PremiumTale of the Nine Tailed ending explained - How is Lee Rang’s death and Les Yeon’s surprising return justified?
If you are looking for a Korean mythology series, then Tale of the Nine Tailed is the perfect K-drama for you to watch on Rakuten Viki
Tale of the Nine Tailed
Last Updated: 09.38 PM, Jun 01, 2024
Reincarnation is a popular topic in the fantasy genre and in the Korean entertainment industry generally, especially when it comes to destined soulmates. While the idea of searching for lost love is fascinating, it can also backfire if one of the main leads' present lives are filled with different, new events. Even though unconditional love remains the main theme in these stories and most of the couples get back together somehow, watching them struggle and fight for their love and their determination is what intrigues viewers the most. Tale of the Nine Tailed is one of the prime examples that garnered critical acclaim due to these aspects.
Tale of the Nine Tailed plot
The story begins with Lee Yeon, a mythical creature known as a nine-tailed fox, emerging from the shadows to shield humanity from otherworldly dangers. He has been living on Earth across lifetimes among humans, pretending to be one of them.
Driven by a quest to reunite with his long-lost lover, who is supposed to have been reincarnated, he encounters a determined and headstrong woman, Nam Ji-Ah, who threatens to expose his existence and superpowers to the world. Will Lee Yeon be able to find his love? Will he be able to save Ji-Ah from mystical creatures?
How does Tale of the Nine Tailed end?
Although the writer ends the drama on a happy note by reuniting Lee Yeon and Ji-Ah, the few minutes before the ending exhibit a tragic scenario. The curtain falls on Les Yeon’s younger brother, Lee Rang, as he sacrifices his life to bring back his older brother.
The debt Rang owed his brother was finally settled with his sacrifice. One thing is for sure: through this selfless act, the decades-old rage inside Rang for Yeon is replaced by unconditional love. Lee Rang proves that there's no greater way to protect someone you deeply love, no matter how much you hate them in your lifetime.
What does the ending reveal?
To not make Lee Rang's death a complete tearjerke, the writers beautifully show that he also gets reincarnated as a little human boy, who is now a child to an unknown family. Lee Yeon discovers this surprise by himself while drowning in his brother’s memories at a park.
The writers deserve a shout-out for giving such a beautiful illustration of the cycle of nature and life, where loss and gain are intertwined. It suggests that even in the face of intense grief, there's a potential for new beginnings. This sentiment also perfectly embodies the happily-ever-after reunion between Lee Yeon and Nam Ji-Ah. Their love story is a testament to the power of their connections.
However, the most intriguing layer—Ji-Ah’s unawareness about Lee Yeon’s true nature and his not losing his superpowers as a nine-tailed fox—remains unanswered. It seems like the topic has been strategically kept open to interpretation. There is one possibility, which is, Lee Yeon’s unwavering desire to keep Ji-Ah safe. We have seen how much he craves for her to cherish their love story without the burden of reality.