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[Drama 2020] Tale of Gumiho, 구미호뎐


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Just watched ep 4 and I knew it was her! I also knew that it was not gonna be easy for him to figure it out. Like something tragic between them had to almost happen. Ughhh they are sooo cute. I love this drama.

 

 

Also, they way he looks at her in the ep 5 preview is so...ahhhhh! Also, I wonder what's up with that baby...creepy. 

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I bet Lee Yeon took the blame for the all the dead villagers. He atone his brother sins by becoming 'headhunter' of evil spirits for the deity. He probably said that he killed his own brother 600 years ago and beg the deity to forgive his brother. He lost his own woman due to traitorous event, his own brother due to evil succumbs.. and his own position as the Great Spirit Deity of Baekdu? Mountain... 

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the show is darker than I thought it would be, I really hope episode 5 is lighter. anyways, I don't really think Rang is the big bad in this show, he hates/loves his brother and I don't feel like he can actually kill Ji-ah or Yeon. I've seen others point out that he could be indebted to the man who saved him (the guy who delivered the baby, I think) and that's part of the reason why he's doing all this to Yeon... or I don’t know, maybe it cuz mans has issues. 

 

there are still some mysteries in the show... Ji-ah's parents, lil imoogi baby, and A-Eum/Ji-ah's "specialness" because there has to be more than her just being A-Eum's reincarnation. 

 

 

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I said this after the first two episodes but it bears repeating - I'm really not thrilled with the reincarnation aspect. It's never been my favorite trope. I love seeing a couple fall for each other, and if he knows right off the bat she's his long lost love, I feel deprived of that! With this trope I tend to feel like the drama is just telling me about their epic romance rather than showing it naturally, and makes me feel like he wants her for who she used to be, not who she is now. I guess we'll have to see how it's handled.

 

Anyway, even though I'm enjoying everyone's performances, Kim Bum is really wowing me. During that flashback he was like an entirely different person. Lee Rang has this callous, malicious, mischievous demeanor but when the mask slips you can just feel that deep emotional wound he's carrying. He breaks my heart and I'm already afraid of what'll happen to him! But I love seeing him regardless. I just want to be like, come cry it out into my arms... :wink:

 

Also, I tend to like intense dramas more than fluffy rom-coms, so I'm liking the grittier aspect already. I wouldn't mind some more humorous moments playing on his true nature (i.e. like that one teaser promo where she was interviewing him and asking questions about his tails,) but hey, it's only 4 episodes in so more might come! Also, I don't know if they'll even do this, but I super duper wish we could see the tails, like, actual physical tails, not just the glowing outlines. But hey, that's just my love for inhuman/supernatural male characters talking!  

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I am just going to write my comes up in my head after watching EP 4. It is not going to be coherent because I just want to let out my raw feeling after finishing EP 4. I am not trying to hate Ji Ah but I really could not feel her. In EP 1-2, I thought I am getting a spunky female lead that can hold her ground and nothing faze her. I mean, she can even break through Yeon's house, sort of blackmail him by jumping from the corridor expecting him to be able to save her because he is not human, all this knowledge about superstitious things/urban legend etc. But after watching her in EP 3-4, all I get is that she is just reckless, over-confidence, and need saving most of the time. Well, two men were murdered in the most weird way ever, you saw the third person related to the former two being disoriented while holding hammer in his hand running into the woods and and your first reaction was to follow him. Being curious and compassionate is one thing, but she is too reckless. And towards the end of  EP 4, after all the talk about salt and red bean, how Yeon ask her not to go to the funeral, basically warning her that she is part of the supernatural world, I really hope she will use her knowledge and be quick witted handling the situation. But no, she ends up running OUT of her house with no plan other than running away from the disturbance, missing Yeon, hoping and thinking about Yeon wanting him to come save her. Yes, she is scared because this is not what she sign up for, but at that moment, rather than running out of her house with no direction, I hope she will at least give the most minimal effort by throwing salt/red bean before running out of option and opt to run outside. No, do not tell me she does not has any salt because she did cook a whole feast for Yeon before that. And that flashes Yeon had while crossing the bridge, how he saved her tons of time and I am reminded of what happened at every moment, I am just not feeling it. 

 

However, I am going to stay for Yeon and Rang because the story between them is much more intriguing for me. The fact that Yeon did stab Rang before but luckily missing the vital point is actually not luck but calculated move. I mean, someone with his power missed the vital point? Not convincing. And within that short flashback, I can understand Rang and why he is behaving that way. Rang just want attention from his brother and that is why he is doing all those things he did. He wants Yeon's attention and be with him rather than Yeon focusing his energy waiting for/saving Ah Eum/reincarnation of  Ah Eum. He feels betrayed when Yeon left for Ah Eum, leaving him all alone, and the villagers also betraying him by burning the forest surely makes him feel devastated. I feel like Rang also saved Yuri after seeing her being tortured by human and that is why she is believing and following him. He is still able to feel compassionate. I also cannot wait how the story will unfold between Yuri and the vet because they are so different in personality based on what we have been shown but I believe the vet will provide the healing Yuri needed. In the end, I am hoping that I will get satisfying ending between Yeon and Rang. It does not have to be happy ending, but at least something I can make peace about.

 

Reading this back, I guess I am emotionally messed up and being overly critical after watching this drama. I will most probably skip scenes between Yeon and Ji Ah unless Ji Ah did something to convince me that she is not someone who needs to be saved all the time. And now, I am going to watch Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol to recover myself from this drama. Thanks for reading my rant. Annyeong.

 

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Absolutely in love with this drama so far! Having watched the episode 4 and seeing what has actually happened between Lee Jeon and his brother Lee Rang, it is obvious that Rang has always wanted his brothers attention he has waited for him for a long time, seems as he was not a bad person at first but watching the humans burn the mountain and his brother not being there has in a way broken him. He still seems like a child who craves his brothers attention and it is one of the reasons he is behaving in such a way he wants Ji Ah out of the picture as he sees her as the person who stole his brother away from him. Lee Yeon never wanted to kill his brother but for some reason he wanted to make Rang hate him that's why he left him with that scar. I want to see more of their backstory and what were they like back in the day when they were close as I truly believe that Rang is not a bad person, just hurt, misunderstood and someone who wants his brother to actually look at him. 

 

Ji Ah and Yeon, they do seem to have a lot of chemistry together, however it feels as if their love story is progressing a little too quickly. We are 4 episodes in and it seems as if they are both ready to die for each other in a way. I understand that Ji Ah is a reincarnation of his first love, but in the first episode he really did not seem to care that she looked like her since she did not have the fox bead, but then he someone suddenly started to care for her even going as far as always protecting her and even committing the act of murder against a human. I completely agree with @kdramagrandma about Ji Ah appearing as a strong willed female character in the first couple episodes, but then it going downhill from there. Honestly, I was hoping that finally we will have a drama that a female character will not need to be always saved she had so much potential, but it went downhill. In a way I am hoping that somehow they will somehow manage to bring her back as someone who can save herself and possibly Yeon.

 

Now that baby in the end of episode, I have a theory that Yeon's first love Ah Eum was pregnant at the time of her death, however it was still early to be noticeable. Somehow Rang managed to attain the spirit of the unborn baby and it is somehow starting to grow, the whole room was covered in symbols even the baby blanket with the paper shaman things maybe some of the fox bead went to the baby as well and only a little was left in Ah Eum that's why it was difficult for Yeon to find Ah Eum's reincarnation. I know it doesn't make much sense I'm not good at explaining this :D 

 

 

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Just finished ep 4 and ngl I can see this turning into my guilty pleasure show! Before I tell you why, let's run down on a few things people have mentioned:

  • Reincarnation trope, again?
Spoiler

Like most, I was disappointed to see that JA is actually AE reincarnated but remember what Granny said? She is not the same person. Although there have been many similarities thus far, LY disregarded all of that and went through the Underworld of Knives to save JA, not AE. Also, I'm finding just as many differences between the two girls. JA, unlike AE, has experienced loss, loneliness, and grief since she was young. That is essentially what characterizes her to be the tough as nails, never beating around the bush, and quick to analyze FL she is today. This is very different from AE who seems like she was a noble (judging by her clothes) and was happy since she was young.

  • That leads to the next point: JA's characterization
Spoiler

Believe me when I say I was also disappointed when she couldn't fight off the ghost kids, but let's remember that this is not something she's familiar with. She JUST entered the supernatural world and is experiencing these things for the FIRST time (actually second, but the first was extremely traumatizing). And she's tragically very human. All the mistakes that she made is very realistic and imo true to character. I would find it odd to see her finding a way to protect herself at this point of the story. She also mentioned it to LY before that she can not fight off these supernatural beings or make it rain, but she will repay the favor. (on another note: this seems ominous bc how can a human being save a 1000 year old fox? maybe by her death??? If this ends like Korean Odyssey I'm flipping tables)

 

Back to JA, she talks about how she had been lonely all her life. No one looked after her. Instead, she's always had to look out for herself. I saw this when she talked to the old men on the island. She knows how to protect herself from other humans. So when LY walked into her life and saved her (when she was a child and as an adult), I think it's only natural for her to want to depend on him. Hence her fast developing feelings as well. Think about how human the logic is. I still love how she is able to read people so easily (like LR) and how she caught her hoobae with the book upside down. She's smart and capable. I think a dumb FL would not have caught on to anything and stayed where she was in the house. Which I see often :sweatingbullets:

  • And finally, predictions
Spoiler

Many have pointed out the connection between JA/Imoogi.

 

I looked at the story of Imoogi in Korean folklore and it read that Imoogi's power is granted through Yeouiju (something similar to celestial power?) which is personified by a girl. Imoogis are not fully dragon and instead are serpents wanting to achieve the full glory of becoming a dragon. Apparently it takes 1000 years (how coincidental as LY is 1000 years+) for them to go through the process and if they exceed the amount, they need sacrifices of virgins to appease their destruction. Going back to the girl, when she turns 17, the birthmark of the dragon will appear on her shoulder and it will reveal that she is actually Imoogi in the form of a human. If they merge, I'm thinking the Imoogi can steal her power.

 

All of this sounds familiar because I feel it's what happened with AE and Imoogi in the first timeline. AE merged with Imoogi to protect LY so that he could kill Imoogi within her. I'm sure Imoogi had other evil intentions besides becoming a dragon. Knowing this, the ending will probably not include the same scenario. JA may have powers of her own that can be awakened or it may just be Imoogi hiding in her body. I'm holding onto the hope that her parents will be the key to breaking the curse. 

 

Many have predicted a tragic ending, but drama gods PLS LET IT NOT BE SO!!! It's bad but I hope LR sacrifices himself by saving both LY and JA if the ending doesn't look promising. It really is the only way to redeem his character and the millions of deaths he's caused.

 

I wanted to say more, but I'll hold myself till next week's episodes. I hope this didn't drag too much and was insightful/helpful to anyone curious. Before I go, I have to admit I am noticing some directorial weaknesses, which can either shine or diminish the leads' chemistry by a huge margin. But like I said earlier, this show is my guilty pleasure. The characters + thrill is enough to overlook the small awkward moments not to mention I am absolutely in love with JBA and LDW as well their chemistry. JBA seems a lot more attracted to LDW than she was with Yoo Seungho (who was younger, hence more comfortable) and Park Haejin (who was older, but awkward lol)

 

If you read this far, thank you and feel free to reply as I would love to hear more opinions about the drama :) 

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6 hours ago, soojeons said:
  • That leads to the next point: JA's characterization

 

 

For me, some of the scenes of Ji Ah seems inconsistent with her character. Yes, she is a normal human with no powers. I will probably have no problem understanding her if she is portrayed as such. But we are given a PD in charge of supernatural related show, she knows/familiar with a lot of the symbolism (painting of the dragon king, lunar date, recognizing shaman, the path on beach, etc). Even when she was with the shaman, I really love how she is being careful not to really drink the tea. She has been portrayed as someone that is knowledgeable with the supernatural world even though she rarely experience it herself. A normal unsuspecting human do not posses that kind of knowledge and in my part, I will give it a leeway if they acting like Ji Ah during the last scene in EP 4. That is why I was hoping that Ji Ah was given a chance to do the most minimal effort to ward off the ghosts that have been following her. Running out into a dark tall building out of nowhere that is much creepier than her house up until the rooftop really does not scream smart and careful just like how Ji Ah was presented in earlier episodes/scenes. My guess is that the writer intention was to make Ji Ah as a tool to make Yeon's sacrifices seems more majestic by making her so vulnerable and incapable of protecting herself which is inconsistent with her character in my understanding. We are only 4 episodes in but I really hope that the writer would not go down this route because Ji Ah is a character with a lot of potential and I wish that she is not just serving the purpose as Yeon's long lost love and end up being the last sacrifice to save him. I can imagine them as Sherlock and Watson of the supernatural world but I guess it this is not genre the drama intended to be.

 

Speaking about how she had been lonely all her life, do we know how she has been living post-accident when she was little? She is still living in her childhood house but how did she maintain it? Does she has any relatives that help her with finances and stuff when growing up? Who was her guardian when she was a minor? She also seems well educated. Have we been told/shown because I can't seem to recall that we did. I feel like we are not getting enough backstory of her and while Yeon has a lot of people around him, Ji Ah does not seem like she has personal life outside of her job. I think that the only interaction we got of her aside of Yeon and Rang are her work colleagues and people she met while on the job.

 

 

Disclaimer: I am not hating on Ji Ah or anything, I just hope the inconsistencies will not last long.

 

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I think the same, Ji Ah is reckless, i guess it's because she doesn't realize how severe is the danger to which she exposes herself... not only physical danger but her soul/spirit too, since her actions can disturb the other world realm/order and is in danger of her soul being exposed to those otherworldly punishments (like they did to Yoon).

 

She's smart and brave, so i think down the road, she'll learn to act bravely without falling into reckless behaviour, i believe that she doesn't mean any harm and is doing all she can to know what happened to her parents, but, again, she doesn't realize the gravity the danger she faces.

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1 hour ago, kdramagrandma said:

 

 

For me, some of the scenes of Ji Ah seems inconsistent with her character...

 

 

I definitely see your point! I mean they have to move the story along somehow, right? Haha I think there wouldn't be much of an epic romance if LY didn't get to save JA and the only way was to make it so that she had no choice (going all the way up to the creepy building lol /I shook my head at this scene too/)

 

But I do appreciate JA making active decisions to run away and not call out to LY first glance at trouble. As well as the author making the effort to make it seem logical for him to step in. It's not similar, but I want to compare this scene with the time JA carried that drunk guy in ep 1. I didn't find it smart for her to carry him when he could have obviously bonked her head at any moment, but these inconsistencies can also make for a consistency if that makes sense. Maybe... 1) To show that she is naive to some things. 2) She may not be as tough as nails as she appears to be. 3) It could be all a front. There are endless possibilities as to why she acted the way she did, but I'm trusting that the writer will have reasons for her doing so. Like you mentioned though, there are flaws and inconsistencies. Similarly, I hope they don't mess up her characterization for the sake of our male lead. Because I have to protect this girl at all costs!!!

 

And I hope they share more about her background, but sadly I think it'll only be limited to her colleagues and parents. It may just go to show how obsessed/focused she is on finding her parents. Enough to forego a personal life. But enter LY and he will be the one to show her the joys of the mundane and make her long to have one. I personally think LY or LR will die in the end for JA to get to live out her life. But we'll see!

 

PS I love KKBS behind the scenes!! At 2:30 we get to hear some Boah/Dongwook interaction~

 

BA: Good work~

DW: Stop filming haha! (BA laughs)

BA: Oppa, this filming is gonna go out to our behind the scenes cuts!

DW: Alright~

BA: Because they didn't come out today... (I'm assuming they're talking about the bts filmers) How was it? How does it feel going to hell twice? 

DW: I feel like I went filming twice..seriously I feel like I worked out for 30 minutes 

BA: Aww you worked hard today. Have some coffee :wub:

 

I can see how much Boah respects and values Wookie!! Not to mention she laughs literally every time he talks :P (trying really hard not to ship them! omg)

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While waiting for the new episode, it is glad that we can watch newly released BTS by tvN. I really like the atmosphere in the filming set where all actors and actress interact with fun and friendly ^^ Kim Bum and Lee Dong Wook have a good brotherhood chemistry :))) For Boah, Wook-ssi acts as a caring sunbae, which also contributes to glowing chemistry in each episode. 

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4 minutes ago, Jillia said:

I think the writer confuses a female lead being reckless with being strong and independent. :lol: I think a healthy amount of fear and good reasoning would be good for Ji Ah. :D

 

I recently read a comment about JA on Twitter: Ji Ah has done her first annoying thing & I'm not sure I blame her entirely...Her protective beans dropped & she didn't notice even though she's supposed to be very perceptive but she just had to deal w/ Rang so that probably took all her concentration

 

At first, I was a bit annoyed at that mistake when she should be sharp at observing. However, it may be the side effect which Lee Rang used on the bean bag so that she didn't hear the sound of bean dropping. Till she felt panicked she touched it and realized it was empty. I think the recent fear about ghost children and the effect which Lee Rang used have put her into the danger. Usually, I appreciate the description and building of her character as a strong, independent girl :))

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