Who Was the Main Antagonist in Season 1 of Tale of the Nine-Tailed?

Tale of the Nine-Tailed was one of 2020’s top K-Dramas – and why wouldn’t it be? Heightened by a compelling plot and brilliant acting performances, the supernatural fantasy even features some of the best-looking talents in the game. After a great first season, the show was quickly renewed for another season, which hit the network on May 6, 2023.

With season 2’s premiere, people are catching up on the previous season before diving into the latest chapter in Lee Yeon’s story. So, in an attempt to help our dear readers, in this post, I will talk about the villain that the viewers just love to hate – or just love with a sense of confusion in their conscience.

1. The Brother Who Detests and Yet Craves Love

The show features our main protagonist, Lee Yeon, played by Lee Dong-Wook, on a quest to rid the human world of its supernatural nuisances. But after a betrayal of the highest order, or so he thinks, the hunter fox’s brother poses as the biggest threat.

Lee Rang once had a great relationship with his brother. After Lee Yeon had saved him as a child, the two became brothers and spent several years in harmony on the mountain under Yeon’s protection. But when Lee Yeon lost his one true love, he grew apart from his younger brother and soon moved away from Baekdudaegan.

Lee Yeon was content with waiting for Yi Ah-eum’s reincarnation for however many centuries, but Lee Rang, played by Kim Bum, did not feel pity or sympathy for his only family. Instead, a new hatred grew in his heart because of being ignored, and the half-blood gumiho transformed into his biggest enemy.

After Taluipa hired Lee Yeon as the Afterlife Immigration Office’s official hunter, Lee Rang became the greatest burden for his brother to resolve and take down. He deliberately put humans in harm’s way, grabbing Yeon’s attention with rage and chaos instead of the love and companionship he was denied.

Despite his feigned demeanor of a monstrous being, I noted that we got glimpses of Lee Rang’s caring nature. Though he used Yu-Ri for his own needs, he did take her in when she needed someone to save her.

2. The Snow Thaws and the Anti-Hero Changes His Tune

As a child abandoned to die at the hands of the supernatural, Lee Rang only had his savior and adopted brother to depend on. But that same desperation for love is what compelled him to commit the atrocious acts that would drive his older brother to give him the attention he so obviously craves.

But as the season progresses, we could see his softer side peeking through his mask of anger, and in the final episode, it breaks completely. After Lee Yeon took the Imoogi into himself and sacrificed his life to save Nam Ji-Ah, Lee Rang was a mess. He drowned his sorrows in alcohol and mourned his brother.

In Lee Yeon’s absence, he became closer to his adoptive family and even mended his relationship with the same (reincarnated) love that had stolen his brother from him.

3. About Tale Of The Nine Tailed

Tale of the Nine Tailed is a South-Korean fantasy television drama starring Lee Dong-wook, Jo Bo-ah and Kim Bum. It aired on TvN from 7th October, 2020 to 3rd December, 2020.

Directed by Kang Shin-hyo and Jo Nam-hyung, the series tells the story of Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-wook), an over 1000-years-old Gumiho (nine tailed fox) who is on the look out for his long lost first love who has reincarnated in the mortal world. Besides that, Yeon also fights evil spirits that can harm the mortal world and its inhabitants.