The director of tvN's "Tale of the Nine-Tailed" Kang Shin Hyo shared his insights about the drama's casting choices.
An "urban fantasy drama," "Tale of the Nine-Tailed," tells the story of a male gumiho (mythical nine-tailed fox) named Yi Yeon (portrayed by Lee Dong Wook) who just settled in the city. Starring also in the drama is Jo Bo Ah, who performed as a talented and fearless producing director named Nam Ji Ah, who is also determined to hunt him down. Kim Bum plays Yi Rang, Yi Yeon's half-brother, born from a human and a gumiho.
Director Kang Shin Hyo shared that audiences and viewers of all ages love stories about superheroes in these times. He thought of making a Korean superhero story, so he created the gumiho as the story's main character. To develop a drama with a gumiho motif, Kang Shin Hyo worked with the writer Han Woo Ri.
He also continued that it is significant that an actor possessing the vibes and appearance matched with the role should portray the central character in a fantasy project. He thought of Lee Dong Wook and Kim Bum to be the better actors when talking about male gumiho.
Kang Shin Hyo, meeting with Lee Dong Wook for the first time, felt like meeting the real Yi Yeon. On the other hand, when he met Jo Bo Ah, he realized that she possessed an easy-going and authoritarian personality even though she looked like a princess. Moreover, he felt about Kim Bum for having a sharp face with shadows hiding behind it, that he was the perfect match for the role of Yi Rang.
According to Korean folk tales, gumiho seemed to be a beautiful woman leading men astray. Director Kang Shin Hyo commented about what sets the drama apart: the male gumiho is living in the modern age and waiting for a long-lost love.
The drama "Tale of the Nine-Tailed" premieres today, October 7.
