Original subtitles

Lee Dong-wook

Jo Bo-ah

Kim Beom

Kim Jeong-nan Ahn Kil-kang

Hwang Hui Kim Yong-ji

Tale of the Nine-Tailed

I knew he'd only be concerned about that woman.

Hey, kid!

Yeon?

I heard you talking bad about me.

Get your hands off.

This isn't the time to play hard-to-get.

You can't be him.

Why would Yeon come to save me?

You aren't wrong.

Give me proof you're him.

Proof? Do you want my social security number?

On January 15, we did jwibulnori.

After playing with fire,

you ended up wetting yourself that night.

So I called you this for three years.

- Shut up. - Bedwetter!

- I'm going to kill you. - Kill them first.

Run!

Mom?

Dad?

Ji-a underwent...

hypnotherapy today.

What did Dr. Kang say?

She's never seen a case like this.

I shouldn't feel like this,

but I keep getting scared.

Can I keep my daughter safe?

Can I really do a good job?

Mom.

Mom?

Ji-a, you're up.

I was going to give it to you at home.

Ta-da. Here's your birthday present.

My birthday?

It's the music box.

Wait, is this...?

Fox Hill.

We can't go there.

Do you like it?

We'll get into an accident. Stop the car!

Once you get better,

let's all go ride the merry-go-round again.

Dad, can't you hear me?

You have to stop the car!

Dad.

Mom!

They keep coming back. Have they always been this strong?

- I think we've grown weaker. - What are you saying?

Forget the storm. I can't even control the wind.

Your powers won't work at all?

Where are we right now?

Don't you know? It's the Forest of Agwi.

I doubt that.

Dad, stop the car.

Dad! Stop the car!

Stop the car. Dad!

Chapter 9 Spirit of Darkness

This is unexpected.

I was sure he'd go to the girl,

but he chose his brother?

I thought they were mortal enemies.

You shouldn't take a deity so lightly.

Sorry?

Even now, he's in a battle of wits with me.

No way. Did he go there on purpose?

He probably figured it out.

It seems like a test for those two,

but it's also a test for Lee Yeon.

Man, this is driving me insane.

How did that juice lady know I can't get on planes?

- You really can't? - What happens if you do?

I can't breathe, then I break out in a cold sweat,

and I pass out as soon as I fasten the seat belt.

What were her exact words?

She asked me what I'm most afraid of.

What you're most afraid of?

Could it be...?

What is it?

There was a similar urban legend...

that recently went viral on the internet.

- The veggie-juice-lady story? - It's a similar pattern.

She gives you a free sample and asks you your biggest fear.

We think this is a similar urban legend...

to the Hong Kong Granny story.

But what's uncanny is if this woman bewitches you,

you begin to hear a song.

- A song? - Did you hear anything?

- No. - It's this song.

It's "Gate Play," a movement from "Ganggangsullae."

If you take a good listen, the lyrics are very creepy.

One side says, "Open the gates."

The other says, "I don't have a key."

These two sentences repeat over and over again.

Sounds like a great story. Is there anyone who actually heard this?

We couldn't find one, so we couldn't cover this.

Why?

People say you can never wake up once you begin to hear this song.

- Forever? - Forever.

Come on. That makes no sense.

- That surprised me. - Is this the Urban Legends team?

- Hey, Ji-a! What's wrong? - Ms. Nam!

- What's with her? - Wake up, Ji-a.

Ji-a, what's wrong?

- Can you get her up? - Call for help.

Mr. Lee. Wake up, Mr. Lee.

Mr. Lee Yeon.

Mr. Lee Rang? Mr. Lee?

Mr. Lee!

Mr. Lee Rang!

She's probably over Fox Hill by now.

Can I really save both of them...

from this hell?

Please don't let my choice be the wrong one.

Is this how you thank me...

for saving your life?

What are you scheming?

Can't you tell?

Why are you here? There's no way you really came to save me.

You know, I had lots of time on my hands.

I wanted to stop by and watch my only brother...

head over to the afterlife.

Don't be ridiculous. Why did you choose me instead of that girl?

Good question.

I opened the wrong door.

Liar.

I was on my way to find Ji-a for sure,

but instead I found this bedwetter on the verge of death.

What happened?

I was bitten. It turns out I taste pretty delicious.

Forget the bleeding. You're burning up.

I guess the poison began to spread.

It'll spread throughout his body in less than an hour.

I have to get him out before that.

I told you not to play with the serpent.

Stop trying to be a brother at this point in time. It's annoying.

You scumbag!

Run as fast as you can.

How do we wake him up?

There's nothing we can do from outside.

I've tried just about everything,

but I couldn't wake my husband up.

- Are you sure it's the same one? - Yes.

She used to be a peddler.

She'd bring shiny things,

then asked people about their biggest fear...

to bewitch them.

And to my husband, it was a tiger.

So what she shows isn't a hallucination?

I thought it was, and that he was hearing things.

But you know, Sin-ju.

I saw it.

I saw him bitten by a tiger,

and his flesh and bones were crushed.

What do I do?

Mr. Lee.

Please wake up, Mr. Lee.

Mr. Lee.

Mr. Lee!

Oh, no.

Her name.

What's she called?

"The Darkness."

"The Darkness."

She feeds on the darkness...

hidden deep in people's hearts.

Ji-a.

Ji-a?

Ji-a.

Mom?

Wake up and eat your breakfast.

Why are you here?

What do you mean? It's Sunday.

Did you work overtime yesterday?

Why does your work always make you go on business trips and do overtime?

My work?

What do I do, Mom?

- Are you still sleepy? - Answer me.

You're a TV show producer.

You always end up at the Press Arbitration Committee.

Why do you think I became a producer?

- Because... - To find you and Dad.

In 1999 at Fox Hill, my life...

No, our family...

was ravaged.

- What are you saying? - You aren't my mom.

I won't be fooled twice.

Stop talking nonsense and come out to eat.

You have too much fun messing with me.

- What? - You can joke about anything...

except for that accident.

Do you know how heartbroken we were...

when you were in a coma?

I was...

in a coma?

When I went to the hospital for a shot, what did you give me?

Strawberry candy.

Stop it and come out.

Wait.

What is it now?

I want...

walnut cakes.

Walnut cakes?

Mom.

I want to have walnut cakes.

We don't have any walnut cakes.

I once had to go to the hospital for a nut allergy.

That's right. I forgot.

You aren't my mom!

Where's my mom?

I'm your mother!

What walnut cakes?

You're allergic to nuts.

A family reunion.

How touching.

But this time, they aren't the fake parents she met before.

I guess what she's really afraid of...

isn't that.

Her family always holds her back,

back then and even now.

Is it getting colder?

This is a place created by her subconsciousness.

Strangers like us...

aren't welcome here.

Let's leave.

It's cheesecake!

Did you see him?

It didn't go as planned.

- Lee Yeon didn't come. - Then why are you back?

No matter what he does, he'll never get out of there alive.

People's minds are...

much weaker than they think once you open them up.

It's a world created by the wounds they stored up over their entire life.

If you die in over there, do you die here, too?

Do you want to try?

Let me go!

- Darkness. - Yes?

Don't touch my things.

I was just joking.

Please forgive me.

You had a lot more to say after, "Please forgive me."

"I don't care if you're a serpent. You were asleep for 600 years."

"There's no way he still has his skills."

"In that case, give it..."

"a shot."

I'm getting curious, too.

How dare I think that?!

Forgive me. Please forgive me.

Can you give me a hug?

Mom.

My dear mom.

I don't care if this is a dream.

Please don't go.

Please don't leave me alone.

You must've had a nightmare again.

Right.

It'd be great if it was all just a dream.

What was it about?

I had a dream...

that I lost both you and Dad.

It's a dream. Why are you crying?

I'm sorry...

I survived alone.

I held out like a brave girl,

but to be honest, I was very afraid and lonely.

I didn't want to come home,

so there were days...

when I'd sit at the bus stop for hours.

I'm sorry, Mom.

To be honest,

I hated you and Dad a little.

You left me all alone,

then never came, no matter how long I waited.

You haven't forgotten about me, have you?

How could I ever forget...

such an adorable daughter like you?

I missed you, Mom.

We've been circling around the same place.

We don't have time for this.

Is Ji-a all right?

A little bit. Hold out just a bit longer.

No, let me go.

You can't spare to be so proud right now.

I'm as good as dead without my pride.

You already look like the dead.

Have you heard of phantom limb syndrome?

You mean the phenomenon when a soldier loses a leg,

and keeps complaining of the pain in the leg, right?

The moment he feels pain without a leg to feel with...

is when the real pain begins.

Once the pain begins, the door is already gone.

That's the world this woman shows people.

♫ Gatekeeper, O, Gatekeeper, open the gates ♫

♫ I cannot, for I don't have the key ♫

- What is it? - I can't walk anymore.

The poison has spread, my eyes are dimmed,

and I'm tired of dragging these legs.

So?

You'll sit here and let those agwis eat you?

Go save your girl. I'm finished, anyway.

You're still the same.

The same as when we first met.

You still give up easily and whine a lot.

How is your life that simple?

I have nothing to live for.

I don't have a first love to protect with my life,

or any family to desperately wait for,

like your girl.

I shouldn't have come.

On that day and today.

I heard you shared our father's blood,

but you aren't much.

You don't have the will to live.

What a waste of time.

I'm leaving.

Once I die,

bury me in our old forest on Mt. Baekdu.

I don't carry out wills.

I want to return to those days.

The field was filled with azalea flowers.

That's odd.

I can't seem to remember the taste...

of those azaleas.

If you don't remember,

then survive and try some again, idiot!

At least struggle to survive!

Be honest. Why did you come here?

To save both Ji-a and you.

- Am I to believe that? - Whatever, then!

I nearly died after you cut me down.

You massacred an entire village.

- You deserved it. - Exactly.

You tried to kill me, so why are you saving me now?

Listen up.

My blade has never missed a target.

I've...

never missed a target.

Why do you think you're still alive?

Think over it with that slow head of yours.

I'm leaving. I won't be coming back.

Boat Four just left the Samdocheon River, right?

Tell the captain to turn back.

Yes.

An old man who was on a respirator just passed.

Now where were we?

- The Darkness. - The Darkness.

That thing was still in the human world?

After that thing showed up, Mr. Lee and Lady A-eum...

I mean, Ms. Nam... both collapsed.

Please tell me, madam.

How can I save them?

It's nothing you can do.

The girl is with her family,

and Yeon went to the Forest of Agwi.

- The Forest of Agwi? - To save his brother, probably.

- Then is Mr. Lee Rang also... - Were they...

always on such good terms?

That's not the problem now.

- It's a problem for me. - Honey.

He keeps taking up more burdens,

the kind that bring his own demise.

That's why he was a mountain deity.

The lord of the mountain is...

even concerned over the cycle of a petty plant.

And this is his brother.

That brother is a wreck.

Rang has committed too much sin.

How can you be so...?

Please save them, madam.

You can take my life instead, but please save them.

I can't believe this.

Why do you risk your life over his choice?

If you tell me a way I can save them,

I swear I'll do everything you tell me.

Everything?

Do you only live for today?

You've exchanged your life for a ribbon?

I'm sure it's what Mr. Lee wants.

Both you and Yeon are impossible. It must be a fox thing.

But I don't understand.

Why did he go to Mr. Lee Rang instead of Ms. Nam?

Both worlds are created by the knots in their hearts,

and both involve their families.

If that girl met her parents she'd been desperately looking for,

how could anyone intervene?

Even if he went, he'd have no way of entering.

Then you mean...

Yeon already had an idea...

of what he was up against.

Does an exit even exist?

If there was an entrance, there has to be an exit.

I got in through my closet.

Once I opened up the closet, I found myself at my old house.

Not the Forest of Agwi?

Right.

Tell me everything you saw.

At first the townspeople came after me with clubs,

and my mom was watching me get beaten.

- Then... - ...you came to this forest.

Yes.

No wonder.

That's why I couldn't find the exit.

What do you mean?

- Don't you know who that woman is? - Do you know her?

This is a party of your painful memories.

Perhaps...

- What was that thing called? - "The Darkness."

"The Darkness."

I'm looking for my missing mom

This place...

may look like my room, but it isn't.

Where am I...

right now?

What was that sound?

Hey, Kim.

What did the doctor say?

They did all kinds of tests, but haven't found the cause.

What's going on right now?

Ji-a, please open your eyes. Will you please wake up?

I was in my office...

just moments ago.

Office lounge

The veggie-juice lady.

Young lady, what are you most afraid of?

Is it most likely Fox Hill?

Yes.

I was suddenly at Fox Hill after I met that lady.

Office lounge, Veggie-juice lady, Fox Hill, Where am I now...?

That means this is...

Hey. Are you going to starve us to death?

Dad?

I'm starving.

Dad.

My sweetheart. Let's eat.

- Okay. - Let's go.

Office lounge, Veggie-juice lady, Fox Hill, Where am I now...?

The road is cut off.

Jump over.

I can't with this leg.

You'll find the exit when you overcome your fear.

- I don't see any exit. - Don't get scared!

Just think. What's your biggest fear?

Me?

My biggest fear is...

being abandoned.

My mom abandoned me,

and so did you.

This is driving me insane.

I've...

never abandoned you.

I see it.

Let's go.

Make sure you survive.

Get up there!

Don't look.

That's not your mom! Don't look!

Mom?

Darn it.

Darn it!

No!

Mr. Lee!

I have to go.

Where are you going?

Where?

To Yeon.

I have to go to Yeon.

I have to...

Where are you trying to go?!

I have to go see Yeon. I have to get to him.

Gimbap.

It's my dad's gimbap.

Yes, he made gimbap again.

Goodness.

The ends are the best part, right?

- Let's eat the ends first. - Sesame seeds?

Sure. Let's eat.

It tastes good.

- Is it all right? - It's good.

Ji-a.

Thanks for the meal.

This is good.

Spinach, carrot, cucumber, ham, and pickled radish.

What's wrong? You don't like it?

That's not it.

You didn't put in anything special, but it's odd.

No other gimbap in the world tastes like this.

Was that a compliment? That was a compliment, right?

My daughter just complimented me. All right!

This is great. All right!

- Eat up. - Okay.

- It's especially good today. - Is it? Thanks.

I suddenly had the thought...

that the life I lived till now may have been a long nightmare,

and this might be the real world.

If this is a dream,

please don't let me wake up.

Office lounge, Veggie-juice lady, Fox Hill, Where am I now...?

- What's going on? - Ji-a.

- Has something gone wrong? - Ji-a.

- Ji-a, wake up. - Hey, one second.

Excuse me, Doctor. Doctor!

- Over here! - Doctor, please.

Please come over here!

It's so good.

I got some on my chin.

- Hand me a tissue. - Look at your dad.

- Here. - Thanks a lot.

It's good.

Who was that just now?

Who was he?

Is it better than the one I made before we got married?

I don't even remember that.

Why can't you remember? I made you so much.

You did make me a lot.

Don't be late.

If you miss your chance, she'll get eaten up by that world.

Nothing happened. We kept an eye on her...

Where did she go?

- No way. - What?

This is all I can do for you two.

Please make sure you return.

This was when you made us our first carnation at kindergarten.

You ended up putting the pin...

right through my shirt,

and I bled so much from my chest.

- I did that? - Yes, I said, "What a wonderful daughter."

Don't we have this flower somewhere?

I kept it very dearly with me.

Ta-da.

"I love you, Mom and Dad."

- You still kept this? - Of course. It's our family treasure.

Goodness, give it to me.

You kept it very well.

Of course. It's very precious.

- All right. - She has your fingers.

- So cute. - The phone's ringing.

- She's so cute. - Look at her hands.

- Exactly. I remember those days. - Goodness.

- Don't you hear the phone? - She's so adorable.

Look at her soft hair.

Exactly.

- Look at her soft hair right here. - I know.

- She's so cute. - This was way back.

Hello?

It's me.

Who?

Lee Yeon.

Lee Yeon?

I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you.

Who are you?

You sound like someone I know, but I don't remember.

You have to figure it out.

You have to realize where you are, and why you're there.

You have to figure it out yourself to return to reality.

What do you mean?

Come back, Ji-a.

I'll always be waiting for you.

Don't hang up.

Connection

You have to come back.

Who was that?

I don't know who he is,

but it feels like I left behind something important.

A bouquet of mugwort.

It's very special. At the least, it is for me today.

I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you.

If I've been bewitched by something...

You're here.

You have to figure it out.

You have to realize where you are and why you're there.

Come back, Ji-a.

Did you sleep well?

I'll always be waiting for you.

You'll find your parents.

I'll make it happen.

Thank you, Yeon.

Yeon.

It's agwi poison.

Do something.

Mr. Lee Yeon hasn't returned.

No. You can't go anywhere.

If he dies, I'll die with him.

I'll do anything to repay you for this.

Please. So please.

Please.

Please help him.

Look at this hat.

- It's so cute. - Isn't this hat pretty?

- Did you knit this? - Yes.

Look at how tiny her clothes are.

My gosh. She used to be this small.

Exactly.

Hey, Ji-a. Look.

This is the first day you babbled.

You threw up on her chest after you took this photo.

I changed her formula on that day.

How do you remember all that?

Because we love you.

We love every move you make, the way you babbled,

and even your loud wailing.

We love every little thing about you.

I see.

I was deeply loved, wasn't I?

- Look. - She's so cute. Look at her.

She's so adorable.

Look at this.

Hey.

How would you feel if you lost me?

Why would we lose you?

You know, things can happen in life.

Don't even worry.

We'll chase you down to the ends of the earth.

Of course we will. You're our baby.

I'll do that, too.

I'll make sure I find you two.

What do you mean?

Someone asked me this,

"What are you most afraid of?"

My biggest fear is...

saying goodbye to you two.

What's wrong?

Mom, I'm sorry.

Dad, I'm sorry.

I have to go.

Where is she going?

- Honey, you have to stop her. - Ji-a!

Once you go through that door,

you might never see us again!

Ji-a.

Why do you want to abandon us?

That's not what it is.

Ji-a.

The three of us can live here. Okay?

This isn't the real world.

Who cares?

The three of us are happy here.

That's what matters.

Why do you want to go live alone?

Your mom and dad are here.

I'm not alone.

Yeon is with me.

Ji-a, please.

Please, Ji-a.

I trust Yeon.

- Ji-a! - Ji-a!

That girl woke up, too!

Isn't this cheating?

It looked fair enough.

What should I do now?

That's enough.

What?

All I wanted to do was look into the deepest part of her heart.

And I got Lee Yeon, too.

Yeon.

You woke me up.

You said you'll always wait for me.

Where are you?

Where did you go?

So this is my hell.

Dying in eternal loneliness...

in a world...

where she doesn't exist.

How is Mr. Lee?

It'll take a few days for him to detoxify,

but he'll be fine soon.

Why won't you ask me anything?

You see the reason I approached you.

You already knew.

I happened to see you two.

Then I was beaten up badly at a junkyard.

- By him? - Yes.

Then why did you treat him?

I didn't want you to cry.

Sin-ju.

Mr. Lee.

Where is Yeon?

Is he back?

Mr. Lee.

Please wake up.

Please.

What'll happen to him now?

I wonder if Ji-a returned home safely.

I wanted to tell her...

how pretty she was when we had chicken feet.

I wanted to tell her...

a very ordinary "Good night."

I wanted to walk with you...

in the same era as yours.

I wanted to keep you safe...

through all your days and nights.

But I can't seem to return.

I miss you,

Yeon.

Even a gumiho who was a deity...

isn't much, after all.

Hey, don't die.

It's not any fun if you die.

I guess you aren't dead.

Your beautiful body...

will be used by the serpent...

to make the world fall into chaos.

Darkness.

You startled me!

You're up.

Did Ji-a return home safely?

You're about to die. Who cares about her?

Please.

Please tell me.

I don't want to.

Please, I beg you.

Please tell me.

Come on, don't be such an eyesore!

Fine, she got out.

But it might've been better if she stayed.

She lost both you and her parents,

so it seems she has no reason to live.

So she escaped?

You're smiling?

Then what? Should I cry?

I went through so much trouble to get you in here.

What?

Do you really think...

I fell from that cliff because of some agwi?

- Did you fall on purpose? - Darkness.

Let me return your signature question.

"What are you most afraid of?"

I'm the darkness itself and your fear.

There's nothing I'm afraid of.

You're dying, aren't you?

You're now forgotten and abandoned by people.

There are no folk tales for you.

That's why you've been giving out veggie juice to troll people,

and venting your anger on famous characters like the Snail Bride.

How dare you?

Hey, my brother even forgot your name.

Shut up!

You'll stay forever in this hell you created,

and never be able to die.

Where do you think you're going?

It seems you forgot something very important.

This isn't the Forest of Agwi.

It's a deity's subconscious.

In other words, it's my turf.

I can't see anything.

What do you want?

It's not you.

I found you.

I'll come and get you very soon.

Just you wait.

The gumiho in love with a human,

you'll end up...

taking that woman's life with your own hands.

That's...

your fate.

Ma'am, worry about your own fate.

Don't come.

Stand right there.

This time,

I'll go to you.

I've been...

waiting for you.

Tale of the Nine-Tailed

Repay my kindness, Yeon.

No.

It was mine to begin with.

His role as a deity and his place by that woman's side.

You slept in.

I wish to break the contract.

It's not impossible.

Murdering your own brother.

I'll do it.

Give me the deity.

Then I'll return your parents.

Lee Yeon, give me your body.

I'll spare everyone.