The first episode of No Tail to Tell begins in the Joseon era. Like all nine-tailed foxes, Eun-ho desires to cultivate virtue by doing good deeds and become human. Her best friend becomes human and plans to marry her beloved. However, on her wedding day, Eun-ho sees her friend's future: she will face much hardship and suffering for the rest of her life. Because of this, Eun-ho begins to see human lives as fragile, full of suffering, and insignificant. She no longer wishes to be human.
The scene shifts to the present. She barely blinks as a man is tied up and bleeding to death.
Stars: Kim Hye-yoon, Park Solomon, Jang Dong-joo
The real story begins 9 years ago. Hyeon Woo-seok is a wealthy and talented high school student who is about to be recruited for the national youth soccer team. However, his classmate, Kang Si-yeol, steals the spotlight. Because the Hyeon family contributes to the school, the coach punishes Si-yeol for ruining Woo-seok's chances. We see that Si-yeol is poor and lives with his sick grandmother. He pretends to have a scholarship and pays his expenses by working part-time as a food delivery driver. No one knows this, and when Woo-seok finds out, he is shocked.
As for Eun-ho, she has begun granting wishes to wealthy people in exchange for an exorbitant fee. Her latest target is CEO Lee Yoon of the corrupt construction company Geumsu. He actually hits his chauffeur and fires him for turning off the radio. Before he can bribe his way into securing a redevelopment project, Eun-ho takes the money and manipulates the vote in his favor. She then accepts him as a client. However, she has some rules. She will only grant wishes that she wants to grant. She will never do a significant good deed or bad deed, lest it turn her human or take away her powers, respectively.
Then, Eun-ho goes shopping, forcing a stylish girl to accompany her. She ends up ranting about the misconceptions about her species and how she's the only one left. She recounts how she spent centuries using her powers and manipulating people for her own amusement. When the girl comments that Eun-ho has never accomplished anything, the fox is offended.
In the shop next door, Woo-seok is trying to buy Si-yeol new shoes. Si-yeol doesn't want to be a charity case and tries to leave angrily. However, he bumps into Eun-ho and falls due to her superhuman strength. He's hurt, but ends up worrying about her. She acts with her usual arrogance, and he simply apologizes.
As he and Woo-seok leave, Eun-ho sees the future. She points to one of the boys and claims he will be extremely famous and wealthy. She considers making him her client so she can take his money. She abruptly dismisses the girl when, suddenly, a stranger with supernatural powers calls her a beast. It's Lord Pagun, and he brings a warning from Heaven. She has been abusing her powers for too long, and now, the scales are tipping. Soon, she will have to choose between becoming human or being annihilated. Eun-ho scoffs at the warning and walks away.
Outside, Woo-seok apologizes to Si-yeol, and they reconcile by playing soccer. Eun-ho is walking home when Si-yeol kicks the ball too hard and it hits her. Woo-seok goes home while Si-yeol goes to retrieve the ball. Instead, he finds an annoyed Eun-ho.
They argue, and as she looks at him contemptuously, he insists that he will be famous someday. She reveals that it's Woo-seok who will be famous; it's his future she saw. And the future she sees is inevitable and unchangeable.
At the intersection, the drunk CEO Lee Yoon hits Woo-seok with his car. Si-yeol rushes to save his friend while Lee drives away. Wanting justice, Si-yeol reports the incident to the police and refuses to accept Lee's scapegoat. Annoyed, Lee calls Eun-ho for his next request. For double her usual fee, she must manipulate Si-yeol's memory of the incident.
She goes to Woo-seok's hospital room and smirks at Si-yeol when he recognizes her. When she goes to alter his memory, she sees a different future. Her fate has been swapped with Woo-seok's. Si-yeol will end up being the famous player. She collapses in pain, and he catches her. Their tails are revealed. Episode Review
The first episode of No Tail to Tell is an interesting start to this K-drama. Not much happens in this episode in terms of plot development, but it dedicates the necessary time to our complex protagonist. Eun-ho isn't a fun, sarcastic anti-heroine that we would sympathize with no matter what. There's nothing redeeming about her. However, you can sense how the writers will gradually peel back her layers until she becomes more likable and a more complete character.
It also helps that she's played by an actress who perfectly embodies the cheerful and charming personality. Hye-yoon has always delivered, even in challenging roles like those in SKY Castle and Snowdrop.
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