Wow ?
This was one of the best dramas I have ever seen. The depth and dynamics of it are incredible and I’m shocked a person can take a show with such severe supernatural elements and make it come together so well. The cast was perfect and the actresses were so beautiful and endearing. I loved their personalities, the reminded me of my sisters and I. I would rate this series 15 out of ten if I could. I’m shocked by what the naysayers are stating, nothing about it is overrated, it came to a beautiful conclusion.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The premise of the show is interesting. The show centers around the growing and tragic relationship between a high school student and a 900 something year old warrior turned Goblin (Korean Goblin). The execution down the line is flawed like they were writing the plot while they were filming.Did they really have to make Ji Eun-tak (Kim Go-eun) a high school student? No, but I guess they wanted to get that demographic. She is fated to be the "Goblin's Wife". The relationship eventually turns romantic. The show glosses over the extreme age difference between the two and the Goblin (Gong Yoo) certainly doesn't look or act (most of the time) like 900. I found Ji Eun-tak to be very charming and the weakness to her character could be attributed to the forced writing. The romance between the two was very forced but when the tragedy hits, the two main actors are very good at conveying sadness. Gong Yoo is good comedic actor and the Goblin get's riled up comedically due to the new people he meets after his long life.
Another large plot element involves the Grim Reapers. The main Grim Reaper (Lee Dong-wook) is put into close contact through fate with the goblin and the high schooler. He starts off as a cold and stoic character. There are scenes interspersed throughout the series of GR sending off lost souls to their next destination. I found most of these scenes to be touching. Also, most of the funniest scenes involve him and the Goblin.
Past lives and reincarnation play a big part in the story. We slowly see the tragic past of the Goblin and what events led him to live a long unaging life. The Grim Reapers were once humans who have committed horrible sins while they lived and they work in death with their memories wiped of their past lives. Main GR's past life seems to be connected with the Goblin's life before the Goblin was cursed/blessed with immortality.
Unfortunately, we have the cliched Kdrama push and pull, and initial denial of feelings that plague even the best romantic dramas. I never really got why the two mains would fall in love, but once the plot moves past that point, the mains have good chemistry together. Tragedy comes at the hand of God (literally). It's not really explained well why the god wants these characters to not come together or die or whatever. The finale is a mess but it relies on the audience to follow it based on tragic emotions. All in all it was a fun time but thinking back on it makes the flaws glare out.
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Great idea, bad execution
The concept of the story was great, the execution was terrible.Either the Goblin needed to be much younger or Eun Tak needed to be much older. The Goblin was a 39 year old man before his transformation, the FL Eun Tak is a 19 year old HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT whose parents died when she was young. She was living with neglectful, abusive family members, she comes off as vulnerable and naïve. She is in no way mature in looks or acts. It is hard to buy that a 939 worldly Goblin/man is going to fall in love with a girl who acts like an entitled toddler. The fact that he does is creepy. I have zero issues with age gaps in general, but the age gap is glaring since Eun Tak is written to be so immature and spends most of her time dressed in a school uniform. The whole time I watched there was no chemistry between the two, which I am glad for but also it is supposed to be a romantic fantasy drama, at least cast it so we don't feel skeeved out every time the leads are on screen together.
What I saw of the Reaper and Sunny was great. Deok Wha was enjoyable and should have more of a story line. The bromance is great and should have been more developed.
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I didn't watch any trailer before I started this drama and I wasn't prepared for the emotional roller coaster that it put me in. A salad of fantasy, romance, drama, and comedy, Goblin was able to make me laugh, smile, and cry all in one episode. There was no boring episode although I must admit that the last three dragged on a bit.
Though sometimes a bit forced and repetitive, the romance in this drama was good. The actors definitely knew what they were doing in that area. Now the bromance, a favorite of most Goblin fans, was just AMAZING. (All caps, people!). Having Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook acting adorably awkward and goofy in the same screen is now my second favorite thing next to chocolate fudge cake. More importantly, this drama is more than just about love that transcends time and death or about "destiny outside of man's boundary." Beyond the witty exchanges and the most poetic lines I've heard - or read (hurrah, subtitles!) in a drama, Goblin tackles deeper themes about friendship, life choices, and regrets.
Not to mislead you though, this drama is not perfect. There are a lot of underlying storylines that are undeveloped and could have made the story more awesome than it already was. By the time you realized it though, you've fallen in love with the drama and its characters that you won't have a choice but to overlook and forgive these plot holes.
The best part that I like about this drama (except for Goblin's and the Grim Reaper's bromance) is the music. Simply put - PERFECT. I don't understand Korean but the melody and how the songs were laid in each scene was so effective I would rate it 11 if possible. There were also some important scenes when I expected a background music but instead I was given raw acting and raw dialogue making the scenes more effective.
Last but definitely not the least, I was in awe of the cinematography of this drama. If not for Gong Yoo's face in the first episode, I wouldn't have been sure if I was watching a k-drama or some Hollywood/Chinese fantasy movie. They definitely spared no expense in making this drama. Then again, they probably also earned tons from all the advertisement they had.
All in all, Goblin is a strange and beautiful drama that is definitely one of the best k-dramas I've seen.
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What really makes this Drama special is the amount of quality it has. The Cinematography is really great. The music is also great. The best part is of course the characters, the surprising chemistry and the relationships.
The story sounded generic when I first read it, and it might be just a little bit. However, this drama is one step above in all aspects. You have to also pay a bit of attention to the background and other images you see on screen. It's actually very well written.
Just a fair warning though, lots of crying, especially near the end of the series. But then again, what's "drama" without some crying (there's a LOT though).
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The actors did a great job. After seeing the bts footage I am even more impressed by them. They did a lot of improvisation and I think this shows how good their skills are and how good their chemistry is.
The writers did the best job out of everyone. Without them the drama wouldn't have been that good. The plot was so well written with everything just perfectly matching. The writers have found the right balance of wit and seriousness. I can't say more without spoiling everyone. You just have to watch for yourself. It is by far the best drama I have ever seen.
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This fantasy drama i know isnt perfect and its story takes on a reflective stand, sometimes choosing to dwell on moments. It may feel slow to some but i find it poetic and gave time to appreciate the people the place and their lives. Almost all scenes were so beautifully shot, the scenery is breathtaking and film like. The opening theme to the first ost Stay with me already tells you the music for this drama is equally daebak
I would never have imagined Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook in the same drama. But there must be drama gods hearing the people's prayers and hopes. The bromance of Goblin and Grim is so spot on, friendship, laughters and more. The main cast all pull their weight from Kim Go Eun whose natural beauty and calibre was suited as bright Eun Tak to Yook Sung Jae and Yoo In Na. Even its supporting cast (Samshin, Director yoo, Secretary kim, Park Joong Won) were all superb and each had commanding screenpresence and brought so much to the narration of the story.
Towards the end i love the message that humans though seemingly small and frail compared to deities and the almighty, but we can surprise you with our will that can change the course of fate. And lastly to live and love like its your last day. Its so simple but often forgotten. I'll cherish this drama. And for now there isnt a drama i can recommend that quite captures the gist, the tone, and the feels like Goblin does. Thats how unique it is.
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At the beginning I remember being quite judging towards the duration of the episodes because you can easily turn episodes with an average of 1h and 15min into a sleeping feast. To my surprise the episodes passed really quickly though - which means they structured them in a way which left me constantly entertained and/or emotionally tense. The plot by itself wasn't that complicated but the flashbacks to the Goryeo era and the foreshadowing made it more fancier. Plotholes definitely exist in this drama - especially at the end and I didn't really like their conclusion since it felt rushed.
What we all need to praise though is the amazing cinematography - it is unlike any other drama I've ever watched. First of all, at the beginning I was so stunned by everything that was presented to me that I honestly thought "how much effort did they put into this it is like a high quality movie". The special effects weren't ridiculous at all and everything harmonized so wonderfully. It keeps its well thought out quality until the end - it is seriously a nice experience. Dramas in the future will have to step up when they want to surpass this drama quality-wise.
The second best thing about this whole drama is the cast. The jokes are fresh and immensely cute at the same time. Be ready to laugh every episode. I think this drama achieved to be deeply emotional but hilarious at the same time without losing its seriousness? I am also happy that they integrated two male protagonists that harmonize the best out of all the cast members - and also built a happy trio with Sungjae's character. In addition we really need to take a moment to honor Gongyoo's acting - so incredibly good.
All in all, I would definitelly recommend watching this one since it is one of the best dramas I've ever watched. It manages to pull out fresh jokes left and right without having an overused plot. It is indeed worth the hype.
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Althoug at first look the plot seems interesting and the first episode was good, it soon starts to get boring. The main character is a rather unbearable child. The love story is hardly credible, not because of the age difference but because of her personality or attitude.
I did quit watching it, which is something I've only done a couple of times.
The best thing of the show is the two leading males, and their relationship, very amusing.
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The wait is worth it
The wait is worth it. I found Goblin incredibly slow for the first twelve-ish episodes and boring in regards to the first six or seven, but the last four episodes were so great that my initial rating transformed highly, and I'm so glad I was patient with this, instead of dropping it.However, Goblin still has things I didn't like. Like I said, the pacing is the by far the biggest problem, but there were a couple of obvious plot holes I didn't like, plus the character of the FL until she becomes more mature was very irritating at parts.
But these are no problem in the last four episodes. In fact, the last four episodes showcased the potential of the story, characters and acting abilities into action. I think the main thing I liked about Goblin was the star-studded cast and their brilliant performances as always, and the other cast members I hadn't seen before or wasn't too much of a fan of, well, guess what, Goblin changed my opinion on them too, in a more positive fashion.
Another brilliant thing I must mention is the delightful OST (although in my eyes, a little bit overplayed).
All in all, it is a very, very slow start, but the wait is worth it. Can I recommend it though for others? Only for people who can never drop a drama!
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