# Tale of Arang (2012)

> A magistrate who can see ghosts teams up with a determined young ghost to uncover the truth behind her unjust death in Joseon-era Korea.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/40839

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 20
- Episode runtime: 65 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: fantasy, romance, comedy
- Network: MBC
- Cast: Lee Joon-gi, Shin Min-a, Han Jung-soo, Hwang Bo-ra, Yoo Seung-ho, Yeon Woo-jin, Min Sung-wook, Park Jun-gyu
- TMDB rating: 7.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2216600/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: wistful, playful, melancholic, romantic, whimsical

## What critics say

Viewers found the supernatural romance charming in parts but felt the comedy and pacing undermined the story.

## Synopsis

Tale of Arang (2012) is a South Korean period supernatural romance series created for MBC. Lee Joon-gi plays Kim Eun Oh, a magistrate who can see ghosts, and Shin Min-a plays Arang, a foolhardy young ghost determined to learn how she died. Their partnership forms the engine of the show: Eun Oh uses his rare sight to hear the grievances of the dead, while Arang pushes him toward a hidden truth behind her own unjust death. Each episode mixes supernatural case work with lighter comic set pieces and side stories, and the season carries the shape of a single story across its twenty episodes rather than a case-of-the-week format. The series is set in Joseon dynasty Korea, with courtrooms, village roads and the supernatural world intruding into everyday life. Its tone blends playful banter with wistful romance and a sense of unfinished grief. Viewers who enjoy Scarlet Heart: Ryeo and other Korean fantasy romances will find a familiar mix of period setting, spirit-world mystery and tender attachment. The tone is light at moments and melancholic at others, and the romance builds slowly across the run.

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