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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Celebrities devider Stars of Prime Video's 'Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938' talk about K-fantasy series 

Stars of Prime Video's 'Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938' talk about K-fantasy series 

Published May 5, 2023 03:54 am
The Korean fantasy series “Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938” will be premiering globally on Prime Video on May 6.  Produced by CJ ENM’s Studio Dragon, it is headlined by Korean stars Lee Dong-wook, Kim So-yeon, Kim Bum and Ryu Kyung-soo.  Ahead of the premiere, the four stars had an interview with 

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and other Asian media outlets where they talked about the series and their roles.  “Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938” (Prime Video)
“Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938” is the new season of “Tale of the Nine Tailed,” which aired in 2020 with Lee Dong-wook, Kim Bum and Jo Bo-ah.  It will continue with the story of “gumiho” (nine-tailed fox) Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-wook) when he unexpectedly ends up in the year 1938.  Lee Dong-wook and Kim Bum will reprise their roles as half brothers Lee Yeon and Lee Rang. Kim Bum, who rose to popularity through the 2009 drama “Boys Over Flowers, will play the role of half-gumiho Lee Rang. Kim So-yeon of the drama “The Penthouse: War in Life” will portray Ryu Hong-ju who has some history with Lee Yeon.  Ryu Kyung-soo is Cheon Mu-yeong, who is a long-time friend of Lee Yeon and Ryu Hong-ju. 

Gumiho and time travel to 1938

  “Gumiho” is a creature in Korean mythology and has been a popular subject of Korean dramas and films.  During the interview, Lee Dong-wook explained why gumiho has become an interesting subject in dramas and how it is portrayed in the upcoming “Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938.” “Usually, people are familiar with the gumiho being a woman. But we twisted that a little from the past season into creating a gumiho that was male. And we followed the journey of this male gumiho in his endeavors to protect the woman he loves as well as his family,” he said.  He added, “I think it also taps into the curiosity of what it would be like for a mythical character or an otherworldly being to come into live in the contemporary days. I think all of those elements combined has led to all the great response we’ve been getting, as well as helped gumiho become a intriguing subject matter in the drama scene.” “Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938” involves time travel to the past and will have more action scenes, according to Lee Dong-wook and Kim Bum.  “Compared to season 1, I’d say that because we’re situated in a different time period, that means everything’s about to change. Also, you can expect a greater scale of action. As for romance, because I’m going back in time as a married man to Ji-ah, my love stands very firm. And holding on to that love, I’ll be going back in time and responding to many different events, in order to protect what I love,” said Lee Dong-wook.  Kim Bum said, “Just like Dong-wook said, because the time period is very different, and we also have added to the cast former guardian mountain spirits.”  “And that means there will be greater scale of action that you can look forward to. And due to the time period, what would have been cars in modern day, we’ll now be riding horses and using guns and other weapons that fit that particular period. Those are some of the changes that I hope the fans can look forward to,” he said.  “Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938” (Prime Video)

Kim So-yeon and Ryu Kyung-soo

  Kim So-yeon and Ryu Kyung-soo are introduced as new cast members in “Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938.” For Kim So-yeon, she said she has “always been an avid viewer and a huge fan of the show since season 1.”  “I had actually read an article that a second season was in the works, so I was excited to hear that and intrigued. And when I was offered the role, I was beyond excited and so happy to join. I’ve also always wanted to do a fantasy drama series as well, and wanted to work with Dong-wook and Kim Bum. Also, because I had heard of and seen the amazing chemistry the two actors had brought in the previous season, I had no worries about building rapport or the chemistry,” she added.  Kim So-yeon said when she accepted the offer to be in “Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938,” “I deliberately took the time to rewatch all of it. To prepare for season 2, I worked out a lot and got my body in shape for the role, and I sincerely investigated and studied about the time period our story is set in.” Ryu Kyung-soo, whose acting credits include “Itaewon Class” and “Hellbound,” said, “For me, when I first read the script, the time period, the universe that had been built, and the fantastical elements were all so intriguing and it was such a great read.”  “I had a lot of fun. Also, as for the rapport with Dong-wook and Bum, rather than me having to do any of the work, they were so generous and reached out first, and really tried their best to make us feel at home, and comfortable. They treated me to a lot of great food! Including Makgeolli. So I’m very grateful,” he said.  Ryu Kyung-soo also said he watched season 1 “and I was amazed because there were so many great action scenes and the visuals were top-notch, all in all it was such a great show. And upon joining the cast, one of my main areas of focus was that my character is a long-time friend of the characters portrayed by Lee Dong-wook and Kim So-yeon, so my main focus was how do I come across as someone who’s convincing enough for the audience to think that they’ve been friends for a very long time. That was my main area of focus…how do I create the right dynamics between my character and that of Dong-wook and So-yeon’s.”  Lee Dong-wook praised the Kim So-yeon and Ryu Kyung-soo, saying that “whenever I saw these two on set, every chance they got, they were practicing the action scenes and putting in a lot of effort into season 2.”

Seasons 1 and 2

  When asked to compare playing their characters in seasons 1 and 2 of “Tale of the Nine Tailed,” Lee Dong-wook and Kim Bum said the first season was more challenging since it was the first time that they worked on the drama.  “If I had to choose, I’d have to say it’d be the first season that was more challenging. Because for this time around, we have what we’ve already built in the former season, so we know how to work off of one another, we have the chemistry, and we have a full understanding of the narrative between the characters,” said Lee Dong-wook.  According to him, “The first season wasn’t that difficult either, but if I had to choose, it would be season 1 because we had to create everything from scratch. For 1938, thankfully, we could just go with the flow because everything was just there from the previous season. And we actually returned to the show in about two years, but it felt as if we had just wrapped up the shoot for season 1 yesterday and we were just picking up where we left off right away.” Kim Bum agreed with him, saying, “The more challenging was the first season and for the same reasons. Having to build a character from zero-base sometimes feels very difficult and unclear, so there were challenges regarding that in season 1.”  “But, like Dong-wook said, it’s been two years since we concluded the first season but I felt right back at home when we started working on season 2. Of course my character this time is someone from 1938, but because we have three years worth of time, emotions, and stories that we’ve built together, I think it was a lot easier this time,” he added. 

Visit to the Philippines

  Both Lee Dong-wook and Kim Bum have become popular through their different acting projects. The two said that if given the chance, they want to visit the Philippines.  “Unfortunately, due to the circumstances, a lot of the countries we’ve all been cut off from each other for quite a while. But thankfully from this year, things are getting a lot more easier, so I’m patiently waiting for the chance to be able to meet face to face with my fans in other countries, of course, including the Philippines,” said Kim Bum.  He added, “I’m personally very grateful for all the love and support despite the long distance that stands between us, and I look forward the day when we’ll be able to meet with the fans face to face.” Lee Dong-wook revealed that he has been to the Philippines five to six times.  “I feel the same way. Because of Covid, we couldn’t travel, and it’s been a long time since I met with my fans overseas. In fact my last Asian tour was back in 2017, so about six years ago. I can’t believe it’s been that long,” he said.  He added, “I really miss my fans in Asian countries, including the Philippines fans. I’ve actually been to the Philippines about five to six times and I remember the fans being so welcoming and loving toward me, and I only have great memories of the country. So I truly hope I’ll be able to visit again soon.” Prime Video subscribers in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, and Japan can watch a new episode of “Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938” weekly, every Saturday and Sunday. The show will launch globally everywhere else later in the summer.

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