Nine-tailed fox revamped

The realm of Korean horror is not restricted to ghosts.

Every culture seems to have its own version of a femme fatale. In Korea, it would have to be the nine-tailed fox. 

Called “gumiho,” the nine-tailed fox is often depicted as a sly animal that transforms into a beautiful woman, seduces men and consumes their livers. 

KBS’ “Grudge: The Revolt of Gumiho” revamps the frightening image of the nine-tailed fox. KBS

Sound familiar? Yes, she is a man-eater. 

While Hollywood may have upped the gore-ante on the prototype with Karyn Kusama’s “Jennifer’s Body” (2009) -- a bloody flick about a man-eating demon (played by Megan Fox); Korean television is going in the opposite direction with their femme fatale icon.

KBS’ “Grudge: The Revolt of Gumiho,” which started airing on Monday, centers on a nine-tailed fox who is intent on protecting her half-human, half-fox offspring from harm. 

“The most important theme of the drama is a mother’s instinctive love for her daughter,” “Grudge” actress Han Eun-jeong, who is playing Gumiho, said at a press conference last Thursday. 

SBS is taking it a step further with their upcoming drama “My Girlfriend is a Gumiho,” where “Brilliant Legacy” actor Lee Seung-gi plays a wealthy hero who falls in love with a nine-tailed fox (played by “The Naked Kitchen” actress Shin Min-a). The series promises to be more of a romantic comedy than a tale of horror.

“Grudge: The Revolt of Gumiho” airs on Monday and Tuesday nights at 9:55 p.m. on KBS 2 TV.　

“My Girlfriend is a Gumiho” is slated to start on Aug. 11 on SBS.