Guardian: The Lonely and Great God

I write this review with swollen eyes still damp from my tears.
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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Due to the immense hype this drama received I was interested like everyone else to see what's behind the drama that got everyone speechless.

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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Well what can I say that hasn't already been said by many people before me. I was blown away by this drama. I didn't want this show to end and wish it could've carried on and on because I loved the story.

Every episode in some way or another brought me to tears (maybe I am just an overly emotional person though). The music, acting/cast, cinematography and writing was so on point and beautifully portrayed. This has now become one of my all time favourite dramas. I look forward to rewatching this with my mum as I know she will love it.

I liked everything about this drama. The cast really fit and blended well together and the emotional scenes were so believable . I've not seen any of their previous work and I am now excited to watch their other dramas.

I would recommend this to anyone who (like me) enjoys a mix of romance, fantasy & supernatural elements. I apologise if this review is all over the place. It's my first time writing one on here and I didn't quite know what to say other than this drama was simply beautiful!

Enjoy!

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I started watching this drama because of the talented writer and Lee Dong Wook, and not because it was a "hit", and I've liked it ever since the first episode. The story felt "new" in terms of K-Drama, because not all fantasy projects are crafted well, but it is a classic plot re-imagined in a different way, so nothing really new. It is a simple story twisted in different ways all over again. Yes, this is how a writer works, but what I once thought would turn out to be something unpredictable, has turned to be a plot I had already seen in the drama itself. Let me explain: the story is simple and ever since the beginning the audience knows what's to come, the problem is how to "solve" the main issue without ending the show how you expect it. In a way, the writer managed to do that, but on another side, she didn't, because even as I followed the show while it was on-air, I predicted long ago what would happen. Perhaps having read so many fantasy books influenced me, that is what I want to think. In my mind I kept saying "please don't go to that route and surprise me" but I was disappointed in the last episodes because some plots and characters were introduced too late or not given the space they deserved, as if the writer thought about their fate too late and there wasn't time to fix that. While the mix between historical drama flashbacks and present time filled with the cute moments between the main couple and the other characters and the bromance between Goblin and Grim Reaper was comic, I felt as if the writer spent more time on the banter than on the actual plot, and some episodes felt like a filler, especially the last 3. But overall, it's an enjoyable story.

Have both my favorite actor Lee Dong Wook and Gong Yoo (this is the 1st drama I watch with him in it) as the male leads - because as Kim Eun Sook proved in her other dramas, she can give enough screentime to more than one actor - was a pleasant experience. They have great chemistry, their bromance was awesome and it sometimes overshadowed the main couple. I lived for their bickering, they brought me to tears and this doesn't happen much. Needless to say their acting was great. I loved LDW as the Grim Reaper and he moved me a lot, he was really fit to play a serious and a bit depressed immortal angel of death. Gong Yoo was also a surprise, since this is my first drama with him. I felt like he brought peace o the set, I don't know. He gives me the aura of a heartwarming person. I'm a bit torn about Kim Go Eun. She is believable as a 19 year old even though sometimes she used too much aegyo. OK that she's still a teen, but tone it down a bit, gurl. Like I said, her chemistry with Gong Yoo was there but there were times I didn't feel as much for Goblin/Eun Tak couple as I did for Goblin/Grim Reaper. Perhaps it was the age gap that made them give the feel of dad-daughter or oppa-dongsaeng, because it depended on the moment. Eun Tak could go to 19 year old to wise girl in a heartbeat and the Goblin could act like a small child one moment and like a mature guy the next. Overall, though, they are balanced in my opinion. And I liked that in many moments in the second half of the drama where they had to film kisses or couple-y scenes, they seemed very comfortable acting as a couple. Yoo In Na was perfect as a beautiful BBQ shop owner. She was witty and funny and I loved her sense of fashion. I also liked Yook Sung Jae as Deok Hwa.

The music was great, you can tell they spent a nice deal of money and time to make it good.

In general, I would say that this drama is for fantasy lovers the most with a side of romantic comedy. If you're looking for something mysterious, there are few questions you're gonna ask yourself indeed, but is not complicated like a melo. Let's just say, the story is simple and the message the author wants to convey is too.

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This is my second Kdrama review and I try to keep it short. Goblin is a must watch K-drama, but taken slow. Not in once, because of the complicated stories of the characters.
My facts are here:

Positive:

- Great storyline - one of a kind in K-dramas till now. I learned a lot about Korean people's beliefs.
- Great friendship between Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook. I loved every moment of their communication. It seemed they're friends in real life
- Great chemistry between Lee Dong Wook and Yoo In Na. The love between their characters was very well acted as if they're couple in real life. I loved every moment of their relationship.
- The Goblin character is really complicated and I liked it very much.. It's well played. But I fell for Grim Reaper Character - it;s also very complicted and I loved it in every single moment even more.
- The emotions that Gong Yoo and Yoo In Na were like they're real brother and sister. They are great actors and so is Lee Dong Wook.
- No loopholes and more realistic ending..


Negative:

- Lack of Chemistry between the goblin and his bride. Mostly of her part, the actress Kim Go Eun just didn't do well in my opinon. She didn't put her heart in the role and it seemed out of place. This is way I don't give 10 to this Drama. When Gong Yoo showed passion and deep emotions, she didn't respond and it seemed forced. I don't think I will watch another drama with Kim Go Eun.
- Time loops withous some kind of explaination what happened those years
- Yoo in Na parting with Grim reaper. I couldn't understand if she died after she "left"". If she didn;t die why nobody looked for her?

I liked Goblin I watched it slow to understand better the things. So, if you wonder to watch it, do it, but take 1 or 2 episode per day for example. The producer and writer of this Drama are great, but they shouldn't concentrate too much on the tears. Characters moved on with their lives, that should be shown. I will rewatch this drama some time in the future.

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I had put off watching Goblin for a long time as I knew it's epic so I needed a devoted time to watch it till the end.
Goblins becomes the highest standard of my reviews on dramas I completed (mostly for Kdramas).
What I learned from this drama: forgiveness (past events of Goblin/Grim Reaper/Sunny) and that there is timing for everything you encounter in life (Goblin waits for 900+ years for a 19 year old bride to show up in her first life)

Tons of previous reviews posted already, so I will just point out what I like about this drama:
Story: No boring scene, no skipping for me who likes skipping scenes. Side stories of dead people and ghosts are also meaningful and touching.
Directing: Just perfect, won't say much, check out other Director Lee Eung Bok's cinematic work
Editing: Details are woven perfectly, and all related. Pieces of flashback are not boring.
Screenwriting: witty, deep, poetic. Follow Writer Kim Eun Sook for other high quality dramas.
CGI: Battle, fight, and snow scenes of Goblin are epic
Location: Quebec Canada, can't have other perfect location than fall season with French touch
Make up: Can transform one actor/actress to different roles. For examplem Kim Byung Chul as Emperor advisor, modern secretary, ghost, and cameo CEO.
Costume: Classy and stylish. For example: 19 year old Eun Tak does not look poor and childish. Personality symbols thru costumes, for example Shamsin Lady's red dress, Sunny's bright colored clothing, and Eun Tak's red scarf
Cast: Perfect selection for every main roles and supporting casts are not bad either. Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook supernatural roles don't need to talk much but their facial expression shows deep communications. Kim Go Eun's natural beauty fits for 19 year old girl, Yoo In Na's cheerfulness matches Sunny lively personality.
Acting: Lots of scenes with no dialogues just facial expression and physical movements speak louder than many dialogues
Music: songs are created and picked perfectly support the popularity of the drama and songs themselves
Rewatch: perfect, but I will wait for a while until I can spend a large portion of my time to watch it

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i love the chemistry between the main leads sooooooo much
i hope they make another drama with same cast
specially dong wook & in na
all about the story was amazing the romance parts was brilliant i love it except
the religious part about god & angels i felt it was really disgracing my mind
and the END as usual

*if the writer was controlling destiny and God's behavior y he didn't make the goblin's bride immortal as him
*y he didn't make his friend & his sister remembered him
*y he insists till the end to torture & punish him for something wasn't his fault
ommo that's really bothered me alot

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Enjoyable and Light

A lot of drama bite off more than they can chew when tackling plots and after binge watching show after show that couldn't neatly tie their story lines together, Goblin was a happy surprise. Goblin focuses one two couples and their epic stories of growth, tragedy, and just daily life. The plot itself is rather simple and thin, but still enjoyable. The show is full of cute and funny scenes that will keep you watching. Keep in mind, the show feels more like a slice of life rather than a supernatural adventure, so if you're out for some magical battles, Goblin isn't the show to watch.

An issue that prevented me from fully immersing myself in the story was the main protagonists' love story. There is no real build up to help you understand why Eun Tak and Kim Shin fall in love. They both need something from on another, whether it's to end an immortal life or just have the support of someone, but it's not enough to help solidify why they eventually fall in love. There's something lacking in their budding romance leaving it awkward and strange until you simply decide to accept it for what it is and keep watching.

Overall, having simple story lines to follow allowed Goblin's pacing to breath leaving a ton of space for a lot of the funny moments I mentioned earlier. And, like many other dramas, the flashbacks are overused. Couple of ticks on the fast forward button and you've got a light and enjoyable drama.

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Watch it for the Bromance!

Top notch cast - check
Great music - check
Dramatic (and very well made) background story - check
Bromance - check
Secondary couple - :)
Chemistry between main leads - :(


Started watching for Gong Yoo, who is daebak as always but

*SPOILER AHEAD*

halfway through the series the plot becomes an endless loop of 'when will the sword be taken out'
i was hoping this will be resolved soon but no, it seems to become the main couple's only obstacle and issue

as the main couple circles endlessly around the sword - the second couple gains steam with the ring! the meeting on the bridge! the grim reaper trying enter dating scene!
honestly i continued watching for the second couple instead since the main couple seems to lack spark.
as the series continued, the plot thickens around the second couple and i became so invested in them that i started to skip all the scenes containing the main couple

tried rewatching and found that even the bromance between the goblin and the grim reaper is still more entertaining than the goblin and the bride :(

conclusion: watch it for the second couple beautifully tragic story and the super fun bromance!

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Magic, Fluff, and some other stuff

Usually I only watch hidden gems, and leave the popular dramas to people that have FOMO or something. However, after about 2years or so, I figured I’d give this drama a chance. after watching this entire drama, I’ve realized that this drama is heavily overrated, the fandom of this drama is overly biased, and majority the reviews on these platforms have next to no substance. Most reviews (I’ve read a couple high rated reviews) just praise the MLs, praise the visuals, mention the faulty age gap, criticize the FL for being childish, praise the secondary leads relationship(or lack thereof), then give the drama 10/10 (undeservedly so).

I won’t be doing any of the said above.

First of all, I won’t give a reiteration of the story. If you wanna know what it’s about, read the drama synopsis.

2ndly, for the life of me, I don’t understand this obsession fans have with couples with varying ages, but I’d like to think that fans mention it to put themselves on some moral pedestal.

3rdly, I really believe this drama could’ve been great. Hell, it could’ve been amazing. If there’s one thing that encompasses all the problems this drama has, it would be that it focuses on the past too much. It also made the ML cold, dubious, and doubtful that he would ever find his bride. There should’ve been more focus on the present, letting the leads establish a better relationship on screen, instead of the ML constantly giving the FL whiplash and making her doubt herself more than she already does. The FL does such an amazing job, and is so mature whenever she’s faced with a difficult situation. When the Goblin presents himself in her life, she accepts her new destiny with stride and determination,and that is what makes her the best, most redeemable character in this show.

Circling back to all the flashbacks, it becomes quite evident that the only person that can account for what transpired 900yrs ago (why 900 though? why not 50, or 70? wtf even is this?) is the goblin himself, yet he’s supposedly carried this vengeance in his heart all this time. I can’t even remotely fathom why the writers of this drama thought this was such a great idea, but I’ll give my 2 cents.
— It’s impossible to hold onto a grudge for that long. Furthermore, these are PAST lives, so as far as I’m concerned, anyone that was reincarnated, the people of their past are their ancestors. Not only do the characters of the present not remember anything, they are NOT the same people. They have their own personalities, their own minds, their own souls. so the concept of them being the same people falls flat for me.

ngl, I hated episode 13 & 15 for making me cry, but ep13-16 were the only episodes worth watching. around these episodes is when you actually see chemistry between the FL & ML, and the Goblin is actually concerned about Eun Ji Tak. The final episodes wrecked me, not because it’s such a great drama, but because the acting really is exceptional, and the FL is excellent at portraying emotions, especially when she’s devastated.(also the viewers of ep 14 are the most insensitive fucks I’ve ever seen. I read the timed comments, you know who you are, worthless degenerates). just for clarification, I hate crying.

The best thing about this drama is Eun Ji Tak, the Grim Reaper, and the music. that’s it. also, why would anyone make a drama whereby everything revolves around the FL, only to kill her in the last episode? seems counterintuitive, but wtf do I know?

This may be the first drama I’ve ever watched where I’m just waiting for it to be over. it wasn’t terrible, just makes no sense how all these supernatural beings have all these powers, but they’d rather only intervene in terrifying situations when they want to.

what really leaves me baffled is how the acting is so amazing, but the story itself is such trash. I only finished this drama because I was already too invested. unfortunately, I don’t recommend this drama. If anything, go watch Seo Bok instead; it’s underrated, and most likely makes a load more sense than Goblin. Also, Gong Yoo’s birthday is in 2 weeks(July 9), so go celebrate watching something worthwhile( that’s not Goblin). 💙

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It took me a while to watch this because of my busy schedule.
Usually I would feel tired and stressed, and seriously this has kept me up and about!
I always looked forward to the next episode. It entails all kinds of emotions.
Comedic, really uplifted my day. Heart wrenching as well, every moment was well connected.
I really loved it, and I thought that they made a good match despite the age difference!
Don't hesitate guys, just watch it! I didn't even watch the trailer, nor know anything about it,
I just went on and watched it! and I really loved it! Kuddos to the writer, which has the same one as "Descendants of the sun" and "The Heirs". It's really nice

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This drama was one of the most beautiful pieces of art I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. If you are at all hesitating to watch this drama due to overhype or worry about the genre I beg you watch it. It changed my entire perspective on what a kdrama could be. I am sad I can't go back to rewatch it for the first time, to experience it anew, again and again. That first watching is truly magic. To allow yourself to experience this drama is a gift.

Allow me to expand on some of the specifics of why Goblin was life changing. If you know me you know that I am obsessed with character and character development. This drama is chock-full of amazingly written characters and all go through massive transformations. The stagnation in the Goblin and Grim Reaper's lives disappears when they meet their soul mates. As a plot device this use of love and lovers is refreshing as it is definitely the men who change for their love (instead of the usual over-accommodating woman who plagues dramaland). Aside from character there is the aesthetic. Goblin had a massive budget and it is clearly seen in every facet of the drama. The cinematography deserves unending praise, the acting is of the highest quality, the plotline is refreshingly unique. Their sets, wardrobes, worlds are immersive in the utmost. The atmosphere these minor details create lends itself perfectly to the story and makes the mood created by the actors and writers to be all the more real. Goblin's melancholy, something that so many dramas try and fail to achieve, was breathtaking. As I have said before I love sad dramas. This drama made me cry every episode, and not because it was ridiculously melodramatic. Most of the time it was the side stories I cried over (the Grim Reaper's side plots). These stories, so superfluous to the main plot, show the exacting attention to detail that was used in this drama. They were moving, beautiful, heartbreaking stories and they left you feeling both empty and full. Full of life and a love for humanity. Goblin's greatest achievement, in my opinion, is empathy. Every character (or at least every character we don't necessarily hate) can be empathized with. Every episode you can change who you most identify with and yet never feel disconnected from any other character. This is a feat so difficult to accomplish that I have only ever encountered it in Anna Karenina before.

I know this review wasn't the most informative but I feel that the emotional response to Goblin that I and so many others felt is the best possible recommendation and review I can give.

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