This review may contain spoilers
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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The Beginning of It All
To the drama that started it all —Guardian: The Lonely and Great God —
You weren’t just a story,
you were a doorway.
A world of aching beauty,
of love stitched through lifetimes,
of tears I didn’t know I’d cry,
and characters I still carry in my soul.
From your first snowfall to your final goodbye,
you made me fall in love —
with K-dramas,
with heartbreak,
with magic.
You were my first favorite.
And no matter how many I watch,
you’ll always be
the beginning of it all.
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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?
This review may contain spoilers
Cause and Effect
Ok, everything that needs to be said has been said about Goblin so this is just me throwing my hat into the ring...- Gong Yoo & Kim Go-Eun have ZERO chemistry together, like NADA! So, if you are expecting an epic love story you aren't going to get it with these two. In reality, he is actually 12 years older than her, but that's still no excuse. I think that they were cast because they are magnificent actors that are really serious about their craft and this shows in their succinct and selective CV's. But they are so busy concentrating on their acting that they kind of forgot to be human! But I don't think there was much choice of actors at the time. They needed this level of acting to pull off the concept of the show.
Gong Yoo is acting like he's bipolar. One minute he is the war-torn philosopical general from a bygone age the next he's a goofy kid.
Kim Go-Eun, I just find this actress annoying...in everything. Here she is just a 19 yrs old hyperactive schoolgirl and then convincingly a 29 yrs old woman ...I mean kudos for pulling it off, but still no...
Basically, she's looking for a father figure and he behaves like one towards her.
-Lee Dong-wook & Yoo In-na on the other hand do have chemistry and even went on to star in another series 'Touch Your Heart' based on this chemistry. Sadly, nothing I've seen them in after Goblin has been as good. It really did bring out their best performances and you can't imagine anyone else in their parts, but still they are doing better in their careers than the main leads. I think this show set the bar too high!
The couple I ship is:
-Gong Yoo & Lee Dong-wook who win the award for best chemistry in Gobin :) They must have had a great time filming it together. I love their witty repartee.
- I have to give a special mention to Lee El, aka Red Halmoni, as she has also been in 2 of my favourite Kdramas: 'Black' & ' A Korean Odyssey'. Both made after 'Goblin' (talk about typecasting!) Anyway, she totally rocks in this!
-There are quite a lot of similarities between 'Goblin' & 'A Korean Odyssey'.
1. Both female leads can see ghosts.
2. Both female leads end up being sacrificed in the end.
3. Both female leads will only end up with the male lead through reincarnation.
4. One of the leads gets amnesia towards the end, but this is just a plot device to recap and fall in love with their love story all over again. But, not to worry they usually recover their memories within 1 episode!
-Another similarity I noticed was between 'My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho' when Gu Mi-ho starts crying it rains. There is a direct link between supernatural beings & the weather, must be in the mythology somewhere. I find this really poetic.
-Strangely, I get a 'Friends' vibe off the series. It is so knowing, like post-modern playing off the supernatural that makes it such a unique concept, which is not easily achieved. It also makes for such great comedy. There are so many funny scenes. that are just gems. Example: When main couple go to the cinema and goblin is terrified watching 'Train to Busan' a film he starred in just before Goblin!
-However the real star of the show isn't the actors, it is the hauntingly, instantly catchy OST. One of the best, if not the best I've ever heard. It really moved me and was utilised like an actor. Powerful stuff music!
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I loved it! BUT
So as everyone else i had enough of hearing about goblin even when it literally has been 6 years since it was made, and it's always either people HATE it or completely worship it! I was confused but i knew what to expectSo i watched it, put all those opinions behind my back and gave it my all attention
First of all let's just say that what i can remember the most and appreciated the most is kim go-eun acting and what made me laugh the most is Lee dong-wook and of course who i completely fell in love with was gong yoo, surprised? I don't think so!
Yoo in-na was so refreshing, her character was the most shocking to me, i loved how she was bold and shy less which i wish we can see more of it in kdramas, she was everything the show needed to make it more fun and light hearted yet she was a huge part of the heartbreaking drama.
The visual effects were as expected not good at all! But we could just turn eye on that
Is goblin a Masterpiece? No.
Is it the closest kdrama of being a masterpiece? Yes.
It's not perfect cuz it lacks so many things and at a point you'd feel like omg how is it that long? And the flashbacks are TOO MANY this to me was hands down the worst thing about this show! I just saw the scene you don't have to flashback to it like it happened 5 episodes ago???
The cinematography was dreamy like. I loved the winter feeling of it, at a point the show was just too much to take and the plot is already predictable so it really didn't need to be that long, i think the director really thought it was mysterious of like.. we were sitting blindly waiting to know what will happen!
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Don't hesitate just watch it babeee
It's one of my fav kdrama. Like I watched it in 2021 maybe when I just started watching kdramas and this kdrama just got me into the kdrama world. The cast, the storyline, the plot, the music, the acting and every freaking thing was on point. I've re-watched it like countless of times. If you love fictional romantic drama then you're gonna love it. This drama even made me cry so much. I just love the female lead so much like she's soooo amazing and I don't even have words to describe my love for goblin🥺🤌🏻💗Was this review helpful to you?
Best epic fantasy drama
Okay, there's pure biasness in this review cos I'm a huge Goo Yoo fan! This drama is pure epic fantasy with so much fun and ab-lib moments that is sooo enjoyable! The best squad for Goo Yoo, Kim Go-Eun and Lee Dong Wook who are still good friends in this time and age, that's why this drama is so precious! Although the age gap btw ML and FL but it's a fantasy so don't take it too hard, they have great chemistry and Kim Go-Eun was so young and pure which I find it cute!I'll rewatch it every winter with Quebec as the background (the cty which I visited and misses), listening to the OST gives back so much memories!
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What a beautiful story.
What a beautiful story. Why is so hard to love? We have only one life, one opportunity. I loved every single character of this drama, they all added something different to it.I always try to be unbiased when I give a review but, I like Gong Yoo (Kim Shin) and Kim Go-Eun (Ji Eun Tak), they have great chemistry.
This story has everything, tradition, love, hope, longing, and so on. I recommend it to watch it with the person that you love, so you can discuss it and cherish every single moment with them.
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This review may contain spoilers
it is not tv it is art
i was so reluctant to watch this. then as I started it, I couldn’t stop. i never wanted to let them go.the loneliness of every single character in this drama was overwhelming and saddening. the way they found each other and the long connection with each other was really satisfying. the friendship they developed was quickly formed into a family. something they all desperately needed.
that is why it hurt so much as they found out their true identities. the bromance was funny and tragic and in the end eternal forgiveness.
the performance of the actors was amazing. it was so real I cried and I laughed with them. it was outstanding in showing emotional performances.
the grim reaper was my personal favorite. he cried so much and you could feel his pain, his shame, his love and his loneliness. he was so funny and silly.
the chemistry between all of them was great. i believe that was the main reason why this drama was so amazing.
the main couple was a perfect match. I’m glad they waited with the more intimate scenes until they were the same age. she was just perfect for this role. her innocence and openness was such a contrast to his aloofness.
i loved the happy ending. all the couples found each other again and looked to be happy.
i hated the music. it was aweful.
the entire drama was art. the cinematic, the acting and the story. i was fascinated because every scene was impressive.
not a boring minute throughout the entire drama.
i miss them. i miss their little family. for me it could have continued because now I’m asking myself what happened after the 4th reincarnation? was a way found for them to stay together?
all in all, if you expect a fluff piece with only romance, this is not it
this is deep and thoughtful perfection of a romantic story.
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This review may contain spoilers
Goblin, a drama that brilliantly blends fantasy, romance, and humor.
Overall, this drama is excellent and the one that most moved me throughout the entire drama. Before talking about the characters, I'd like to talk about the title Goblin. First of all, when you say Goblin, you always think of a green-skinned creature, small in stature, and long ears. However, in the drama, this isn't the case at all, and it's completely reimagined. I love the addition of multiple mythologies into one drama (the Goblin, the Reaper, and a human who sees ghosts), which makes the story cohesive, offbeat, funny, touching, and, above all, very interesting!Regarding the characters, the duo Shin and Eun Tak, played by Gong Yoo and Kim Go Eun, is one of the drama's biggest strengths. Actor Gong Yoo is SENSATIONAL and is one of my favorites, both as an actor and in the drama. Besides, the twelve-year age gap between the two actors/actress didn't bother me either. I really like the second couple duo, the Reaper and Sunny, played by Lee Dong Woo and Yoo in Na. Otherwise, I became attached to the other characters, namely Deok Hwa (Sung Jae), Sam Sin (Lee El) and the Queen of Goryeo/Sin's sister (Kim So Hyun). Regarding the OST, I love "Stay With Me" and they perfectly match the atmosphere of the drama. Everything you need to definitely love it! In short, it's an excellent drama that deserves its popularity worldwide.
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Irritating female lead!
I'm here for Lee Dong Wook, and even then, I couldn't bear to watch through the series despite wanting to watch him! The storyline itself is quite nice, actually. I love the fantasy element of it all, except....The immature, childish, stubborn, reckless and irritating FL. I'm afraid this is a very unhealthy and toxic portrayal on how a woman should behave!
The fame of the show seems to agree that the FL needs to be "saved" all the time, that it's okay to be demanding and act cute towards a guy, because people think that's cute?
But, it just further promotes behavior of woman having to act cute, pretend to be weak, and to be spoilt, just because they are female.
My intolerance towards FL made me dropped the show. This means a lot, because I usually am very generous with rating. I easily give a rating of 8-10, in general. So, for me to give this rating means that's how underrated and disappointing this show is
Having said that, I really hope people still continue watching LDW, because he is an amazing actor! It's not his fault that the show turns out this way :P
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Amazing start but OMG it gets so slow
ok when i started it i was in shock how good it was. first 6 eps were AMAZING but the way the writers killed the vibe pissed me off so hard...the story is amazing dont get me wrong but the writers needa get fired for ruining a show with such high possibilities. every 2 mins there the 15 second slowmo music scene which enrages me so much...like its ok a couple of times but BRO stop it....it made me so angry that i no longer want to know if that damn blade comes out or not...i feel so bad for the writers cuz the base plot is so good but it just gets sooooooooo slowwwwwww. the actors are the best and they dont deserve such a bad director...i never drop shows and i think i will eventually finish it but that won't be happening in the next 2 yrsWas this review helpful to you?
