yeon.
Once again, I lost a young man I adored.
That's not true. You did everything you could...
to help Yeon.
That's why I came back to you.
I hope Yeon didn't suffer.
He probably didn't.
He saved the girl which is all that he wished.
Mr. Hyeonuiong.
Mr. Hyeonuiong!
It's Ji A, please open the door.
What do I do?
Don't open the door for her.
But...
She should forget about Yeon...
and live an ordinary life among others.
Please tell me...
what I need to do to save Yeon.
Tell me what I can do.
Can you please...
just tell me what I should do?
Mr. Hyeonuiong.
Please open the door.
Please.
Why can't we just open the door?
Rang!
Mr. Lee, should I buy you naengmyeon?
Get out.
You haven't eaten anything but alcohol for three days.
I said get out.
It wasn't your fault.
You just did what Yeon asked you to do.
Say one more word and I'll kill you.
Do you want stickers?
I have a really cool car too.
Will both of you just get lost? Get out of my house!
Thank you for letting me in.
I have no time to console your broken heart,
so I'll just get to the point.
Yeon is dead.
You can't do anything to bring him back.
I may not be able to do anything, but you can.
You have control over life and death so there must be something...
We also have rules in this world.
There are things that just can't be done.
Then at least let him get reincarnated.
I don't care if he doesn't recognize me.
I'm fine even if he forgets everything about me, so please...
Yeon willingly chose to jump into the Samdo River.
He knew he wouldn't be able to be reincarnated,
but he still chose to do so.
So stop protesting in front of my office.
You can't undo what's been done by throwing a tantrum.
No, I'm sure there's a way.
There must be a way to bring Yeon back.
That will...
never happen.
I let you in to tell you that.
Ma'am.
Ma'am, wait. Ma'am.
It's so dark.
The street lamps are out.
It would be so cool if you could use your powers...
to fix them.
Submit a request to the local authority.
Are you okay?
The street lamps are on again.
I called the local authority.
You didn't have to do that.
If you get hurt, I'll get an earful from Mr. Lee.
Dr. Koo.
Are you okay?
I need to be okay even if I'm not.
I have a lot to do.
I just met the gatekeeper of the Samdo River.
She told me there's no way to save Mr. Lee.
Yeon knew this would happen from the very start.
But he still chose to sacrifice himself for the woman he loved.
What am I supposed to do?
Just live your life like nothing ever happened.
Forget having met Mr. Lee...
and everything you saw regarding our world,
and live a normal life.
That's what he wants for you.
Shin Ju.
- Is he still inside? - He won't even budge.
I'm worried he might collapse.
Let me talk to him.
- Why are you being like this? - Isn't it obvious?
This won't bring Mr. Lee back.
I can't believe you just said that.
But you look completely fine.
You always acted like you could sacrifice your life for him.
You're an ungrateful piece of trash.
You can call me whatever you want.
But I need to say this to you.
Save the darn lecture and give me back my alcohol.
Get it together.
You crazy punk.
Stop acting like a baby and start living your life.
- Do you have a death wish? - Mr. Lee told me to tell you that.
You can go ahead and listen to the rest.
Is this working? Okay, there we go.
Hey, it's me.
We just had naengmyeon together.
And you ate my egg.
If you're watching this,
I'm probably no longer alive.
My gosh.
This is so corny.
This kind of stuff looked cool in movies.
I'm sure it'll be neat enough to keep as a keepsake.
Say you agree.
Neat, my foot.
Rang.
Are you drinking?
You're probably drinking wine, right?
How did he know that?
Soju suits you a lot better than wine, you know.
And you're better off as a social worker than a villain.
You could never pass by an injured dog...
ever since you were young.
And I wondered why you had changed so much.
But you haven't changed at all.
You haven't changed one bit.
So...
you'll be fine even after I'm gone.
You jerk. How do you expect me to be fine?
You need to be fine.
You have a family to protect now.
I don't need any of them.
Stop talking back when I'm talking to you.
I can already hear you grumbling.
Remember what I told you in the Forest of the Starved?
I...
I told you...
that I never once abandoned you.
So don't you...
discard yourself so recklessly.
Cherish yourself for my sake.
This is my final request.
Take care.
Also, this message will explode after 10 seconds.
Just kidding.
I've always wanted to say that.
Yeon.
You told me to forget,
but I'll wait for you.
If I wish for it desperately again and again,
maybe we'll be able to meet again.
In my next life...
No.
The life after that is fine too.
That's why I've decided to remember you...
and leave a record of you.
I'll use my skills.
You hadn't come for a while, but you're coming often now.
I looked online, and they say the salon is the best place...
to deal with losing a person.
Did you break up with someone?
Nothing beats sad music then.
I've tried them all.
I listened to ballads, binged dramas, ate spicy foods...
Should I die my hair?
It's been a while.
I don't care how you're doing. Get to the point.
What are you making?
"Tale of the Nine Tailed".
"Tale of the Nine Tailed"?
What a lame title.
"Tale of the Nine Tailed Brothers". How about that?
No thank you.
You won't really air it, will you?
It's to keep. I plan to meet people that Yeon knew one by one.
Starting with you.
Sure. No one knows as much about him as I do.
Okay then. Tell me everything you know about Yeon.
Did you know that he was a narcissist?
What?
All sorts of beings...
from all over the world came to our woods to see Yeon.
He was already very proud of his looks.
Imagine how much worse it got.
He always looked at his reflection in the stream and said...
If you were to embody the word "beautiful" into a form,
it would be this face.
I can't even imagine that.
That's as shocking as him falling for voice phishing.
He fell for voice phishing?
He lost 20,000 dollars.
How ridiculous. A nine-tailed fox fell for voice phishing?
Did you know? He's scared of spiders because of their hairy legs.
He liked playing Go with me the most.
Although he always lost.
I won!
I won again!
I guess you two were very close a long time ago.
Naturally.
He spent much more time with me than you.
Has he ever cooked for you?
He can't cook.
He's a bad cook, but he can make rice. Only rice
He left me a video message.
Yeon bought me these.
He carried me on his back.
He waited for me every single day.
I hate you.
Come to think of it,
you and I have received so much from him.
Do you know what his wish was?
Human.
He wanted to be human.
Dear brother,
there are always exceptions to the rules.
No.
He didn't commit suicide. He sacrificed himself...
to save tens of thousands of people.
There are 10 afterlife judges, and you can't do that one thing?
Is King Hades that useless?
Hello? Hades?
Hades!
Hey, you!
Darn it. That jerk.
That's enough. You've done all you could.
I might as well talk to a wall.
No matter how many times I talk to him, he says the same thing.
Is he a parrot or something?
You'll be punished.
How is he so inflexible?
- Why are you laughing? - Hearing you...
talk about being flexible is funny.
Watch it. I've been too lax with you.
Okay! Tteokbokki break!
It's spicy and mild combined. Medium spicy.
Here.
Here. Look, they gave us dumplings on the house.
When I look at you like you
I want to kiss you
When I'm alone with you like this
I want to hold you
I love you
I love you so very much
I love you
I love you more than myself
Are you crying?
I'm so embarrassed. Pretend you don't know me.
Yu Ri.
Marry me.
A fox loves only one mate for life.
Will you accept my love until the day I die?
What, with just one little ring?
I have an apartment too. It's a new building.
If you want, I can add you... No, I can put it in your name.
I don't need that.
I may bring some family with me.
If you don't mind, then...
Is that a yes?
If you didn't propose to me, I was going to.
Congratulations!
You know, right? The day you make Yu Ri cry...
will be your funeral.
Mr. Lee.
Go. You lived in luxury living with me,
so try suffering with him.
I took care of your fake parents. They won't wait for you anymore.
I'll be happy.
Congratulations.
It's on me today.
Thank you all so much.
Yu Ri. Thanks.
And although he isn't here with us,
Mr. Lee...
Thank you, and I miss you.
He should officiate our wedding.
I wish he were here with us.
Gosh.
Goodness.
Sir, can you say a few words to Yeon?
Yeon, my wife finally quit smoking.
80 percent of it is thanks to you.
I wish she'll stop nagging me too,
but that seems impossible.
There's no need to be grumpy about it.
Ma'am, what about you?
Mr. Lee,
when I fell in love with a human farmer,
you were the only one who supported me.
You said you once loved a mortal too.
Now, that same woman...
is staying strong as she waits for you.
I hope you two can finally meet one day...
just like me and my husband.
- You're here. - Right.
- Come on in. - Hae Ja.
Yes?
- Here you go. - What's this?
Honey-filled rice cakes!
You love those, so...
- Isn't he handsome? - Hello.
Please have a seat.
- Right. - Join us.
This is great.
- You should try this too. - Goodness. Thanks.
Thank you.
Even on the days that I desperately missed Yeon,
I didn't cry anymore.
Because I knew that my tears would conclude this story...
as a tragedy.
(6 months later)
Then, on the day I finally completed...
my very own version of "Tale of the Nine Tailed...
("Tale of the Nine Tailed")
As if I were imagining things, Yeon contacted me.
The end.
Yes?
Ji A, hurry downstairs.
- Why? - Come on. It's urgent.
- Ta-da. - Ta-da.
Happy birthday, my daughter.
Was it my birthday today?
I had completely forgotten.
Happy birthday.
Here's my gift.
- It's handmade. - Gosh, it's so pretty.
- It looks great on you. - I love it.
Mine was made in a factory.
Thanks, Mom.
Did you know that my watch strap had fallen off?
- I saw it. - How attentive of you.
Anyway, thank you.
Who sent that one?
You should open it.
On my birthday...
What would you like as a gift?
Something I've never had before in my life.
Like a marriage proposal.
Sure. I'll make that happen.
It's from Yeon, right?
Did he come by?
A courier dropped it by.
It also came with a letter.
It was back when things were tough for me.
I talked to my teammates and tried to resolve the matter.
They suggested that we go out...
and helped me have a good time.
Becoming a member of this team...
What did I say about snacking on the couch?
I want my meal.
At least catch the crumbs with a tray or...
Move. You're blocking the TV.
It was definitely hard for me.
Honey,
I told you to put your dirty socks in the laundry basket,
I forgot.
Oh, wait. The other one's over here.
How is it that only Soo Ho cleans up after himself?
While singing and dancing on stage...
The soup is a little salty today.
Mr. Lee, until when will you live with us?
Are you kidding me?
The three of us come as a set.
I'm good with it all, but why must I suffer...
in my own home?
I ordered a new kimchi fridge.
Really? The model we saw at the department store?
Mr. Lee bought it for us. It'll be delivered this afternoon.
- I love you, Rang! - Rang?
I'll call you that from now on, Rang.
I love it.
We're like one big family now. Don't you think?
(To my beloved Ji A)
Do you like your gift?
I hope you do.
How stunning would you be in this dress?
I wonder...
who'd get to stand beside you.
Whoever it is,
I wish it's someone decent.
If only I could actually be that nonchalant.
But truth be told,
I already hate the guts of this future husband of yours.
I liked you.
I liked how you viewed the world.
Despite being born with a terrible fate,
you never easily lost hope.
Drinking coffee with you,
watching you sleep,
all the paths we walked together,
and even the time I spent waiting for you.
I loved them all.
Ji A,
whenever I called your name...
that rolled easily off my tongue,
butterflies filled my stomach.
You'll now...
have to walk those paths without me,
but you'll get used to it.
You'll do well.
So please...
let me go now.
You must.
No.
I can't let you go.
Please come back to me.
I miss you so much.
Mister,
are you off to find the nine-tailed fox again?
What did I tell you about mentioning him?
Has there been any news?
I've been beating non-humans...
to see if they know anything about how to bring him back.
- I'll give you a ride. - Save it. It's cold outside anyway.
Hurry on home then.
The four of us will grill pork belly for dinner.
Be safe on the road!
The key ring.
What brings you here?
What about you?
Rumors led me here to that geezer.
(Fortune-telling, Physiognomy, Naming, Compatibility)
Are you really...
one of the afterlife judges?
I am the king of darkness.
I am the 10th king who rules the Underworld of Darkness.
And I am also...
the very last judge.
I get to choose what happens to you after you die.
You'd better sit up straight.
By any chance, if you have the power to decide...
what happens to us after we die...
Yes, that's right. I'm in charge of reincarnation.
"Reincarnation"?
Then are you here because of Yeon?
Well, I can't say that's the only reason.
But I have something that belongs to him.
You have the fox bead. Give me the fox bead.
The fox bead.
Can this bring him back to life?
Don't get too ahead of yourself.
King Hades' sister, the gatekeeper of the Samdo River,
kept calling the afterlife judges, so that's why I'm here.
but we don't do charity work.
You both know the rules, right?
We need to give you the one thing that's most precious to us, right?
I'll do it. I can do it.
As long as Yeon comes back to life.
But what if you're not able to meet him...
even if he comes back?
- What? - People get reincarnated randomly.
It means you could cross paths.
He could get reincarnated after you both die.
And he might be born with a different appearance.
I don't care.
Let's start the deal.
Okay then.
Go ahead and bring me something enticing...
before the sandglass stops.
- What's the matter? - The king of darkness is here.
No wonder something felt unusual. He's finally here.
That's a crow crying.
It cried three times.
I see people in mourning clothes.
It looks like there will be another death.
I'll do it.
Tell me what you can give me.
The person I cherish the most is Yeon.
But he's no longer here, and my memories of him...
are all I have left.
I will sell you my memories.
I don't buy memories.
Forget that.
You have something else that you received from him.
I'll give you anything. Just tell me what you want.
For example,
the rest of your life.
If I give you my life,
- can Yeon get reincarnated? - Hey.
If you want his life, you can sacrifice yours.
There's no question about that.
I'll give it to you.
Hey, do you think Yeon saved you just so you could...
cast away your life like that?
He didn't die for nothing, you know. You're so pathetic.
Then will you give me your life?
Sure. I stole people's lives anyway,
- so I have no regrets. - Hey.
- Stay out of it. - But...
if I remember correctly, you had no will to live.
That makes your life worthless.
First, let's take a look and check your worth.
Interesting.
It looks like you've got yourself a family.
Now you're cherishing your life.
You pass.
We have a deal.
Deal.
- No! - Wait.
We still have time.
Can you call the guys?
At least let me say goodbye.
This way.
Mr. Lee!
Oh, my gosh.
Oh, my goodness.
(Here lies Lee Rang)
- Ms. Nam. - Yes?
Take this.
Where did you get this?
I'm not sure. Someone dropped it off...
to give it to you.
- When? - It was before my shift,
so about five minutes ago?
But...
Yeon.
I'm sorry.
I told you not to walk in the rain.
Yeon.
Is it really you?
You're not in disguise. Isn't it a dream?
It's really you?
Then why are you standing there?
Why won't you come to me?
I'm not the same person I used to be.
What do you mean?
I can't even fly.
Even if you fall from a high place, I can't catch you.
Even if your path is dark, I can't send fireflies.
It hurts if I get hit.
I get wounded if I get stabbed.
There's nothing I can do for you.
It doesn't matter.
I don't need any of that.
I've become human.
Human?
You're in trouble now.
I won't let you go until the day you die.
I've missed you so much.
So much, that I thought I was going to lose my mind.
I was terrified that I'd never see you again.
How did you do it?
What?
6 months felt like 6 years for me.
How did you wait for 600 years?
Do you develop a skill...
and get used to it if you wait long enough?
I didn't get used to waiting.
I just couldn't get used to being apart from you.
I wanted to be strong like you as I waited,
but little things held me back and knocked me over.
Like what? What tormented you so much?
For example,
the night air from one night when you walked me home.
The alarm from our rice cooker.
Remembering how warm your hands were when we went for a walk.
Those little memories.
That's why...
you found me this time.
You found me.
These are real human hands now.
Yes. And a human body.
And human lips.
No. He isn't going to sing there, is he?
- No... - When I look at you like you
I want to kiss you
When I'm alone with you like this
Sir, can you say a few words to Yeon?
Yeon, my wife finally quit smoking.
80 percent of it is thanks to you.
Ma'am, what about you?
When I fell in love with a human farmer,
you were the only one who supported me.
You said you once loved a mortal too.
Now, that same woman is staying strong...
as she waits for you.
I hope you two can finally meet one day...
You should try this too.
I want fish too. Fish.
- I'll bring you some more. - I'll get it.
Let's eat baeksuk after our walk.
Are you happy?
(Shunju Animal Hospital)
Mr. Lee!
How's the apartment? Livable?
You don't know the half of it. They provide everything.
A sauna, a gym...
It's definitely worth more than its current price.
There are even two railway stations close by.
You're quite materialistic for a fox.
I'm the manager of the resident association.
So were you able...
to cherish me more during my absence?
I've been enjoying being a newlywed to miss you.
Then I'm leaving.
Just kidding.
Being human comes with mood swings, so be careful with what you say.
This is the first time I feel inferior to anyone.
Saying that with your face will earn you a smack on the head.
Anyway, I'm glad you're back.
In our own ways, we've been coping with your death...
while awaiting your return.
Sometimes, we whined and leaned on each other.
And Rang?
He was a total wreck from the day you left.
He cried all night for a month.
Things got better after he moved in with us,
but he kept searching for you.
Were you with him at his final moment?
He would've been so scared.
Despite what people think, he gets scared easily.
Here's his phone.
Take a look.
It's me.
I'll be dead soon.
If you were here, you'd come to rescue me.
Since you can't, I'm totally doomed.
Anyway, this is payback...
for your final message to me.
I thought it'd feel different to face death,
but maybe you're right about me easily giving up.
I'm sad but relieved in a way.
So...
don't you be a fool and cry over my death.
I never once cried in your absence.
All I did was get drunk.
You liar.
I've been causing you trouble for years,
but I won't apologize since you're the bigger jerk.
Whenever we split a fruit, you always gave me the bigger piece.
Despite your obsession with eggs,
you always let me have yours.
So how could I not hate you for choosing the girl over me...
after I've grown accustomed to you?
I'm going to be reborn as a humpback shrimp,
so don't eat them just in case.
I hope...
you'll be reincarnated too.
Preferably with an ugly face.
Still...
Still,
if we can,
let's meet again.
My brother.
My brother...
Kim Soo Ho, you don't have parents, do you?
I heard that your mom ran away.
No, she didn't.
He lives in a shabby house too.
I saw it when we were in the same class.
- You're a homeless beggar - You're a homeless beggar
- You're a homeless beggar - Soo Ho!
Let's go home.
And we're not beggars.
Come on.
Wasn't that perfect timing?
Rang unexpectedly did good deeds,
and it was passed down unexpectedly.
Still, in a slightly uncanny way,
love is passed on.
My hands fit right on your shoulders.
Yeon!
I missed you, Granny.
Don't be a drama queen. It's tacky.
I heard you pulled some strings to get me out.
Me?
She made at least 200 calls.
Her brother ended up blocking her number.
You couldn't live without me, right?
Shove off.
I will soon, anyway.
This will be the last day you see my face.
How so?
I can't be back here now that I've become human.
I should live among them.
You'll only see him once he's dead now.
Why would you say that and jinx his life?
Don't you know how hard it was to get him back?
Thank you for adoring a troublemaker like me.
You kept me busy until Ji A returned...
so that I wouldn't lose my mind.
Because of you and Hyeonuiong,
I've made it this far.
Have a good life, Yeon. Living as a mortal...
isn't as easy as it sounds,
but I'm sure you'll do a good job.
Sure.
I wish you both live a long and healthy life.
I'll get going then.
Hey!
Since you're here, stuff yourself with some tteokbokki.
Am I supposed to get some for you?
- Must you ask? - Right.
Darn, it's spicy.
How is this spicy? Unbelievable.
I got medium level spiciness, but it's still very spicy to me.
Sundae is good.
Like she has always been, Granny is still a workaholic.
I like the fish cake.
- Only one thing changed. - The fish cake is to die for.
Now, the married couple sometimes stay up all night...
talking about their deceased son.
Also, tteokbokki with a medium level of spiciness...
is said to be somewhat enjoyable too.
Gosh, it's spicy.
Well, I don't know...
if love really lasts forever.
But you like drumsticks, and I like chicken breasts.
You like egg yolks, and I like egg whites.
Therefore, that makes us the perfect couple.
You're probably the first woman who confesses love...
with chicken and eggs.
We're finally getting married.
And you've finally become human.
The Korean word "human" is very interesting to me.
If you carve away the corners of the final consonant,
that word turns into "love".
You see,
I don't have the best personality,
and I'm not sure if I'll do a good job...
of living as a human being,
but I know I will love you more than anything.
I love you.
I love you too.
What? What's with the raining flowers in fall?
They're congratulating him.
The flowers, trees, and wind...
are saying goodbye...
to their beloved master.
They're thanking him for how much he took care of them.
And the extremely handsome nine tailed fox...
lived happily ever after.
Hey, stop narrating it your own way.
I'm married to a director, so I only state facts.
- Turn it around. - Okay.
Should we have a baby?
I'd love to.
But there's something that worries me.
What is it?
What if our daughter thinks I'm an embarrassment...
for not having graduated college?
Then we can tell her you did something even more amazing.
- And what's that? - That you saved my life...
and the entire world,
although no one really knows that part.
Well, it's the truth.
But who says we're going to have a daughter?
- Did I say "daughter"? - Yes.
That's weird. That can't be.
(Shin Ju's Animal Hospital)
Be honest with me. How does it feel to be human?
Is it better than being a fox?
I thought it'd be really nice, but I was wrong.
How should I say this?
There are so many variables.
"Variables"?
Apparently, I have astigmatism. And it's different in each eye.
Look.
This makes me look...
a lot less handsome in no time.
If you compare the two of us right now,
I think I look a bit more handsome.
- That's not true. - You're right.
And that's not the only problem.
Did you lie to me?
You told me we're going to eat ice cream.
I didn't lie to you. I told you...
we need to go somewhere before we eat.
I'd rather get stabbed by a knife.
I really can't stand anesthetics.
- Be a good boy. - Let me go.
How can your love change like this?
What are you talking about?
Root canal treatment was literally the worst thing ever.
Living as a human being is about...
fighting against unexpected kinds of pain.
Ta-da.
What do you think? Is it good?
You cook the best instant noodles in this entire world.
Honey, do we have soju?
Of course.
- Cheers. - Cheers.
You worked so hard today.
You did too.
Instant noodles and soju. This is what's so nice about being human.
The next time you fall,
try to get back up on your own, okay?
Here.
Thank you.
- Did you fall? - Yes.
- Are you okay? - Yes, I'm okay.
You should've been more careful.
Does it not hurt?
No, this man helped me get up.
He didn't get to be reborn as a humpback shrimp.
How was your day?
It was the same old.
I saw someone strange at the police station today.
Why did that person look strange?
He was an old man wearing a Hahoe mask.
But that mask wouldn't come off his face.
It was as if it was stuck there.
A Hahoe mask?
By any chance, did you step on bird poop today?
No, not bird poop.
I did step on gum though.
Darn it.
Why?
He's a spirit of misfortune.
Misfortune?
(Misfortune that comes to humans every 9th year of 10-year cycles)
There may be entities that we are unaware of...
cohabitating in this world with us.
Perhaps those countless urban legends that circulate...
are just stories about them.
I've overheard the secrets...
of the world.
Living as a human being means...
that life is full of firsts...
and lasts.
First snowfall. First step.
First picnic.
First root canal.
And...
Forever...
my first love.
Hey, you.
Are you the spirit of misfortune?
(Tale of The Nine Tailed)
(Thank you for watching "Tale of the Nine Tailed")