I was immediately intrigued when Wicked Fox was announced — a YA story about a gumiho falling in love with a mortal boy in modern-day Seoul? Sign me up! Come find out if the book lived up to my expectations.

First, a quick plot synopsis from Goodreads:

“Eighteen-year-old Gu Miyoung has a secret–she’s a gumiho, a nine-tailed fox who must devour the energy of men in order to survive. Because so few believe in the old tales anymore, and with so many evil men no one will miss, the modern city of Seoul is the perfect place to hide and hunt.

But after feeding one full moon, Miyoung crosses paths with Jihoon, a human boy, being attacked by a goblin deep in the forest. Against her better judgment, she violates the rules of survival to rescue the boy, losing her fox bead–her gumiho soul–in the process.

Jihoon knows Miyoung is more than just a beautiful girl–he saw her nine tails the night she saved his life. His grandmother used to tell him stories of the gumiho, of their power and the danger they pose to humans. He’s drawn to her anyway. 

With murderous forces lurking in the background, Miyoung and Jihoon develop a tenuous friendship that blossoms into something more. But when a young shaman tries to reunite Miyoung with her bead, the consequences are disastrous . . . forcing Miyoung to choose between her immortal life and Jihoon’s.”

Miyoung is so tsundere that my heart hurt for her from the very beginning — cold on the outside, but in desperate need for affection and relationships. Jihoon is a warm ball of sunshine — grinning and easy-going and full of fun. And the story brings them together in a believable way, without resorting to outside forces drawing them together like Miyoung’s soul bead.

The plot is strong, which made me happy. There were a few twists that made things head in a direction I didn’t expect — always a pleasant surprise — and nothing felt contrived. The only difficulty I had was with the climax of the story, because it felt rushed when it really deserved more attention to the details.

Overall, it was a well-written story in its own right, full of mystery and magic. The blending of the gumiho legend with a modern YA romance was well-done, and as an avid consumer of kdramas, I found it very satisfying. There’s enough raw talent in this debut novel that I look forward to Kat Cho’s future work.

What do you think, drama fans? Will you be reading Wicked Fox? If so, feel free to use our affiliate link to buy it HERE!

Until the next page turns, I remain —

Karie the Maknae

Dramas with a Side of Kimchi