Original subtitles

TALE OF THE NINE TAILED

It's you.

The Korean who threw a bomb at Gyeongseong Station.

Which organization sent you?

The commander is dead!

Damn it.

Geez.

This damn alarm. It's ringing even decades into the past.

Did you see that?

Music played from that matchbox-looking thing.

-What is that thing? -Oh, my!

Answer me!

I'm going to school.

The box just spoke.

Is there someone inside the thing?

Are there any tasty restaurants around here?

Geez. Forget it.

Don't move!

I don't understand a word you're babbling.

I'm undereducated. I didn't even take the CSAT.

By the way, have you guys seen my stuff?

It looks like a small rock, but it's very important to me.

I said don't move!

Damn it.

You made a hole here.

I'm on a day trip, so this was my only outfit!

-What the hell are you? -Speak in my language.

Who-- Who are you?

Me?

I'm Joseon's nine-tailed fox.

LEE YEON: A NINE-TAILED FOX WHO LOVED A HUMAN

FORMER GOD OF MT. BAEKDUDAEGAN

LIKES: MINT CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM DISLIKES: DENTIST

Shoot! Shoot and kill him!

Give me your gun.

I said give it to me!

Stay still.

Don't even breathe.

Quit smoking, you punk!

I'm his older brother. Smoking's bad for you, right?

Wait a minute.

Brother, you still alive?

LEE RANG: HALF-FOX, HALF-HUMAN

LIKES: HIS BROTHER DISLIKES: HIS BROTHER

DIED IN 2020 TO SAVE HIS BROTHER

THIS GUY'S HALF-BROTHER

-You called the Japanese Army on me? -Yeah.

"The Gyeongseong Station bomber is my brother."

Do I look like a bomber to you?

You're a walking bomb yourself.

Damn, it's annoying just to see your face.

So my brother's a scumbag even in the Japanese colonial period, huh?

All thanks to my shitty upbringing.

Are you baffled? I get it.

Because that's exactly how I feel right now.

Why am I back in the Japanese colonial era of Joseon,

filming some fake Western movie?

Moreover, why has my deceased brother become a heavy smoker,

roaming the Gyeongseong grounds?

They say brotherhood is like a film noir.

But there's a more complicated story behind why our family is such a mess.

I'm a nine-tailed fox who fell in love with a human.

And I paid a heavy price for that.

You abandoned your duty as the mountain god

and left the mountains for a human and--

Yes.

I abandoned you.

For a long time,

we were each others' foes.

-Did you miss me? -Want to die, brother?

After crossing the boundary between life and death…

I've never abandoned you.

…we reconciled as brothers again.

You better make it out alive.

In 2020, I died once.

But I was reincarnated,

fulfilling my lifelong wish to become human, but…

I've been giving you a hard time for many years,

but I won't apologize.

But still, if we can…

let's meet again.

My brother.

My younger brother, Lee Rang,

sacrificed his life to save me and left my side forever.

4 MONTHS LATER

Why can't Lee Rang reincarnate?

DISROBING OLD WOMAN OWNER OF THE STREAM OF THE DEAD

That's the law of the afterlife. It's the law!

Man, that damn law!

EPISODE 1

He died to save me, you hear?

He may have saved you, but you know how many more he's killed, right?

Fine.

I'll yield my custody rights, so bring him back.

Custody rights, my foot.

Hey, you think I want to change the diapers of a 1,600-year-old man?

I'll do whatever you say, old hag.

I see you've finally learned your place.

Damn you.

Ever since my best performer retired, I've been having a hard time.

"On the condition that Lee Rang reincarnates,

Lee Yeon will punish everyone that disturbs the living

and repay the kindness received."

-Sign it. -Hold on.

What's written here? Why is it so tiny?

"Your term as a nine-tailed fox will last until the Disrobing Old Woman says so."

An indefinite contract?

Even insurance contracts are audited against such dubious clauses.

You-- You--

Old age hasn't affected your vision, huh?

You can have me. Fine.

But I don't want immortality or indefinite contracts.

Let me die on the same day as Ji-ah.

That's my only condition.

They say a fox never abandons its mate until the day it dies.

I see your love for her remains unchanged.

YOUR TERM AS A NINE-TAILED FOX WILL END ON YOUR WIFE'S DEATH

LEE YEON

It seemed as if this story would have a happy ending.

However…

AFTERLIFE IMMIGRATION OFFICE

Was it because of the lunar eclipse?

Or…

because of the uninvited guest who slipped in during the eclipse?

Since the disaster at the Stream of the Dead,

the boundary between the living and the dead,

everything associated with me and my life began to go awry.

Mint chocolate chip, right? Will that be to go?

For here. I'd like to order two today.

The other one's for your wife, huh?

-Yeon! Yeon! -That scared me.

-We're in trouble! -What brings you here?

My gosh-- Some guy wearing a red-white mask…

CLOTHES-HANGING OLD MAN

…came and stole the guardian stone!

-What's that? -The precious stone on our roof.

The King of the Dead made it himself

to protect the boundary between the living and the dead.

If it's so special, why put it on the roof and not in a safe?

That's because it marks the boundary of the Stream of the Dead.

The boundary?

Then that means--

Yes, evil spirits are flocking in!

Goodness-- Hurry, let's go!

Honey, don't come. Yeah, yeah.

I just need to find the guardian stone, right?

Where did that thief run off to?

Of all places…

Here?

This leads straight to hell, right?

Fiery-Cauldron Hell? Ice Hell?

It doesn't lead to hell…

Been a while, Disrobing Old Woman!

Gosh, you've been occupying the Stream of the Dead for too long!

What a crowd you've mustered.

I was going to give you this when your term ended.

-A watch? -You will eventually go blind and deaf.

Can she not hear me?

Disrobing Old Woman!

When that happens, look into this watch. Don't forget you're on borrowed time.

-Yes, sir. -Disrobing Old Woman--

-Good. -Attack!

My goodness.

Go!

Find the stone and return before the Hour of the Tiger.

Hour of the Tiger… So just before sunrise: 5:00 a.m.

Oh, how do I come back?

Through the same cabinet.

Remember, the gate will close at the Hour of the Tiger.

Where is he going?

Stop him!

Go!

I'll be back.

Lord Lee Yeon!

-Oh, gosh! -Shin-ju?

Where's Lord Lee Yeon?

-Hurry! -Yes, ma'am.

Just a minute--

It's so bright.

What's this? Where the hell…

What the…

What?

What's going on?

Wait…

-Shall we go to Mitsukoshi? -Okay.

My face powder has run out. What do you want to buy?

Extra! Extra!

Extra!

Extra!

Year 13 of the Showa era…

Year 1938?

Japanese colonial period?

Damn, I don't believe this!

Oh, geez!

D-16 HOURS

UNTIL THE STREAM OF THE DEAD'S "GATE OF TIME" CLOSES

Lord Lee Yeon?

Water Snail Bride?

What brings you here? You haven't been here in a while.

Oh, I haven't?

Didn't you go to Gunsan with Shin-ju last year?

-What in the world are you doing there? -Right.

So I just got back from Gunsan…

It's not like I'm running a restaurant. I'm just running errands and such…

What time is it?

It's 1:10 p.m.

Wow, that meticulous old hag. She even set the time difference.

-Time difference? -Never mind.

For goodness' sake.

Someone over there--

That masked man is staring straight at us.

Who are you?

GYEONGSEONG STATION

Popsicles!

Pay before you eat! Damn, you brat.

I'm sorry.

Thief! Thief!

Move!

Who are you people?

Protect the commander!

Freeze!

Damn it.

What?

Ki Yoo-ri?

Chiyorika? Chiyorika!

For Korea's independence!

Hooray!

Where's the bitch who threw the bomb? Find her!

Hooray!

For Korea's independence! Hooray! Hooray!

Shit.

Damn it!

Hey.

-Hey, hey! Hey, you! -Shoot 'em!

Long live Korea!

Hooray!

Spy alert! Run!

-Hide! Hide! -Get out of here! Run!

The horse!

One, two, on you go!

What the heck?

They're not human.

Giddyap!

Stop, you punk!

Don't come near! Giddyap!

Boss!

Boss! Boss!

Boss!

How dare you touch my stuff?

Oh, boss…

-Rang. -Lee Yeon?

You're alive.

You're alive…

in this era.

Die!

Thank goodness.

Your heart is beating, and you're breathing just fine.

You're alive, my brother.

-I'm so glad. -Get lost, you bastard.

Did you take opium or what?

I'm sorry.

We don't have much time, Rang.

Hand it over.

Here.

It's right here.

Oh, my-- Goodness!

Oh, gosh. That was nauseating.

Lord Lee Yeon!

Lord Lee Yeon!

Lord Lee Yeon!

Why isn't anyone passing by?

How long have I been walking?

Excuse me! Here! Over here!

Stop, stop!

-Can I get a ride? -Get in.

Get in? Okay. Great!

KOO SHIN-JU - A NATIVE FOX LEE YEON'S RIGHT-HAND FOX

SPECIALTY: ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND ANIMALS

-What's up with your hair? -Don't touch me! I'll kill you.

I can't believe you're a bandit leader.

You've been doing this for 30 years?

Yeah. Stealing, plundering and killing.

It's my fault.

After I lost my beloved, I couldn't afford to care for you.

You… You know you disgust me, right?

I know, but…

I really wanted to tell you this.

I…

did you wrong.

Let me go.

Can't you see that I'm trying to believe your bullshit?

You sure this is okay, boss?

He's family.

Wow. No wonder. You sure are strong, sir.

Get off me!

What are they? If not human, what?

-A pack of wolves. -I see.

We used to have a different boss,

but Lord Lee Rang slit his throat in one go, so--

-You turned coats? -But I prefer Boss Rang.

Is Rang good to you?

No.

Even so, a whole bunch of guys are lined up to join our gang.

Why?

Boss divides the stolen goods equally among us every time.

-That's not easy, you know. -Cut the crap and get out.

Yes, sir.

Oh, stop that.

Let's go.

Have some.

I'll just have one drink.

What is that thing, anyway?

Something that shouldn't be in this era. I must return it to its rightful place.

You have no idea

how much I longed to see you again

and how much I missed you.

Drink.

I had so much to tell you.

But now, just seeing you breathe makes me happy.

Say something.

After today, you might not see me for a while.

So say whatever you have in mind.

Let me hear your voice.

Hang on.

What's that in your mouth?

You have something in your mouth.

You bastard.

Run, run, run!

-Run, run! -Move it.

Go! Get her!

Bring her.

My beer…

My beer, you bastard! Give me back my beer! My beer!

That hurts! It hurts!

Watch out for fire.

The fire, fire… Watch out for fire.

What's this crazy prick saying?

I said, "Watch out for fire."

Fire!

It burns!

You're awake.

Who are you?

"Who are you"?

I'm the one you owe money to. You'll have to pay for my beer.

I don't have money right now, but I will pay you back.

I'm Sun-woo Eun-ho, a reporter for the Seonwoo Daily.

If you're a reporter,

why are you being chased by armed detectives in broad daylight?

You smell of gunpowder too.

Then don't go saving women who reek of gunpowder.

Can I have some?

Wait.

Your name?

I should at least know who I'm indebted to.

Mu-yeong. I'm Cheon Mu-yeong.

Are you a doctor?

You've treated my wounds like a professional.

Well, I was only trying my best.

So I can collect beer money from the injured.

As a reporter, I've met my share of swindlers.

But you're not one.

Well, what am I, then?

You're either very kind

or someone petty criminals like swindlers can never measure up to:

someone lethal.

What are you filming?

Are you guys film extras? I part-timed as one a couple times too.

But where's this truck headed?

-To a mine, of course. -A mine?

We're definitely not headed there.

I haven't heard a word from anyone who left to earn money.

All gone without a single trace.

What happened to your forehead?

Oh, this? I was smacked for saying I wanted to go home.

Smacked?

They assaulted an extra? You should report them already!

To the Human Rights Commission! Or just petition--

Silence!

Shit, my arms are numb!

What the…

Geez, that bastard.

Hold on.

Five o'clock? I slept for three hours?

This is the scene you all saw at the beginning.

It's you.

Fast forward!

FAST FORWARD

You could have dodged it, right? Why didn't you?

It was the only way you'd believe me.

About how sorry I am.

Now that you've defeated me, let's call it even.

So don't waste your precious time resenting me.

Quit being a bandit or whatever.

Just find a bit of happiness, okay?

You speak as if you'll die soon.

-You can't die from this, right? -I'm not dying.

But I have to go.

Where to?

Have a good life, you brat.

Show me what you've got.

Hey, you evil bastard.

You say all you want is just to leave again?

Why did you show up pretending to be nice just to abandon me as you please?

Who says I'm abandoning you?

Rang!

You okay?

You. Listen to me carefully.

Foxes always repay kindness and repay their enemy, no matter what!

No, Rang. Wake up.

Myoyeongak.

Take me to Myoyeongak…

Rang-- Rang!

D-11 HOURS

Identification!

Pass!

Aren't you that bitch from earlier?

You have the wrong person.

No one can fool me. Okay?

My identification is legitimate.

What's important isn't you.

I'm Jung Dae-seung of Jongno.

Do you know who I am?

Jung Dae-seung…

You hear how I deal with the likes of you?

You cut every bodily tendon…

I even got a medal for my torture skills.

Please spare me.

It really wasn't me.

I swear on my dead parents you have a gunshot wound on your shoulder.

You little shit!

-Don't move! -No! No!

What the hell?

Ryuhei Kato,

government-general of Korea's chief commissioner.

What are you doing?

I was investigating a suspect in the bombing incident.

And who is this person?

She says she's a reporter from the Seonwoo Daily.

I'll find out who's pulling her strings.

This woman is Seonwoo Daily.

-What? -Her father is the head of Seonwoo Daily.

Sho Tawara.

Her mother is an aristocrat of the Japanese Empire.

Sho Tawara?

Do you mean Seon Woo-chang, the richest man in Gyeongseong?

That's his daughter, Ginko Tawara.

She's also…

my sister-in-law.

My apologies, sir. I must've lost my mind.

-Please forgive me, miss. -Get up.

-Do you see the reason for my actions? -Of course I do.

But that's too bad. I have a habit of repaying my debts.

Cut his tendon, please.

The one on his right leg.

Goodbye, sir.

I've had a good time.

MYOYEONGAK

Where is it? Where do I go, damn it?

Pardon me.

Geez.

Cheers to a lovely night!

Lovely!

I need to think.

Why did Rang want to come here?

Excuse me.

-Should I call a doctor? -What is this place?

It's Gyeongseong's finest restaurant, aside from Myongwolgwan.

-Is that all? -Pardon?

Watch him for a second.

My goodness.

Hey.

You were an old man a moment ago, right?

Pardon me.

It says "family."

I can live longer if I sacrifice my daughter, right?

Father…

Is living a longer life

worth exchanging your child for?

Take her away.

So that…

is your choice.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you!

Father! Father!

Father!

Father…

Don't cry. All that's severed are your worldly ties.

Now you will never have to cry again.

Who are you?

People call me this…

Long-Living Dong Bang-sak.

Dong Bang-sak…

The one with the longest life span in Eastern tales?

So that's why Rang--

Hey, I'm glad I ran into you. Let me borrow your life span.

Why would someone who isn't a mortal desire my life span?

My brother is dying.

You must know, sir, a deal with a demon comes with a price.

-That's why you made this rule? -You shouldn't covet life so easily.

I usually make up the rules myself.

-Save my brother, this instant. -Strike me.

If you do, you can have my life span.

-What the hell is this? -I can't even die as I please.

Who are you? And where's Lee Yeon?

Can't you hear me?

What?

Am I dead?

Hey! Hey! Hey!

What's going on?

I have to find Lee Yeon.

Lee Yeon.

Lee Yeon!

Hey!

So you want me to draw a ball out of this box?

If you bring me what you pick, I'll trade my life span for it.

-What are the choices? -Things worth someone's life:

money, fame, family, luck

and Uturi's sword.

Uturi?

UTURI THE LEGENDARY BABY GENERAL

Why the baby general's sword?

Because it's the only thing that can cut me.

Are you perhaps…

trying to die?

All I have left is loneliness.

I've lived for thousands of years.

Everything I cared about, and everyone who cared for me,

have vanished like dust.

All right.

Let's do it.

What will it be?

How much longer will you take?

Shit!

Here.

UTURI'S SWORD

-The sword of Uturi. -My goodness!

Hey, can't I trade it for something else?

I know for certain it's in the worst place possible in this era.

If you don't want my life span, you may give up.

Fine.

If I bring you the sword, you promise to save my brother?

Of course.

Fine. I'll go get it.

If by any chance

my brother dies before I return,

I'll cut you up.

Hey, can't you hear me?

I'm here. I'm right behind you!

Geez.

Damn it.

Oh, goodness…

-Hold on. -Yes.

Do I have a sinus problem?

Wow, you idiot.

Why, you…

You'd always fall sick as a kid too.

Were you born just to torture me?

This bastard.

That's what you say to your dying brother?

Please hang in there until I get back.

I will…

never give up on you.

What's this?

D-9 HOURS 20 MINUTES

Will I be able to save Rang in time?

GUNSAN

The problem is this:

The creature wielding the sword of Uturi in this era

happens to be me.

Ah-eum.

Where in the world are you?

Why can't you be reincarnated?

What's wrong with him?

Well, that's embarrassing.

Lord Lee Yeon! Lord Lee Yeon!

Lord Lee Yeon!

Kneel before him! I found them, sir.

You raccoons in disguise.

I know of your sins.

-What do you mean, "sins?" -Your wife's name-- What is it?

-I'm Bae Ah-eum. -Ah-eum.

Ah-eum!

-Who said you could use that name? -Wait, wait-- Sir!

It's Lord Lee Yeon's first love's name, who passed before her time!

-How should we know that? -She'll change her name.

You've no need to altercate with Lord Lee Yeon!

What, you prick?

What'd you just say? Ah-eum-hate?

-Ah-eum-hate? -No, altercate. Altercate, sir!

-Alter-- -Come here. Come here.

Hey, you!

What? Ah-eum-hate?

-How dare you? -Lord Lee Yeon, that's enough!

-Stop it. -Ah-eum-hate?

-Just go, go. -What's wrong with him?

-Ah-eum-hate, huh? -Sir, no!

We all feel lost at times.

This is precisely one of my worst moments.

What the hell? I'm all out.

Lord Lee Yeon, please quit smoking opium. You're already addicted!

Hey.

If I don't do this…

I can't stop crying.

Okay, just get some sleep. I'll go find some more.

What's this?

Was there always a mirror here?

Man, why did Shin-ju put a mirror here?

Hey!

-Die, you opium addict! -I'm here to get revenge, you jerk!

-Who the hell are you all? -You struck me with lightning!

How could you break my leg because my face displeases you?

I'm truly sorry, okay?

-I'm busy. Gotta go. -You're going nowhere!

Hey, you!

Hey, retreat, retreat!

-You want another one, huh? -Just you wait and see.

Damn, how tiring. I should've lived a little more nicely.

Lord Lee Yeon?

Shin-ju.

D-6 HOURS

Why are you doing this?

What's going on?

What do you think you're doing?

What if you'd choked her to death?

You can't let my precious food vanish on me, can you?

What?

He wasn't sharing his life span.

He was taking them.

I have to tell Lee Yeon.

Wait a minute…

-Can you see me? -There you are.

He can't see me. He can hear me.

Darn. I lost him.

His body. Bring his body to me.

Yes, sir.

You going somewhere?

I'm going for a walk-- or stroll.

-I'll escort you out. -No.

I should go by myself…

to develop my independen--

-You just go inside. Go inside. -What?

Lord Lee Yeon, wake up! Lord Lee Yeon!

Don't you think the thunder on your tail is a bit much?

How dare you disguise yourself as me?

Besides, that's mine.

Well, yes. It is.

Strictly speaking, what's yours is mine and--

Shut up.

No one has ever touched what's mine

and survived.

I know. Better than anyone.

But I'm a little busy right now.

-Damn it! Oh, that head. -That head.

What? You shit!

Let this--

Oh, darn it!

Hey, you prick. This is called an arm bar.

How's that? You didn't know, huh?

Hey, stop. You…

You little prick!

Ah-eum.

Ah-eum was reborn.

Where? Where is she?

Oh, I think she's in…

Manchuria?

I'll find you, Ah-eum.

Ah-eum…

I'm so sick of this.

D-4 HOURS AND 50 MINUTES

Will Rang be okay?

Please be okay.

What? Where did my body go?

Find him, no matter what.

Is anyone there?

How may I help you?

I'm looking for someone, and I've only one room left to search.

These are gisaengs' quarters. Please leave.

That's too bad, because I must search this room.

Are you sure?

Even if I say I'll call Madam?

Scour the place. I'm certain he…

is here at Myoyeongak.

Why is my body here?

Are you sure we can do this?

It's a customer's request. And Madam gave us permission.

If I'm not back by midnight, can you move my brother to a different room?

May I ask why?

I have a hard time trusting others.

You ruthless bastard.

I knew it.

D-1 HOUR

-Did anything happen? -Yes!

Nothing happened…

at all.

-Tell him the truth! -Thanks.

No! Don't fall for it!

What do I do? What…

Damn it!

You can see me, huh?

Really? You can see me?

Mister, are you a ghost?

-How come only you see me? -My grandma is a shaman.

THE PRESENT

-Is Yeon back? -Not yet.

Time's almost up.

Where in the world is that punk?

Hurry.

You must hurry, Yeon.

Open the door!

Damn it!

-Where's the sword? -Here.

-We have a deal. -Wait.

-You cheated, right? -What do you mean?

This raffle box.

-You messed with it. -Not a chance.

There were a total of 44 marbles in there.

But every single one had "Uturi's sword" written on it.

Do I look like a fool?

If you knew, why did you get the sword?

Same reason as you.

Because it's the only thing that can kill me?

You lied about wanting to die, right?

You wanted to destroy this sword.

I've been living forever off of humans' life spans.

What of those you made younger?

It's a simple trick. They age back in three days.

But by then, I won't be here.

You brat.

-But still, you can't kill me. -Why not?

Because your brother is my hostage.

What do I do?

25 MINUTES LEFT

I don't have time.

If I don't kill him now and jump into the cabinet…

All right. Let's see who dies first.

Oh, shit.

What went wrong?

I've lived longer than you for a reason.

He's one of the Ten Longevity Symbols: a leatherback turtle!

Don't be ridiculous.

You think I don't know they're working with him?

I'm Lee Rang. I borrowed this body.

Stop that nonsense!

How can I tell him that my soul borrowed this girl's body?

There's no salvation for those who don't try to save themselves.

Whether you live as a human or a fox, it's your choice.

But remember one thing, kid:

There's no salvation for those who don't try to save themselves.

Turtle, turtle.

Give me your head.

If you don't, I'll roast you and eat you up.

Turtle, turtle.

Give me your head. If you don't, I'll roast and eat you up.

Turtle, turtle.

Give me your head.

If you don't, I'll roast you and eat you up.

Turtle, turtle. Give me your head.

If you don't, I'll roast you and eat you up.

Kill him!

-Oh, goodness! -My gosh!

-Oh, my shoulder. -My legs!

-Oh, my, my. -Oh, gosh.

THE GATE OF TIME HAS CLOSED

Remember, it's by the Hour of the Tiger. Return before the door closes.

Ji-ah must be waiting.

Dong Bang-sak is dead?

What a shame. He was quite the money-maker.

-Let's do this later. -Yes, ma'am.

By the way, is Lee Yeon still handsome?

I've spent hundreds of years chasing after him.

You get what I'm saying?

I understand, ma'am.

Then…

bring me the largest and prettiest one.

We haven't seen each other in a long time.

Someone has locked me in the past.

However, they know nothing.

In an era without a woman to protect,

the nine-tailed fox is far more ruthless than they'd expect.

It's time to hunt.

TALE OF THE NINE TAILED

Long time no see, fox.

What exactly is your relationship with that crazy woman?

You, be mine.

I'll make him mine, even if I have to kill and taxidermy him.

Only beautiful women are targeted.

Once we solve this case, we can catch the guy who stabbed you.

Will you seek revenge?

I'm not sure. Should I help Lee Yeon or him?

Who are we?

A fox always pays his debts.