Although so many of my fellow MDLers have focused their reviews and dissatisfaction on holes in the plot and the female lead, I want to take a different view of this charming and sometimes beguilingly beautiful story. While so much of the focus is on the title character, Kokdu - the God of the Afterlife - played by Kim Jung Hyun - the real story is the touching search for love, redemption, and self-acknowledgement of Dr. Han Gye Jeol, persuasively acted with conviction, passion, and emotional range by Im Soo Hyang. She is a highly capable and caring doctor but came with the wrong credentials - a graduate of the least regarded medical school and parents that died when she was young. Stymied in every aspect of her life plus carrying a huge burden into her current life from her past lives, all deeply twined together with Kokdu, she still strives to be the best person and physician she can. Her honesty as a character and an actress kept this drama alive for me. Her quirky, silly side also was effective as a sort of sweet defensive mechanism. And when she finally accepts the truth of who Kokdu is and who she was, this drama - with a few nods to the even greater Goblin - becomes compelling.

I know that Kim Jung Hyun has a deservedly large fan base here but I found his acting, despite its immense vitality, verging on caricature. Perhaps this to make his transformation when he was finally able to admit his deep love for Gye Jeol feel more real.

And those strange plot holes - Ok Shin and Gak Shin are described as the God of Greed and Goddess of Rumor, respectively, but their deity seems limited and their roles as these gods seems left ignored and undeveloped. Kokdu's powers are vast but limited in several fundamental aspects. And who exactly is the strangely ambivalent Grandma Goddess.

Similarly the secondary story - the evil Kim Pil Soo playing a cardboard villain though well acted - is underdeveloped. On the other hand, the love of Han Gye Jeol's brother, a police detective, and Tae Jung Won, a doctor who was a one time friend of Han Gye Cheol is sweet, charming and everything a secondary love story should be.

Perhaps if re-watch Kokdu, these plot holes will disappear. In any case, knowing how beautiful the last four episodes are will help me get through a few of the less ideal parts. But if you like the fantasy genre, this is a very enjoyable drama with some very touching moments. I'm going to look for other dramas with Im Soo Hyang - she was superb!