Tale of the Nine Tailed (2020) s01e01 Episode Script

1
TALE OF THE NINE TAILED
Foxes that reach the age of 100
can either turn into beautiful women
or turn into men and mate with women.
A fox that lives for 1,000 years
becomes a celestial fox through
a connection with the heavens.
Its skills are like that
of a powerful shaman
and can see what's happening
a thousand miles away.
We were going to give it to you
when we got home, but…
Here! Your birthday present!
Wow!
Do you like your present?
Yes, I love it.
1999 - "FOX HILL"
Ji-ah…
Please help…
Help!
My princess, you're up.
Thank goodness.
It was all a dream.
-Here.
-Let's have some fruit.
Mom, I love you. I love you so much.
What happened to you in your sleep?
Dad, I love you. I love you so much.
Goodness. I love you so much, my Ji-ah.
By the way, my dear,
did you have a nightmare?
I don't even want to think about it.
This evening,
many lives were lost due to the fire
at Seongjin Market in Samho 2-dong, Seoul.
The fire started around 7:00 p.m.,
burning down three complexes
before it was extinguished.
SEONGJIN MARKE
The fire forced the evacuation
of over 200 people,
and the current number of casualties
stands at 22.
The fire started in a small space…
Mom.
I'm hungry.
-Would you like some fruit?
-No.
I want some… walnut pastries.
Where were the walnut pastries?
I think we're all out.
Can I buy you some tomorrow?
There aren't any at my house.
Not since I was taken to a hospital
because I'm allergic to nuts.
Right. I forgot.
My mom never forgets. She's a doctor.
I was tired, so I was mistaken.
You're not my mom!
-Ji-ah!
-Where's my mom?
I am your mom!
Honey!
Ji-ah, open the door!
Come talk to Dad!
Good girl. Ji-ah?
You little witch.
Ah-eum.
Are you Ah-eum?
I guess not.
You're not Ah-eum.
Forget everything you saw today.
If you don't…
Road 144, Fox Hill.
There is an overturned vehicle.
There are bloodstains inside,
on the driver and passenger seats.
They bled profusely.
But… the bodies are missing.
Mom!
Dad!
Yes, the only survivor is a little girl.
Mom! Dad!
Hey, kid. Are you all right?
My mom and dad are gone.
Please find my mom and dad.
Don't worry. We'll find your parents.
Do you remember what happened
during the accident?
Were you alone from the beginning?
EPISODE 1 - THE INCIDEN
THAT OCCURRED ON FOX HILL
21 YEARS LATER
WEDDING
AUGUST 29, 2020, SAT. 8:00 A.M.
Please have ice cream
after you finish your breakfast.
There was no mention of rain
in the forecast!
Oh, no! I got my hair done today!
-It's all wet.
-Oh, no.
-All wet?
-Yeah.
Because a fox is getting married today.
-Take a photo. A photo.
-Okay, I will.
One, two, three.
-Let me see.
-Did it turn out good?
-You look great.
-You didn't send me an invitation.
Can you guys give us a minute?
-Who is he?
-An ex-boyfriend?
-Introduce us.
-I said get out.
-Lee Yeon, what are you…
-I'm not here to catch the bouquet.
-How did you find me?
-How did you hide so perfectly?
Did you think changing your face and
identity would change your bloody past?
But transferring to a different life
isn't as simple as transferring subways.
-Please don't kill me.
-Too late.
I've changed. I don't harm people anymore.
Fox sister.
How can you dream of a happy ending
after eating the livers
of your adoptive parents and brothers?
I've fallen in love with someone.
I want to live as a human being. Please.
How romantic.
Still, you're going to die today.
You once loved a human too.
You understand me, don't you?
There's something you don't know.
One: The thing I hate the most
is when someone brings up my scandal.
Two: Don't you dare…
show your claws in front of me.
-Goodbye.
-One last time.
Let me just see him one last time.
This is advice from my experience:
That's a terrible thing to do.
Please. It's my last wish.
Ma'am, it's time.
It's time for the bride to go in now.
Hurry. Let's go.
Just until the wedding is over.
Perhaps the beings we don't know about
are living among us.
The urban legends told by those around us
might just be another name
for those beings.
-What do you think?
-You revised the script again?
-Ms. Kim will faint.
-Will she feel like crap?
-Of course.
-Even so, revising it is better, no?
-Of course.
-Then let's go with this.
A producer must have a lot of gall--
meaning they should have no fear.
What's really mysterious is,
I don't believe in scary stories,
ghosts or things like that.
But I'm scared of them.
I'm not scared of them at all,
but I believe in them.
You do? Why?
Have you seen them in real life?
Mom!
Dad!
-Yeah.
-You serious?
You're just trying to scare me, huh?
Let's just say that I am.
What's with the weather today?
They say if it rains on the wedding day,
you'll live happily ever after.
Hey, congrats!
-Here. Meal tickets.
-No, thank you.
No, I'd like them, please.
Food is all I get back
from giving all that cash.
Wedding food gives me indigestion
for some reason.
I wonder why.
The smell of compulsive happiness
in the air is suffocating.
At times, you should
force happiness onto yourself.
You never know.
You might meet your man of fate here.
EMERGENCY!
We have to find an item of fate first.
-The report fell through.
-Damn it.
Oh, the family greeting room is this way.
Yes, please come this way. Follow me.
The old lord of Baekdudaegan.
What gives you the right to punish us?
I don't believe this.
If it wasn't for you, I'd be eating
ice cream and watching TV all day.
You're just a nine-tailed fox
who broke a taboo
and got kicked out
from being a mountain god!
For that, I'm doing physical labor,
like this.
Please help me!
Help!
-Who the hell are you?
-You can't hide looking like that.
-Who are you?
-Who the heck are you?
You're so disobedient.
No way. Okay?
-No!
-Don't look, please…
How foolish.
You should've run away
when you bought time.
I wanted to be a bride.
When you're reborn, don't fall in love.
I have one last favor to ask you.
Just erase…
all his good memories of me.
Deal.
Listen carefully.
Your bride is…
Hey. She's not the girl I saw last time.
Hey, be quiet. What are you talking about?
You look great.
Do I?
Hold on.
-Ji-ah, big news.
-What's going on?
Their wedding was called off.
Really?
Who was he?
Do you… know that guy?
-No.
-Want me to find out?
Find what out?
How the peaceful wedding
turned into Pandora's box.
You never know.
That might just be our item of fate.
They say the bride ran away.
Ran away?
Yeah, that's possible.
But what did she realize
to make such an expensive U-turn as this?
It's true love.
-There was a man?
-Yes.
He yelled, "She's mine!"
and the bride grabbed his hand
like she'd been waiting for that moment
and said,
"I am going to be with my one true love!"
The witnesses are all saying
the same thing.
There's a trace of defense.
-Bloodstain?
-There was a brawl.
No one mentioned anything like that.
More than anything,
why is this dress here?
Because she took it off…
You're right.
What did she wear when she left?
The witnesses' statements
and the crime scene
are telling different stories.
Were they all hypnotized or something?
I need to see the face
of that romanticist of the century.
Okay. I'll go ask for the footage.
-It's fox fur.
-Fox?
A red fox. Native to the Korean Peninsula.
But red foxes have gone extinct.
Oh, Producer Nam, I guess there are things
even you don't know about.
The fox restoration project
has been in progress since 2012.
Here.
FOXES RETURN AFTER 40 YEARS
13 FOXES RELEASED ON MT. SOBAEK
How did traces of foxes released
on Mt. Sobaek end up around here?
One got caught
in an apartment complex in Youngju,
and one crossed the demarcation line
to North Korea.
So it's not strange to have shown up
at a wedding hall in Gangnam?
Wild boars also rummage through
convenience stores when hungry.
All foxes released on Mt. Sobaek
have tracking devices,
and none have come down to Seoul yet.
For your information, I was the producer
of an animal program for two years.
Now, then, where did this come from?
Please pick up your phone.
I've fallen in love with someone.
I want to live as a human being. Please.
You once loved a human too.
You understand me, don't you?
Here.
Thank you.
Ji-eun.
Mister, are you an alien?
-No.
-Then what are you?
-A nine-tailed fox.
-Then are you over 100 years old?
-I'm over 1,000 years old.
-Then what are you doing here?
-I'm just waiting for someone.
-Waiting for who?
-My first love.
-Why?
Because foxes never leave their partners
once they have mated until they die.
My mom waits for the deliveryman
every day too.
He'll come after two nights.
But she's not coming.
Even after 100 or 1,000 nights.
-Are you okay?
-No, I'm not okay.
-Then want me to be your friend?
-No.
Why not?
Your nose.
A guy with a runny nose isn't cool at all.
And humans live much too short a time
to be my friends.
I'm saying life is short.
So try your best to live your life,
but don't try too hard
to cope with what's unbearable.
People you can't stand, love…
and so on.
-Okay?
-Okay.
AFTERLIFE IMMIGRATION OFFICE
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION OF THE DEAD
MAXIMUM ENFORCEMENT PERIOD
AFTERLIFE IMMIGRATION OFFICE
How have you been, old hag?
PERSONAL INFORMATION
FOX SISTER
I haven't seen you in quite a while.
I was busy, thanks to you.
Wow. I get to see the mighty Taluipa
struggling with a computer.
What can I do?
I must follow the changes of the world.
The world of the dead
should work full-time too.
Did you see my text?
-Yeah, the Fox sister?
-Then why did you leave me on read?
Do you think I have the time to hear
pathetic stories from supernatural beings?
When the higher-ups order you,
you just need to catch them.
How much longer
do I have to keep doing this!
Have you gone mad?
Was the food
at the wedding buffet poisoned?
I've been doing military service for over
600 years, so of course I'm going mad.
Military service?
No one forced you to abandon your position
as mountain god and live like this.
You're the one who chose physical labor
in return for that girl's reincarnation!
"Lee Yeon, former mountain god
of Baekdudaegan,
is to repay the kindness by punishing
those who cause chaos between
the worlds of the living and the dead
in return for Ah-eum's reincarnation."
-Foxes always repay kindness, right?
-Damn it.
Right now.
Want to be discharged?
-You will go to hell, old hag.
-What did you say?
I'm going to pray
with a bowl of sacred water.
How dare you!
Don't take too much glucosamine.
Your joints will only get better
when you're kind to others.
-Oh, Lee Yeon, hi!
-How have you been?
What the heck?
He's leaving already?
Honey!
Have some tteokbokki.
I lost my appetite
because of that bastard.
Don't be so harsh with him.
His heart must be aching
from waiting for the dead maiden.
There you go again.
You and your soft heart.
You don't really understand love.
I should eat all the tteokbokki myself.
Lord Lee Yeon,
why are you getting back to me now?
-What is it?
-Code Red! Code Red!
-What's going on?
-Where are you?
FINDING SCARY URBAN LEGENDS
SHAMANISM AND SHAMAN
45 PEOPLE FOUND AS SKELETONS
IMAGES
RED FOX
Someone revised my script again.
-Are you picking a fight with me?
-I committed a deadly sin, Ms. Kim.
That's not an attitude of one
who committed a deadly sin.
-Geez, there they go again.
-Want to fight?
-Yeah. Let's fight!
-Hey, don't fight.
-You stay out of this, Mr. Choi.
-I'm back.
-Did you find him?
-You know, it's vague…
-What? The eloper of love?
-Hey, bring it here.
Let me see his face.
A red umbrella with embroidery.
Such cute taste he has.
I brought the ones that show him the best.
This was when he came in,
and this was when he left.
Wow. His face is completely covered
by the umbrella.
Wait a minute.
It wasn't raining after the wedding.
So he's a smart criminal, huh?
By the way, coming in is one thing,
but why is he leaving alone?
-There's none.
-What?
I checked all of the footage,
and there's no record
of the bride leaving the wedding hall.
-Are you even listening to me?
-Listening to what?
That!
That producer brought in fox fur.
-Did I get caught?
-No way.
I've been living in this world
such a long time,
sometimes I even wonder
if I'm a human or a fox.
I wonder about my existence.
-Nice going.
-Anyway, I got a bad feeling about this.
-How was the food?
-So-so.
-How would you like to pay?
-In full.
Lord Lee Yeon, look! Look at that!
Why?
WE LOOK FORWARD
TO HEARING FROM YOU.
Right? What should we do?
I don't think you should carry
that umbrella around for a while.
Tell that human to catch me if she can.
Are you serious?
SNAIL BRIDE
TRADITIONAL KOREAN CUISINE
I told you I had a bad feeling.
She's famous at the broadcasting station.
-Are you the one who reported?
-Yes.
I'm the producer of
Finding Scary Urban Legends.
Can I get your autograph later, please?
I've watched this show, like, 20 times.
Have a seat.
So you saw this man?
-Yes, I did.
-Who is he?
-A monster.
-A monster?
He doesn't grow old,
and he doesn't die either.
Like goblins and aliens on TV, you know?
-You don't believe me, do you?
-To be honest, I don't.
Don't look down on me. I don't tell lies.
Excuse me, but what do you do?
I'm studying for the Rank 9
public servant exam in Noryangjin.
-Your hometown?
-Yeongam, Jeollanam-do.
My mom, a farmer, says her only wish
is to see her son go to work
in a suit and tie.
-Okay, goodbye.
-But I'm not finished yet.
Your profile and shoes don't match.
What kind of working student wears
custom shoes that cost $4,000?
Plus, you're not speaking
in a Yeongam accent.
That's enough reason for me
to not waste my time, no?
-Well, then--
-Fox Hill.
Fox Hill?
I saw him there.
How can I trust someone
who hasn't even been identified?
You can check for yourself, then.
Welcome back.
Damn. I chose the wrong shoes.
She didn't miss it and pointed them out.
-Then why are you smiling?
-I like her.
-What do you like about her?
-Everything, from head to toe.
Then shall I eat her?
From head to toe?
Not yet.
-Which flavor would you like?
-Mint chocolate chip.
You always have mint chocolate chip.
I packed it in because you're a regular.
Next time, just give me the exact amount.
Pardon?
I have an inevitable reason to repay
all of the kindness I receive.
The number you dialed
is not available, you jerk.
-It's been a while.
-Why?
What do you mean, why?
I called because I missed you.
-What are you doing now?
-I'm busy. Bye.
I don't think you are.
Let's meet up.
-I refuse.
-Then I'm going to set your house on fire.
Acting like a kid
when you're over 600 isn't cute.
-You'll regret it.
-I won't.
Are you still waiting for her?
Your dead girlfriend?
You see, I heard an interesting rumor.
Shall I tell you or not?
Don't play tricks.
If you're curious, come out.
Tonight, take the bus
at the place I told you about.
-But under one condition.
-One condition?
You must go alone.
SEONGHAN
COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTER
FINDING SCARY URBAN LEGENDS
Excuse me. Are you a producer?
-Yes.
-I want to be a producer too.
Find a different dream if you can.
I've been working for 22 hours straight.
-My leg! It's killing me!
-Sir!
Are you okay?
Are you getting on or not?
I am. Just a second.
-Get up, sir. I'll take you to a hospital.
-Let go of me!
Sir, I have to get on this bus.
-Mister, let's just go.
-Gosh.
-Are you getting on?
-I am! Hold on.
Don't get on the bus, you witch!
-Sir!
-Don't get on the bus!
It's him.
Hold on!
Where did you say your house was?
Just walk up to that sacred tree.
By the way, sir,
you're much heavier than you seem.
It's strange.
It's strange how heavy he is.
I can't hear him breathing either.
Sir.
That hurts!
Please,
loosen your hands…
We're here.
You shouldn't drink so much.
Don't take credit for something like this.
I've already repaid my debt.
What?
Wait, wait!
TAXI
-Where are you going, miss?
-I'm following the 1002 bus route.
Sir, the old grandpa
who was just behind me…
Who? I didn't see anyone else but you.
Hello? There's been an accident.
Road 144. Yes, Fox Hill.
Fox Hill?
-Road 144, Fox Hill.
-My mom and dad are gone!
No.
Excuse me. Sir!
Hello? Please wake up.
Schoolgirl. Schoolgirl!
-Stop taking photos!
-Hey, stop them from taking photos! Gosh.
Hey, Nam Ji-ah! What are you doing here?
Detective Baek, you could've been
collecting my dead body today.
What are you talking about?
-I almost got on.
-Huh?
That was the bus I was supposed to take.
You serious?
-We have five dead and one survivor.
-Oh, really?
-You're missing one.
-What?
-There were seven people on this bus.
-Are you sure?
I saw it with my own eyes.
He's the only one missing.
-No dead body or anything.
-Maybe he got off.
No, this bus didn't make a stop.
There's no bus stop
when passing the tunnel.
Hey, there's something we need to check!
Come here!
Hurry!
BREAKING NEWS - ROAD 144
TAKES LIVES, 1 SURVIVOR OUT OF 6
Only one out of six passengers survived.
-Let's go.
-Too many people died.
-So?
-Just leave it be.
I must solve this myself.
JUNG SOO-YOUNG
FEMALE, AGE 17
Soo-young, can you recognize me?
We met at the bus stop.
Do you remember how the accident happened?
Is it scary that you're the only survivor?
I was also in a similar accident before.
That's why I'm alone.
If you set your mind to it, a tragedy
can turn into a convenient shield.
Everyone's eager
to express their sympathy.
But I want you to stay strong.
It's much more fun
to be a producer than a victim.
Call if you ever need me.
Did you see a young man by the window
on the right side of the bus?
He was carrying this umbrella.
You saw him, didn't you?
What did you see? What was it that you're…
He's coming.
-What?
-To kill me.
He's going to come and kill me too.
Jae-hwan, ask Detective Baek
to send someone to the hospital.
Yeah. What about the bus CCTV?
It's broken.
Gosh. It's the same as the wedding.
-What about road cameras?
-None.
None in the tunnel,
nor the entrance or exit.
I'm looking for a high-school girl
brought in yesterday from a bus accident.
Is she with you?
What?
Found him.
WOOJIN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
Why would a producer want to see me?
This voice…
Could it be…
Why do you think so?
Is it some sort of street casting?
But that's too bad. I can't dance or sing.
The only talent I have is my looks.
Yes, it is a casting,
but a different genre.
-Then?
-Fox Hill.
Is it horror, then?
Well, it's a type of urban legend.
For example,
a passenger who was on bus 1002
suddenly disappeared into thin air.
That doesn't sound like
a successful drama.
Plus, I'm only into romantic comedy.
Then how about this?
Primary colors
sure do look good on camera.
Whether it's coincidence or fate,
I've already seen you three times.
First it was at the wedding,
in which the bride suddenly disappeared.
Second, on the 1002 bus.
Third, this hospital, where you came
looking for the victim of the accident.
Let's just call it fate.
But unfortunately, I have a girlfriend.
Though I may not look like it,
I'm a romanticist.
Did you kill her?
Or are you here to kill her?
I just found someone I want to kill.
He said he'd be back in ten minutes.
What's taking so long?
Don't people usually come prepared
when asking rude questions like that?
Such as evidence, a witness,
or a police badge, at the very least.
You're right. I was being rude, wasn't I?
-I'm sorry.
-I don't need heartless apologies.
You didn't even touch your coffee.
You should have some.
I don't take food or drink from strangers.
It's a frightening world we live in.
-One last thing.
-Gosh. What now?
What's your name?
Well, let's see. Find it out if you can.
Excuse me.
Please take my business card, then.
It's in there.
Well, this isn't a blind date.
I refuse any follow-up meetings.
Jae-hwan, it's me.
Tell Detective Baek
to run some fingerprints.
Yeah.
A leather purse.
In a way, this is like destiny.
The kid you saved 20 years ago
showed up right in front of you.
Though I'm sure
she won't even remember you.
-I don't like her.
-They do look alike, no?
I get startled every time I see her too.
You should quit advising that TV show.
No! That's my bread and butter.
That damn C-rated TV show…
It's the only TV show you watch.
Finding Scary Urban Legends.
You even wrote a comment
on the viewer bulletin board
that the grim reaper's attire was wrong.
Well, I do know a lot about them…
Just keep driving.
Soo-young, are you okay?
-I told you not to leave her alone.
-I was gone for less than five minutes!
-You couldn't catch him?
-My guys say they didn't see a shadow.
Are you sure it wasn't a dream?
I wasn't!
Miss, I don't want to stay here.
I have to get out of here.
Soo-young.
If I stay here,
I'm going to die.
LOOKING FOR MISSING PARENTS
REPORT TO GWANAK POLICE STATION
MYSTERIOUS ACCIDENT AT FOX HILL
BODIES STILL MISSING
-It's mine, but I'm not sure if it'll fit.
-I'm sorry to cause you trouble.
-It's only for one night. Don't worry.
-What about your family?
It's just me, so make yourself at home.
So she's alone.
-When did she leave?
-Not too long ago.
Oh, here. She told me to give this to you.
-Who did?
-The lady who took the patient.
Soo-young.
What are you doing here?
I remembered what happened
in the tunnel that day.
The bus went into the tunnel.
When I took my earphones off…
everything was so quiet around me.
Schoolgirl, have some.
They all died.
From the darkness,
he approached me.
-Who?
-The man with the umbrella.
What did he do?
He tried to kill me!
I was so scared…
It's okay. You're going to be all right.
Are you okay? Are you hurt?
-Lift your feet.
-Oh, I'm fine.
By the way, Soo-young,
where were you going so late at night?
Huh? I was going home--
I checked your address,
and the bus to your house
was on the other side of the road.
Oh, you see, that day, I…
Don't just say whatever comes to mind.
Miss…
When did you figure it out?
You see,
humans tend to guard their own bodies
by instinct when they're in an accident.
But the one and only survivor didn't have
a single wound on her body.
I don't believe in such things
as miracles.
Who the hell are you?
I'm someone you know…
And someone you don't know.
How did you…
-What about the real Soo-young?
-I ate her.
You think you can hurt me with this?
Not a chance.
I was just using myself as bait.
Bait?
Hey, you! I told you I refuse
any follow-up meetings.
I'm taking what you're looking for
to my house.
Now is not the time for this.
Damn it.
-Did you miss me?
-You want to die, little brother?
"Little brother"?
It's a long story,
but our family's a bit messed up.
This is why they say
your upbringing is important.
Just how many people did you kill?
-You worried that I might go to hell?
-Damn. It's because I'm embarrassed.
I did it because
I don't want to live your life as a loser!
Whining like this at your age
is even worse.
Time out. Let's not fight,
but make a bet, brother.
You still can't break that habit?
If you can't find her
by the next dark moon,
your woman dies.
-What?
-You know I'm not playing, right?
I'll see you again.
Hey. What the hell are you guys…
Forget everything about me.
INCOMING CALL
DETECTIVE BAEK
About the fingerprints you requested,
they've just been identified.
I was just using myself as bait.
Is that you, Shin-ju?
Why are all the doors open?
-Did you miss me?
-You want to die, little brother?
-"Little brother"?
-It's a long story…
What is that sound?
This is why they say
your upbringing is important.
Just how many people did you kill?
You worried that I might go to hell?
Damn. It's because I'm embarrassed.
I did it because I don't want
to live your life as a loser!
Whining like this at your age
is even worse.
Do you like it?
How did you find this place?
Name, Lee Yeon. Age, 36.
I'm sure it's a fake identity.
At this point, it really is
a coincidental twist of fate.
You still have your memories?
I don't know what it is,
but I guess it doesn't work on me.
What is it you want?
This is the original file.
If you want it, come and get it.
As expected, you're not human.
Were you testing me?
Forget everything you saw today.
If you don't…
I'll kill you.
I've been waiting for you.
TALE OF THE NINE TAILED
The price?
I'll take those eyes
that have seen things you shouldn't have.
I'm just going to keep lurking around
until one of us dies.
Go back to the world where you belong.
I'm desperate.
Is this a motion-sickness patch?
It's really asleep here?
Don't look for her.
It'll change your fate once more.
Ah-eum was born again, wasn't she?
Just don't disappear in front of me.
You really want to see
the world I live in?