Cast of Tale of the Nine Tailed: Season 1 & 2 Full List

Lee Dong-wook anchors both seasons of Tale of the Nine Tailed as the immortal gumiho Lee Yeon, but the franchise undergoes its most significant shift when Jo Bo-ah’s Season 1 heroine makes way for Kim So-yeon’s Season 2 lead—a recast that reshapes the show’s emotional core.

Lead Actor: Lee Dong-wook as Lee Yeon ·
Key Supporting: Kim Bum as Lee Rang ·
Season 1 Female Lead: Jo Bo-ah as Nam Ji-ah ·
Top Source: IMDb full cast

Why is Jo Bo Ah not in season 2?

Jo Bo-ah starred as Nam Ji-ah in Season 1, portraying the character through her multiple identities as Nam Ji-ah, Yi Ah-eum, and Imoogi. Her arc concluded when Lee Yeon achieved a happy ending with her at the close of the original series. Fan discussions at the time explored potential replacements, with Ham Eun Jung mentioned in community threads, though no official casting announcement confirmed these discussions.

The Wikipedia entry on Tale of the Nine Tailed records that Jo Bo-ah did not return for the sequel due to scheduling conflicts. Kim So-yeon ultimately stepped into the female lead role as Ryu Hong-joo, a character described as a guardian spirit turned restaurateur. This marks one of the more significant cast departures between seasons for the series.

Jo Bo-ah’s new projects

Following her departure from the series, Jo Bo-ah moved forward with other acting commitments. The shift opened the door for Kim So-yeon to bring a different energy to the franchise’s female lead position in the prequel setting. Ryu Kyung-soo joined as a new main cast member, portraying Cheon Moo-young—a fire-holding guardian spirit described as Lee Yeon’s longtime friend, though his storyline introduces conflict when he steals the Samdocheon Guardian Stone.

Who is the female lead in the tale of the nine tailed Season 2?

Kim So-yeon plays Ryu Hong-joo, the female lead in Season 2. The Dramabeans character guide describes her as a restaurateur with a past as a guardian spirit. This marks a notable departure from Season 1’s heroine, whose arc centered on supernatural identity revelations and connection to the gumiho mythology.

Season 2 lead actress

Kim So-yeon’s casting brought a different kind of star power to the franchise. Her Ryu Hong-joo enters the prequel as a character who has already transitioned out of her supernatural role into the mortal world—a restaurateur serving noodles while carrying her guardian spirit history. The dramatic context differs from Jo Bo-ah’s Nam Ji-ah, whose storyline unfolded as a mortal discovering supernatural truths.

Is Tale of the Nine Tailed season 1 and 2 related?

Season 2 serves as a prequel rather than a direct continuation. According to the Wikipedia entry on Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938, Lee Yeon is recalled to 1938 after achieving a happy ending with Nam Ji-ah in Season 1. The second season unfolds in a different time period while maintaining character continuity through the same actors reprising their roles.

Story connections

The narrative connection operates through Lee Yeon’s supernatural status as an immortal gumiho. When he’s summoned back to 1938, the story explores events that preceded his modern-day appearance. Kim Bum’s Lee Rang appears with complicated feelings—described in sources as containing both love and hatred for his older brother. This emotional complexity adds dimension to their prequel-era dynamic.

Season 2 premiered on May 6, 2023, three years after the original series aired in 2020. The Dramabeans character guide notes that promotional materials positioned the return as a prequel with “dramatic locks and villainous overcoat” for Kim Bum’s character—a visual indication that Lee Rang’s prequel incarnation carries different characterization.

Who are the main cast members of Tale of the Nine Tailed season 1?

Season 1’s principal cast centers on Lee Dong-wook as Lee Yeon, the nine-tailed gumiho whose thousand-year existence intersects with the modern world. Jo Bo-ah portrayed his romantic interest Nam Ji-ah, whose storyline revealed her as a reincarnated water spirit named Yi Ah-eum who eventually becomes an Imoogi. Kim Bum played Lee Rang, Lee Yeon’s younger brother with a complicated relationship to their shared supernatural lineage.

Lee Dong-wook as Lee Yeon

Lee Dong-wook’s Lee Yeon serves as the series’ anchor—a gumiho who abandoned his position as a mountain spirit to live among humans while hunting dangerous spirits. The Wikipedia entry confirms his role spans the full arc from his supernatural origins through his connection to Nam Ji-ah.

Jo Bo-ah as Nam Ji-ah

Jo Bo-ah portrayed the central female lead through three distinct character identities: Nam Ji-ah, the mortal TVC Station employee; Yi Ah-eum, a water spirit revealed to be her true self; and finally Imoogi, a form she assumed as an unborn dragon. Her arc concluded with the Season 1 finale.

Kim Bum as Lee Rang

Kim Bum brought Lee Rang to life as a half-gumiho whose dual nature created ongoing tension with his older brother. His character operated as both antagonist and potential ally throughout Season 1, with the sibling dynamic driving significant plot developments.

Kim Yong-ji as Ki Yoo Ri

The MyDramaList cast listing documents Kim Yong-ji in the supporting role of Ki Yu Ri. Additional Season 1 supporting cast includes Hwang Hee as Koo Sin Ju (Yeon’s friend), Jung Yi-seo as Kim Sae-rom (TVC Station writer and Ji-ah’s teammate), and Kim Kang-min as Pyo Jae-hwan (PD assistant).

Who is in the cast of Tale of the Nine Tailed season 2?

Season 2 maintains core casting while introducing notable changes. Lee Dong-wook returns as Lee Yeon in the prequel setting, with Kim Bum reprising his role as Lee Rang in what sources describe as a more villainous incarnation. Kim So-yeon joins as the new female lead, with Ryu Kyung-soo entering as a principal antagonist figure.

Returning actors

The Dramabeans guide confirms that Hwang Hee and Kim Yong-ji reprise their Season 1 roles in the sequel. Kim Jung-nan returns as Taluipa, the gatekeeper who manages the list of dead souls at the Afterlife Immigration Office—an element that connects directly to the supernatural mythology established in the original series.

New additions

Ryu Kyung-soo portrays Cheon Moo-young, described as a fire-holding guardian spirit and longtime associate of Lee Yeon whose storyline centers on stealing the Samdocheon Guardian Stone. Ahn Gil-kang joins the cast as Hyunuiong, gatekeeper of the Samdo River, per the Wikipedia Season 2 entry.

Notable roles

Kim So-yeon’s Ryu Hong-joo operates in the prequel’s human world as a restaurateur, while Ryu Kyung-soo’s Cheon Moo-young represents the primary antagonist threat to Lee Yeon’s situation in 1938. The cast expansion introduces new guardian spirit characters who deepen the mythological framework established in Season 1.

Who played the child actors in Tale of the Nine Tailed?

Season 1 features child actors portraying younger versions of key characters at pivotal flashback moments. Park Da-yeon plays young Nam Ji-ah (also credited as young Ah-eum), capturing the character before the events of the main storyline unfold. Lee Joo-won portrays young Lee Rang, depicting the younger brother during earlier periods of the supernatural family drama. The Wikipedia cast listing documents both young actor credits alongside the principal cast.

Young actor appearances

The child actor casting serves the narrative by establishing character history before the main plot begins. Park Da-yeon’s young Nam Ji-ah appears in scenes that establish the character’s mortal origins, while Lee Joo-won’s young Lee Rang adds dimension to the sibling backstory that informs the brothers’ complicated relationship throughout the series.

Who are the supporting cast in Tale of the Nine Tailed?

Beyond the principal cast, Season 1 features an ensemble of supporting performers who populate the modern-day TVC Station workplace and supernatural storylines. Hwang Hee appears as Koo Sin Ju, Lee Yeon’s human friend who bridges the gap between the mortal and spirit worlds. The MyDramaList cast records document Jung Yi-seo as Kim Sae-rom, a writer at TVC Station and Ji-ah’s colleague, along with Kim Kang-min as Pyo Jae-hwan, a PD assistant at the station.

Guest appearances in Season 1

Season 1 incorporates episodic guest roles that drive the supernatural case-of-the-week format. Choo Ye Jin appears as Jung Su Yeong in Episode 1, Maeng Bong Hak plays Seo Gi Chang in Episodes 2-3, and Do Yun-jin portrays Seo Pyung-hee in Episodes 2-4. The series’ mythology-heavy episodes also feature Kim Sun Yool as a mountain spirit girl appearing in the early episode arc.

Returning, of course, is our broody gumiho hero Lee Yeon, played by Lee Dong-wook.

— missvictrix, Dramabeans writer

A second season, titled Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 premiered on May 6, 2023 with Lee Dong-wook and Kim Bum reprising their roles.

— Wikipedia contributor

Related reading: Legend of the Female General Cast

Frequently asked questions

For K-drama fans tracking franchise developments, the shift from Jo Bo-ah to Kim So-yeon as female lead signals a different tonal direction for the sequel. The prequel setting gives the show runners room to explore backstories while potentially requiring new viewers to understand Season 1’s events first. Lee Dong-wook and Kim Bum carry significant weight in maintaining audience investment across both installments.