Hi Chingus

Like most cultures, Korean culture has deep roots in supernatural and mythical folklore with stories that have been handed down several generations as far back as the three kingdoms. Some of these myths are about love, adventure, and gore featuring mystical creatures like goblins, foxes, dragons, and mountain spirits. 

A good number of these folklore have also made it to the main screen in Korean entertainment, garnering international acclaim and making fans go crazy for beautiful immortals with magical powers, glowing eyes, perfect skin, and a sexy vibe of danger. Gong Yoo Ahjuicy remains my zaddy anytime any day.

However, the most popular of them all is the powerful “Nine-Tailed Fox” also known as a Gumiho. Usually depicted as handsome or beautiful with a mystical bead that can heal all ills, and magical powers with no weakness but their one true love, these Gumihos don’t eat our liver but our hearts. This is a big difference from the historical tale that depicts them as shape-shifting evil creatures who love to seduce men and eat their livers. They got the hallyuwood treatment (wink-wink)

Here are some of my favourite Gumiho dramas that you should definitely add to your movie list

TALE OF THE NINE-TAILED

Released in 2020, this remains one of the most popular Gumiho-themed series that really got people raving with its immersive storyline and excellent casting. Lee Dong-wook stars as Lee Yeon, a 1000-year-old Gumiho who has been living among humans for centuries fighting off evil spirits until his life took a weird turn after meeting ambitious and skilled mystery documentary producer Nam Ji Ah (played by Jo Bo Ah), a reincarnation of his first love. Let’s not forget his rogue half-gumiho little brother Lee Rang (acted by Kim Bum) who tries to make his life a living hell.

Season two (2023) is a time slip that details the adventures of Lee Yeon in 1938 during the Japanese colonial era in Korea. There, he catches up with old friends, and family, and forms allies to fight the big bad spirits hiding behind their colonialists. Tail of the Nine Tailed blends romance, fantasy, and action setting a huge standard for modern fantasy movies in Korea.

MY GIRLFRIEND IS A GUMIHO

This romantic comedy released in 2010 stars Shin Min-ah as Mi-ho, a gullible Gumiho who is accidentally freed after being trapped in a painting for 500 years by Cha Dae-Woong (played by Lee Seung-gi), a carefree aspiring action star. She longs to be free, falls in love with the human world, and gives her bead to Dae-Woong to hold onto for 100 days, after which she’ll turn human. They grow closer, fall in love, and discover that a gumiho becoming a human is not as easy as they thought.

This drama will make you laugh, cry and has major 2nd male lead love interest vibes so don’t watch if you don’t have an extra TV or laptop because you may be tempted to do some damage.

MY ROOMMATE IS A GUMIHO

Released in 2021, its storyline features Shin Woo Yeo, a 999-year-old gumiho (acted by Jang Ki-young) who caught the “I want to forget my powers and immortality and become a human” disease.

To achieve this, he stored human energy in his bead for centuries hoping to get powerful enough to rid him of his immortality curse of eternal youth, fluffy white tails, and of course superhero powers. However, his plan took a cartoony turn when energetic college student Lee Dam (played by Lee Hyeri) accidentally swallowed it. One would think that the bead which holds the power of a gumiho would stay put in his heart and not dangle around like a loose tooth. However, both work together to get it out of her before time runs out.

GU FAMILY BOOK

Unlike most settings, this drama is a historical series about the life of a troubled half-human, half-gimiho orphan, Choi Kang Chi (Lee Seung-gi). He lost his parents due to the defamatory legend that gumihos are bloodthirsty creatures. He is soon adopted and unfortunately loses his second family to misfortune, an event that helps him discover his true powers.

He later goes on a journey of self-discovery, love, and a quest to free himself from the gumiho “curse” while protecting those he loves. It’s a story of passion, revenge, and love.

A GOOD DAY TO BE A DOG

Although this series is about puppy dog love both literally and figuratively; featuring Jin Seo Woo (Cha Eun Woo), a man with a strong phobia for dogs, and Park Gyu Young as Han Hae Na, a lady with a family curse that turns her to a dog when she kisses, the gumiho element cannot be ignored.

This is not only because he created the curse but because the gumiho’s character Lee Bo Gyeom (acted by Lee Hyun Woo) literally overshadowed the main characters. It’s a tale of a mountain god Gumiho who fell in love with a human, Min Ji Ah (acted by Kim Yi Kyung) only to witness her betrayal and death at the hands of her friends. Fueled with rage and love, he takes out his revenge on the reincarnated versions of the betrayals a.k.a, the main characters. However, he later meets the reincarnation of his dead lover and discovers that things were not really what he pictured them to be centuries ago. While the acting and line delivery was stellar, the chemistry between the gumiho and Min Ji Ah gave 10/10.

Despite replacing the folklore gumihos’ with a fashion sense Anna Wintour will go crazy for, a chaebol lifestyle, and a tragic love story; they still depict the rich history of Korean mythical beliefs which is both a cheat code to teach history and entertainment.

What is your favourite gumiho-based K-Drama or movie? Share with me in the comments!