Otiose

Thanks MDL for posting this report. Their comments and insights are needed. I'm surprised how my own viewing habits have become dominated by Korean content over a few short years. From an introduction on Netflix a few years ago to now when probably 90% of content I'm consuming is Korean. I've been anticipating someone will write a history of what happened and how it happened, but until that is published articles like this one are interesting.

Perhaps Netflix couldn't get Korean version of The Goblin so they enlisted the help of the screenwriter (?) to make a Chinese version?

I just finished season 2 and the endings are an obvious set up for a Season 3.

Great show. The only nit to pick is that Kim Won Hae should have been listed as a main character.

Because if he's no longer a virgin, he's no longer a psychic.

I thought the second season of Missing: The Other Side was better overall in part because they included tighter episode length arcs in the second versus the first seasons.

This age difference issue overlooks another aspect that is problematical. Before I elaborate on that issue if I did write a review I would not have taken issue with the age difference and because I was so entertained, and had my heart ripped out by the ending I would have given it a ’10’ so I should be counted as another of those 10 reviewers for this show.

I sympathize with the opinion that a 1,000 year old supernatural being might not be all that attracted to a teen human girl, but this is a common story device in many K-dramas, not just this one. In this case that other aspect that is problematical and is ignored is the fact that some higher power (Powers That Be, aka PTB) made that teen girl from birth (Tak) to be the Goblin’s bride. Conversely, those higher PTB seem to have contrived to set the Goblin up to receive the girl i.e. did either party have any choice? A bigger issue for me isn’t the age issue but the implied lack of free will. This free will aspect I don’t remember being dealt with at all (It’s been awhile since I watched it).

There was an American TV series now owned by Netflix called Lucifer 2016/21 in which the age difference was ignored and this issue of free will explored over several seasons through extended character arcs. In that show the main character is Lucifer who rebelled against his father (God) and was consigned to Hell where he punished the damned. Among Lucifer’s powers is that he is sexually irresistible. He is also self centered and impulsive having spent much of his time fulfilling his every impulse. Lucifer rebels (again) and leaves Hell for Los Angeles where he meets a female detective, who is the only human entirely immune to his powers and this intrigues him. Complications ensue and he finds his redemption through his relationship with the detective, who it turns out was placed in his path via a miracle by his father in order to bring about his redemption.

This female detective is I believe in her late 30’s but in this story Lucifer is several thousands of years old so a much bigger age difference.

The age issue doesn’t arise, but free will is placed front and center. Lucifer and the detective start to fall for each other (hate to love trope) but this gets derailed when Lucifer finds out his father made her for him, which means he rejects her. Once those complications begin to resolve the detective finds out (she overhears Lucifer talking with his brother angel - the one who did the miracle birth) she was made for Lucifer and she doesn’t take it well. Eventually matters sort out to a ‘happy’ ending in which Lucifer has voluntarily returned to Hell, and finally when the detective dies she is sent to Hell.

In the Goblin’s case he was told up front that a bride would appear that would set him free (i.e. death). In Tak’s case she was able to see and talk to ghosts all her life and they consistently told her she was ‘the Goblin’s bride’. The implication is that she was created / made for him by some higher power, i.e. PTB. This destiny (lack of free will) never seemed to bother her. In any case neither side ever objected to their destinies.

That some PTB set up their relationship ( can we say ‘made in Heaven’?) the age difference would not seem to be an issue within the story’s context.

Unfortunately for a sequel to a hit like this if all the actors get a big boost a sure profit can turn easily into a loss even if ratings are high.

From the first episode I was 'wowed' to use an Attorney Woo expression. Park Sun-bin's performance was impressive, entertaining, and original.
I just found an article from BIZoom from last month in which she commented on her inclination to return for the second season. I'm sure it will happen. However, this comment caught my attention,

Park added, “I personally think that since the drama has been loved by so many people, I will need to have a much greater determination than when I first join ‘Woo Young-woo’ in order to meet the expectations. In addition, I feel like we’ve wrapped it up well in a treasure box now, and if we have to open it again, I’m a little worried that the beautiful crystals in it will be damaged,” she said honestly.

The lady knows her worth. Translation, or interpretation, or let's read between the lines to the powers-that-be (i.e. those who pay the salaries) what she's saying is 'You all are going to have to triple my compensation.'

I have no doubt that the two sides have already reached an appropriate compromise that will raise Ms. Park's level of determination and get her to reopen that treasure box much to the delight of the great many who enjoyed the first season.

Your review was packed with many great insights. In general I have a different take on several aspects but appreciate many of your interpretations. One question I have and I wonder what your view might be concerns why MSU as Bulgasal stabs DH 600 years ago. Given so much of the story's plotting and twists depends on this occurring I'm surprised the writers didn't make her reasons more obvious. The few words exchanged in the moments before MSU dissolved don’t explain why she protected him before this but tries to kill him now. How did she miss the presence of OET accomplishing all the slaughter finished just moments before? From my own review - "Min Sang Un (MSU)’s dual suicide attempt should have ended the Bulgasals’ time on Earth. Dan Hwal (DH)’s last second Hail Mary Pass kept them alive but created an unstable unbalanced situation dominated by strong dark emotions among the three Bulgasal demigods. DH 1,000 years ago was motivated by love which turned to great anger at her betrayal (in his eyes) which gave rise to mutual curses and DH’s creation of the sub Bulgasal Ok Eel Tae (OET) to evade MSU’s dual suicide attempt. This imbalance generated by hatred remained festering for the 1,000 years until at the end, DH rediscovered his love for MSU, and realizing the harm he had caused in his angry reactions a millennium ago, sacrificed himself to prevent any more harm to his human family. The DH that sacrificed himself for the same humans he had cursed so many years before was a different character from the angry Bulgasal at the beginning. And the loss of memories allowed MSU to let go of her dark emotions generated by the past events and become willing to sacrifice herself to save DH, another major character arc growth."

Your review was packed with many great insights. In general I have a different take on several aspects but appreciate many of your interpretations. One question I have and I wonder what your view might be concerns why MSU as Bulgasal stabs DH 600 years ago. Given so much of the story's plotting and twists depends on this occurring I'm surprised the writers didn't make her reasons more obvious. The few words exchanged in the moments before MSU dissolved don’t explain why she protected him before this but tries to kill him now. How did she miss the presence of OET accomplishing all the slaughter finished just moments before? From my own review - "Min Sang Un (MSU)’s dual suicide attempt should have ended the Bulgasals’ time on Earth. Dan Hwal (DH)’s last second Hail Mary Pass kept them alive but created an unstable unbalanced situation dominated by strong dark emotions among the three Bulgasal demigods. DH 1,000 years ago was motivated by love which turned to great anger at her betrayal (in his eyes) which gave rise to mutual curses and DH’s creation of the sub Bulgasal Ok Eel Tae (OET) to evade MSU’s dual suicide attempt. This imbalance generated by hatred remained festering for the 1,000 years until at the end, DH rediscovered his love for MSU, and realizing the harm he had caused in his angry reactions a millennium ago, sacrificed himself to prevent any more harm to his human family. The DH that sacrificed himself for the same humans he had cursed so many years before was a different character from the angry Bulgasal at the beginning. And the loss of memories allowed MSU to let go of her dark emotions generated by the past events and become willing to sacrifice herself to save DH, another major character arc growth."

I understand your points about the misleading layered reveals. Bulgasal reminded me of The Sixth Sense in which the final and singularly most important reveal at the very end makes the viewer reassess everything that came before, and when watched a second time the evidence and hints were there that supported that final reveal but most everyone missed them because of assumptions self inflicted. Bulgasal keeps the viewer constrained to the reveals available to the two main characters as they progress through their investigation as to what happened in that 600 years ago incident. It's only towards the end do they stumble upon what happened 1,000 years before. My impression after watching a few times is that the story presentation is bit too subtle. For example in the first episode we see a Bulgasal killing villagers and we also see a Bulgasal saving young DH. I suspect the storytellers were showing us the ongoing conflict over hundreds of years between OET and MSU with OET finding DH and then inciting the people around him to kill him (because OET probably can't kill DH directly), and MSU trying to protect young DH. This cycle was only broken when the general adopted DH and took him away, and then later MSU stepped into the middle of OET's latest scheme and took OET's soul from DH making him the Bulgasal. The more confusing and (to me) unexplained action was when MSU stabbed DH in the back taking his soul. In the 16 episodes I failed to find a reasonable rationale for doing that and for sure there was no exposition explaining it and yet much of the unfolding story depends on that twist. MSU must have known that OET did all that murder and mayhem. Did she know she would switch places when she stabbed him? If ever there was a time when a little communication would have helped that moment was it. I enjoyed Bulgasal, but agree that a little more exposition would have helped the greater appreciation because way too many people are left confused as to what happened and why.

I believe that this show is a discussion about the main show on Netflix.

It appears that instead of a season 2 of episodes the screenwriter and director have come out with a movie (The Curse: Dead Man's Prey). The movie and its ending seem open to additional movie installments.