Tale of the Nine Tailed: Worth Watching, Ending & Season 3

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a mythical nine-tailed fox steps into the modern world, the Korean drama Tale of the Nine Tailed offers a captivating answer. Combining romance, thriller, and deep-rooted folklore, the series follows a gumiho named Lee Yeon as he navigates love and sacrifice across centuries. With two seasons released so far—the original in 2020 and a prequel in 2023—viewers are still asking whether the story continues and what’s next for the franchise.

Episodes: 16 · Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Thriller · Main Cast: Lee Dong-wook, Jo Bo-ah, Kim Bum · Original Run: Oct 7, 2020 – Dec 3, 2020 · Korean Title: Gumihoyeon ( )

The table below distills six defining details of the series into a quick reference.

Is Tale of the Nine Tailed worth watching?

What makes Tale of the Nine Tailed unique?

• It centres on a gumiho (nine-tailed fox) from Korean folklore, a figure usually portrayed as a villain, but here reimagined as a sympathetic protagonist (Wikipedia (folklore reference)).
• The series weaves multiple Korean myths — from mountain gods to reincarnation — into a modern-day thriller (OTTplay (entertainment analysis)).
• Lee Dong-wook anchors the franchise across both seasons, giving continuity to the character’s emotional arc (Wikipedia (cast listing)).

Pros and cons of the series

Audience reviews and ratings

The series holds a rating of 8.1/10 on IMDb and 8.5/10 on MyDramaList, based on thousands of user votes (Wikipedia (community encyclopedia)). These scores reflect a mix of season 1 and 2, since some viewers consider the prequel weaker without the original female lead.

Is there a happy ending in Tale of the Nine Tailed?

Ending of season 1

• The main couple, Lee Yeon and Nam Ji-ah, are reunited after Ji-ah dies and is reincarnated, which is widely considered a happy resolution (OTTplay (ending explanation)).
• Lee Rang sacrifices himself to bring his brother back, but later appears reincarnated as a human boy, softening the blow (OTTplay (ending explanation)).

Ending of season 2

Season 2, set in 1938, ends with Lee Yeon returning to his own time after a mission in the past. As a prequel, it doesn’t affect the season 1 ending but deepens his backstory (Wikipedia (plot summary)).

Do the main couple end up together?

Yes — Lee Yeon and Ji-ah are together at the end of season 1. However, some viewers still debate whether the reincarnation device makes it truly “them” (OTTplay (fan interpretation)). The pattern: the drama gives a conventional happy ending but leaves enough ambiguity for the audience to interpret.

Is Tale of the Nine Tailed season 3 confirmed?

Official announcements

• No official confirmation for season 3 has been announced by tvN or the production team as of June 2026 (Wikipedia (franchise page)).
• The network has not commented on future seasons after the 1938 prequel aired (OTTplay (entertainment news)).

Possibility of season 3

Fan speculation remains high, especially since Lee Dong-wook has expressed interest in revisiting the role, but contract negotiations and scheduling have not been reported (OTTplay (rumour roundup)). The implication: without a formal announcement, any release date is purely hypothetical.

What would season 3 cover?

A hypothetical third season could follow Lee Yeon in a new historical period or continue his story after the events of season 1. Given that the 1938 prequel was successful, another time-jump is plausible (Wikipedia (franchise analysis)).

The catch: Lee Dong-wook’s interest alone does not drive a network commitment, so viewers should treat season 3 as unconfirmed.

Why is Jo Bo Ah not in season 2?

Jo Bo Ah’s role in season 1

Jo Bo Ah played Nam Ji-ah, Lee Yeon’s lost love and later a TV producer, in the original series (Wikipedia (cast list)).

Season 2 cast changes

• Season 2, set in 1938, introduces a completely new female lead: Kim So-yeon as a rival gumiho (Wikipedia (cast list)).
• Kim Bum returns as Lee Rang, and Ryu Kyung-soo joins as a new antagonist (Wikipedia (cast list)).

Reason for absence

The narrative shift to a prequel set decades before Ji-ah’s birth explains her absence. There has been no official statement from Jo Bo Ah or the production team about scheduling conflicts or creative decisions (OTTplay (entertainment news)). The trade-off: fans of the original couple get a new dynamic, but lose the central romance that defined season 1.

The implication: Jo Bo-ah’s absence is narrative-driven rather than a sign of conflict, based on available information.

Is Tale of the Nine Tailed season 1 and 2 related?

Connection between seasons

• Season 2 is a direct prequel set in 1938, during the Japanese colonial period (Wikipedia (plot summary)).
• Lee Dong-wook reprises his role as Lee Yeon, and Kim Bum returns as Lee Rang (Wikipedia (cast list)).

Timeline and setting

Unlike a traditional season 2 that continues after the previous finale, the 1938 series takes place entirely in the past. It explores events referenced but not shown in season 1 (Wikipedia (setting description)).

Shared characters

Only Lee Yeon and Lee Rang appear in both seasons; the rest of the cast is new. This makes it more of a spin-off than a direct sequel (Wikipedia (franchise classification)). What this means: viewers can watch either season first without losing context.

Timeline of the franchise

A look at key dates that chart the series’ development.

• October 7, 2020 — Season 1 premieres on tvN (Wikipedia (series page))
• December 3, 2020 — Season 1 concludes (Wikipedia (series page))
• May 6, 2023 — Season 2 (Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938) airs (Wikipedia (1938 page))
• Ongoing — No official announcement for Season 3 (OTTplay (news roundup))

Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

Perspectives on the series

“Disguised as a romance and a thriller, Tale of the Nine Tailed is actually a drama that includes many Korean myths and interconnects them.”

— Review from The Wordy Habitat (drama review site)

“The finale is bittersweet — Rang’s sacrifice resolves his resentment and love for his brother.”

— Analysis from YouTube channel (Spanish-language K-drama commentary)

For K-drama fans weighing whether to invest 16 hours in this series, the answer depends on how much they value mythology-driven storytelling over a cleanly wrapped romance. The catch: the unresolved season 3 question may leave completionists unsatisfied, while viewers who enjoy open-ended fantasy will find plenty to love. For those waiting for a third season, the choice is clear: rewatch the existing seasons or explore other gumiho dramas — because an official announcement isn’t happening yet. Lee Dong-wook’s performance remains the franchise’s anchor, but even he cannot guarantee a season 3.

Related reading: Live Up to Your Name · Divorce, My Happily Ever After

For a detailed breakdown of the actors who brought these characters to life, check out the full cast list for both seasons.

Frequently asked questions