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Unlike other vampire/immortal concepts, Kim Shin looks 40, acts 40 and he has the power and wealth of someone who is 40. Meanwhile, Ji Eun Tak looks 17, acts 17 and she has no power or wealth at all to her name.
The fact that Ji Eun Tak is world-weary due to a traumatic life, and Kim Shin is currently on a playful/mid-life crisis streak does not solve this fundamental problem. All the cinematography and production budget in the world couldn't solve this problem.
I really liked the character of Wang Yeo (the grim reaper), and his scenes somewhat redeemed the show for me. . . but not by enough.
I grade on other criteria as well:
Complex Themes - 3
In fairness to the show, I didn't watch far enough to see any complex themes. But, in the first five episodes it is your typical vampire/immortal romance (except more highly morally problematic than normal). There were hints of complexity developing.
Character Growth -3
Not up to the point I watched.
Nuanced Women -7
Ji Eun Tak is competent in her wise beyond her years but still has bursts of childishness. (The burst of childishness did NOT help with the romance hinted aspects).
Cinematography/Production Values - 10
It's really really gorgeous, with lots of real life sets and large production values.
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Hit or Miss
ive seen so many rating of 10's for this drama, it was misleading or just wrong. im fine with the age difference in the drama but it didnt feel like there wasn't any chemistry between the two leads. someone pointed out that the relationship was more of a father and daughter relationship, and i can completely agree on that one.the story is indeed intriguing, but it went nowhere from the episodes i have watched. its like someone thought of a great idea but it kinda fell flat from the true vision that "Goblin" could have been. along with that, the episodes SHOULD not have been an hour long. it felt fluffed up or dragging out the slow pace that the drama didn't really start off with. the first two episodes are the highlight of the 6 episodes i watched, but after that the pace started to begin slow and i just couldnt take it anymore.
after the first few episodes. i sticked it out to see if it would change my mind, but unfortunately it havent and will end up in the drop pile >: but thank you Goblin for ur OST.
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This review may contain spoilers
I enjoyed watching it!
It's nice to just rest while watching and enjoying the bromance and the funny moments. However, i didn't expect to cry so much at the last episodes. I enjoyed it but if i cried a little bit less it would have been great.Was this review helpful to you?
My Sept 2024 Recommendation Challenge
Long time this in my PTW, thanx to TianD and Recommendation Challenge, I've finally watched this...The reason this so long in my PTW, because the duration of each episode. Make me watch more than 1h per episode, it's quite tormented. Haha... It always bored me at some point.... And as I predict, some episodes of this drama quite bored for me, those episodes make me feel when this will end and continue to the next one... Haha... So yeah, that's quite lowering the score for this drama for me. But of course there're also some episode that can evoke my emotion, so yeah it quite help the score for this drama.
Story about Kim Shin (KS) a general that's curse to be a goblin, due to his sin of killing innocent person just because he's stubborn & want to approach the king... With that curse, KS live immortality to wait for his bride to be born to kill him. After 900 years, KS help a woman & her baby, and with that decision, KS made his destiny, cause the baby that he saved is his bride...
19 years later, KS meet Ji Eun Tak (ET), the baby that he saved & also his bride. ET can see ghost as long as she remembered, and all the ghost always greet her as the goblin's bride. Cause when KS saved her, he also give her a mark & that mark indicate that ET indeed is the goblin's bride.
But that's mean everything went smoothly for KS & ET...? Of course not. ET has prove herself as the goblin's bride for KS, and little by little KS & ET are getting closer & closer to each other. They start to prove they're indeed the soulmate for each other & little by little their feeling for each other also grown into full blossom... So... How their relationship ended in the end...? Can they avoid the fact that ET born to kill KS...?
I think that's pretty much the story without giving any spoiler. Haha... Now let's talk about what I like and don't.
What I like:
+ The chemistry between Gong Yoo & Kim Go Eun. They quite suitable for each other.
+ Gong Yoo & Kim Go Eun are good actor/ess. I can see how captivated KS of ET from KS's first glaze of ET. And the grow of their relationship. How devastated when ET has to lose KS. Everything portrayed perfectly...
+ The interesting story of Grim Reaper & Sunny. Really funny to see Grim Reaper act like an idiot when they first met...
What I don't like:
- The long duration of each episode...
- The unclear Samshin Lady... Who the heck is this lady. See even MDL don't give the name to her... At first I thought she is the GOD, but turn out no... So who the heck is this lady...?????
Overall, this just another drama for my list. TianD said, "Goblin is a hit or miss." For me this is a miss.. Haha... And really until I finished write this, I even don't know what score to give this drama. So a little fair warning, I can still change the score many months from now... Haha....
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Were people paid to promote this?
There is no story really to be honest. A grandpa who doesn't look like it falls for a high school girl but Twilight did it better. Perhaps because Pattinson. The casting here was questionable to say the least (apart from the side characters). Episode 1+2 were actually pretty good but then...boredom.1. There is no chemistry between the leads (FULL STOP). Not to mention the cringy interaction between the overly childish behavior from the FL and the overly fatherly and awkward male lead. The age gap would not have been a problem had there been better acting involved. Actually the FL's approach to her character reminded me of the FL from When I Fly Towards You, only there the chemistry between the leads was 200% solid and the FL's acting spot on. Why this casting here? Did the director order this approach? Just awkward.
2. The bromance works, the side characters and their stories actually succeed in being more interesting than the main story.
3. I am angry because series that deserve first place got overshadowed on dramalist by this mediocre work. And it's not the works fault, they did their best, it's the reviewers fault who are not even trying to be more objective.
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I really love this movie......
The plot, the actor, even music in the song....
It is really good
The story will make you laugh and make you cry. Not only is the love story epic, but so is the bromance between Goblin and Reaper. I've found that I'm quite fond of this fantasy genre and this has been done so well. I have hardly any criticisms of this show at all because even the flaws faded into nothing noticeable for me. It's sweet, funny, romantic, sad, tragic, beautiful...
The music was perfect and perfectly lovely. I don't always pay much attention to the music, but this show utilized it so well and chose the perfect songs.
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I gave this drama another chance, and I still think it's overrated
I originally dropped this drama because the plot started to get slow and repetitive, but I decided to give it another try.The premise about the curse and immortality was interesting. Unfortunately, up to about episode seven there wasn't much of a plot. The Goblin was an ancient being with centuries of life experience, but he acted pretty silly quite a lot. The Grim Reaper wasn't much better with his obsession about business cards. These characters should've been portrayed as more mysterious and dangerous. Instead, they often acted like dorks.
The pacing was inconsistent. The plot tended to drag with prolonged angsty moments of reminiscing, crying, and filler scenes. Then, the story would suddenly pick up. The show should've been done in 12 episodes if all the filler was taken out. The last few episodes were unnecessary. Since the villain was already defeated and the sword taken out, there was no longer a conflict that needed to be resolved so the story should've ended there.
The romance was also kind of underwhelming. ML and FL acted more like a niece and an uncle. This was probably because the girl was barely an adult and still in high school. Only after the story went forward nine years did we see adult romantic chemistry with kissing, hugging, and acting like a couple.
The villain and the final resolution was a bit anti-climactic. The flashbacks made him look more dangerous than he actually was, even though he looked pretty darn creepy. He appeared in the present timeline for just a few episodes with nefarious intentions to kill everyone, but didn't do much except threaten some people. Then FL pulled the sword out, ML killed the villain and disappeared. The end. I really expected there to either be a plot twist, a battle, tension, more struggle to defeat the final boss.
The one thing the show excelled at was acting. Gong Yoo, Kim Go Eun and everyone else delivered really good performances. No complaints there.
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Good acting
I like to watch this drama because have a nice OST🥰. Have a good story line and good character. Saya sangat minat akan pelakon lelaki di dalam cerita ini. Sangat baik untuk ditonton bersama keluarga. Cerita ini sangat menyentuh hati dan membuat saya banyak menangis. cerita ini juga mengajar saya untuk memahami seseorang itu dengan lebih dalam dan baik. jangan mensia-siakan orang yang sayang terhadap kita. harus fokus kepada masa depan. jangan teringatkan masa lalu, nanti akan membuat kita sakit. senyum sentiasa walaupun banyak cabaran yang harus dihadapiWas this review helpful to you?
Best drama ever
I Love love love Goblin. The visuals, the music, the clothes. But the best part is the bromance between Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook. They are hilarious. The comic relief balances the tragedy in the storyline really well. And when the two of them work together, they are like the angels of death. It was all so good. I’ve watched this drama multiple times. Some will say that the age difference between the main lead characters is a little on the creepy side (even though the actors are closer in age) so I suppose that’s the only negative criticism. Don’t let that stop you from watching it!Was this review helpful to you?
"sad-love"
"Goblin" (2016), also known as "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God," is a South Korean television series that has garnered significant attention for its unique blend of fantasy, romance, and drama. The series stars Gong Yoo as Kim Shin, an immortal goblin, and Kim Go-eun as Ji Eun-tak, a high school student destined to be his bride.The narrative intricately weaves themes of love, fate, and redemption, presenting a "sad-love" story that oscillates between moments of humor and profound sadness. Episodes 1 through 15 offer a rollercoaster of emotions, balancing lighthearted interactions with deeper, melancholic undertones. The 16th episode culminates in a poignant and tragic climax, leading to an ending that, while not entirely joyful, provides a sense of closure and leaves viewers with lingering questions.
Gong Yoo's portrayal of Kim Shin has been widely acclaimed, adding to his repertoire of notable performances in works like "Train to Busan" and "Squid Game." The series has been praised for its compelling storytelling and character development. However, it has also faced criticism for certain aspects, such as perceived gender stereotyping and overt product placement.
In summary, "Goblin" offers a richly layered narrative that delves into the complexities of love and destiny, supported by strong performances from its cast. While it may leave some questions unanswered, its emotional depth and storytelling have resonated with a broad audience.
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