I was scrolling down the dramas he's been and thought he looked familiar. Then it hit me. He played the king in Moon Embracing the Sun and a professor in Sungkyunkwan Scandal. I loved him in Moonlight Drawn by Clouds the most though. He was such a wonderful mentor and friend to Park Bo Gum's crown prince.
Why are they re-making Meteor Garden yet AGAIN? That drama is virtually untouchable :( Only the 2005 Japanese version (with its accompanying second season and movie) managed to unseat Meteor Garden in my heart. I mean, it should because the original source material IS Japanese and Matsumoto Jun is such an adorable dork. But why? I don't think anyone would be able to duplicate the effect Barbie Hsu, Jerry Yan and the rest of the F4 had on us who were major fans of the 2001 drama. Being that the Hana Yori Dango franchise is so iconic, it can't be helped that people will always compare one after another and that wouldn't be fair. Same goes for the remake of Secret Garden. I love Baifern but Ha Ji Won and Hyun Bin together are on a whole different level, even if the story was kind of silly.
I finally got around and finished Goblin today and I have to say it IS a stunning drama. It's true I put it on hold for a few months after Episode 8-9 I think ('cause it got draggy for me) but I'm glad I picked it up again since I missed the witty and hilarious dialogue. However, what I got was a very good narrative. Although I enjoyed and loved Descendants of the Sun more, I can say that Goblin had better storytelling overall. Despite its adorable humor and charm, it's actually a very deep story that touches on the things that we sometimes ponder on such as God's role in the lives of human beings, destiny, the consequence of sin in the afterlife and the truthfulness of whether or not love can be strong enough to last throughout eternity (or at least, multiple lifetimes). The main themes in Goblin are death, fate and reincarnation. Thus, it has a very poetic and ethereal feel to it (which becomes more and more pronounced after Episode 11). Like reading a very old, classic novel.
To anyone interested in watching Goblin, don't believe in the comments stating that it's "overrated." Most people never bothered to surpass the first half to be able to appreciate its uniqueness and depth anyway. This drama actually delivers that level of quality that is proportionate to its popularity. In fact, I'm quite proud of Kim Eun Sook. She outdid herself here as a writer because she managed to create a supernatural world of her own with the fantasy element being the main focus, and the characters' stories revolving around this fantasy world. Furthermore, it's very consistent. From beginning to end, it was clear writer Kim knew what she wanted and she stuck to this vision. It was a MAJOR improvement from her previous works. I've only seen six of her dramas (Lovers in Paris, Secret Garden, The Heirs, A Gentleman's Dignity, Descendants of the Sun, Goblin) but I have to say, this is probably, objectively speaking, her best one.
Give it a chance, finish it and you will find yourself in a truly magical, bittersweet ride.
So I'm gonna watch this since my office mate urged me. She likes this drama a lot. But, despite my positive opinion of Lee Jun Ki, his character is seriously scary.
The drama was undoubtedly good. But full of violence. I feel bad for Kim byung
hmm there are other korean dramas/movies that are bloodier and more violent than this. sageuks are known to be violent, especially the heavier ones like Empress Ki, Queen Seon Deok, and The Princess' Man (so you just have to expect it). the violence in Love in the Moonlight is pretty mild actually, which is also the reason why i really love it.
the cast are so bubbly and silly in real life. and park bo gum is like so opposite of crown prince lee yeong. the naivete is so evident in him. he's so child-like.
I never realized that Cha Tae Hyun was the famous other half of Jun Ji Hyun in My Sassy Girl when he made an appearance in Love in the Moonlight. That is, until he removed his mustache in one of the BTS interviews that I saw. I've always wondered what happened to him after My Sassy Girl. Lol.
Thanks, I'll probably go for the lighthearted romantic ones now (planning to watch Love in the Moonlight, hope that's fine). I basically stopped at episode 16 then fastforwarded it to the last two episodes. I couldn't stand a repetition of betrayals and backstabbing anymore. Like, seriously? Is there no decent person in the story anymore? Aside from Wang Yu, his loyal subjects and Tal Tal, no one in the drama had integrity. You can't even trust your own mother. Greed is EVERYWHERE in this story, from servant girls to the empress dowager. It's heartbreaking. I'm staying far away from tragic/historical sageuks from this day on. Watching the ending was as mind-numbing as watching Mawang and The Wailing, something I regret and don't recommend to people who watch for fun.
wow i've never seen such a deep, strong and intense love from a male character before. kim mu yeol here puts other korean drama men (and some men in real life) to shame.
To anyone interested in watching Goblin, don't believe in the comments stating that it's "overrated." Most people never bothered to surpass the first half to be able to appreciate its uniqueness and depth anyway. This drama actually delivers that level of quality that is proportionate to its popularity. In fact, I'm quite proud of Kim Eun Sook. She outdid herself here as a writer because she managed to create a supernatural world of her own with the fantasy element being the main focus, and the characters' stories revolving around this fantasy world. Furthermore, it's very consistent. From beginning to end, it was clear writer Kim knew what she wanted and she stuck to this vision. It was a MAJOR improvement from her previous works. I've only seen six of her dramas (Lovers in Paris, Secret Garden, The Heirs, A Gentleman's Dignity, Descendants of the Sun, Goblin) but I have to say, this is probably, objectively speaking, her best one.
Give it a chance, finish it and you will find yourself in a truly magical, bittersweet ride.