It’s with an content and appreciative heart that I send Goblin off with a fare thee well as this past weekend’s three episode binge wrapped things up for the fantasy drama. It wasn’t perfect but it was nearly perfect in how much I was enchanted by the creative story. Screenwriter Kim Eun Sook melded her usual snappy dialogue and modern K-drama tropes with the heightened melodrama and scope of sageuk plot drivers. All the main and major supporting characters connected with me, I cared about what happened to even the ghosts that flitted around Eun Tak and was thoroughly needing all the leads to have happy endings. That’s why having Kim Shin remain an immortable Goblin chafed so much, the supernatural powers aside it was and will be the chains of loss as he outlives everyone he cares about over and over again. For once I needed his happy ending as a release above anything else, but then K-dramas are known for melancholy conclusions and perhaps this is his fate because he chose it this time around.
I suppose the “maybe” consolation prize is that after Eun Tak lives out her second reincarnation with Kim Shin, and has two more hopefully with him again, maybe there is a way for him to finally end his immortality even aside from the bride pulling out his sword since the sword has already been pulled out. We knows, just because the story didn’t leave that possibility overtly hinted at doesn’t mean viewers can’t hope for it for our long suffering Goblin.
Sunny and Grim Reaper Wang Yeo’s happy ending was lovely for me, the way they got their chance after he paid his dues and this time around they never let the chance slip by with each other. I cried a lot during the final episode as people died whether by choice or by living out their lifetime, while Kim Shin remained as he was when the drama started, almost like 19 episodes of so much catharsis and revelations didn’t have an impact as the status quo remained. If that was the point of the story then I’ll accept it reluctantly, and thank Kim Eun Sook for attempting such an ambitious tale and writing it with so much heart. I was touched and for that I love this drama.
Goblin has become my all time fave, threatening de-lodge Signal and My Lovely Samsoon from 1st position. It really made me care about each and every character. It is not perfect but ALMOST. My only grouse is that we don’t get to see Deok Hwa 30 years later, and the end of Reaper and Goblin’s bromance, which is the heart of the drama for me.
I am going to seriously miss this drama. I feel like no drama can compare to it anymore. It was awesome! The actors portrayed their parts so well. The bromance between the goblin and the reaper is so cute. Both actors have superb facial expressions! I keep watching the funny scenes in youtube and they crack me up so much. GY is so cute the cameras love him so much. I won’t mind staring at him for hours! Congratulations to the cast and crew of Goblin! Your efforts are truly appreciated by us your fans.
I am in peace with myself, I finally watch the last episode and I found it’s beautiful
I bawled my eyes out every single time shin cried the last few episodes.The ending was really hard on me.It was just so painful seeing him by himself all this years waiting for eun tak to be reborn again while his friends and family members died.Even just by reading the recaps (twice at different sites),I still shed tears from it.
The ending for reaper and sunny was perfect though.The heaven till the end was on wang yeo’s side.
I am in the same boat with you. I am having majoe withdrawal symptoms right now and I can’t even bring myself to pick my next drama. I do agree with Kaola and I think the ending should have been different, too. But, I feel that’s what happens when you shoot the ending first. I wish the writer could have rectified Shin being an immortal forever so we all wouldn’t be feeling the way we do now. Just thinking about it now makes me so sad. Lol. The feels!!!
I hated the female lead at first for being like a kid but I ended up loving her and every single one. Goblin is officially my favourite drama , it’s been 3/4 years since a drama had so much impact on me (master sun was the last one). I am sincerely thankful for kim eun sook writer for writing this, it is such a big improvement from her other works. I enjoyed DOTS but did not love or ever got hook on it so I was so surprise to know it’s the exact same write-directer duo. (The directer was spectacular as well). Despite everything, I love this drama and I’ll miss it badly
Your comment encourages me to continue watching since I’m at ep 4 now and I really hate the female lead is portraying her character.
This was an amazing drama from start to finish. I truly enjoyed the characters and even though I was upset with the ending I understood why Eun Tak had to leave. The scenery and story was beautiful almost makes me want to move to Canada haha. I haven’t loved a drama like this since Masters Sun and My love from the Star. I was sad to see that they left out Deok Hwa story out. I assume he took over the company and finally grew up.
There is a fun fiction exactly how koala imagined their life will be Eun Tak lives all her four lives with Kim Shin and after her last life he will go to heaven with her.
I loved Goblin and am already experiencing withdrawl.
I wonder how many of us will think of Kim Shin and Eun Tak everytime they see or blow out candles.
I wonder how many of us will think of Kim Shin when it rains or when the first snow arrives.
Yes I agree with your comment. I will never look at rainfall or first snow the same again. Seriously having withdrawal syndrome. I love this drama so much…why must it end???
Again, why is it that no one is thinking that they would have kids to accompany him as his wife reincarnates?
Yes and make it into a continuation of their story. Goblin father and a human mother what would the kids be like? That will be fun!
I second that
I adore this drama. Yes it has some tiny flaws but overall it was such a wonderful experience. The ending was thought provoking and im grateful they didn’t settle for a fluffy happy ending. Kudos to the production team and their obsession to set details. The cast was well-chosen and the clothes were fabulous too.
It was an amazing drama (a little slow in the middle) but heartfelt. In the overall construct of the drama, I understand the ending and see the logic of it.. Yet I wanted a more touching reunion and ending.
If the point that the writer wanted to make was about a love crossing lifetimes/death and still going strong- I guess, she did it. Only in the meantime, her male lead perpetually remains the lonely goblin he was… He now lives the lonely life for love not death.
I know some people are wondering what happened to Doek Hwa after 30 years but wasn’t he the old man who told Kim Shin to watch out for Korean girls on the trip to Canada in the hotel scene in the final episode? Also, based on the fact that the reason why/how Kim Shin was able to return to Eun Tak after 9 years of solitude was because of the contract he had with her(to come back to her every first snow), we can logically assume that once Eun Tak lives out her last reincarnation, he will no longer be bound by the contract anymore. He will be free to end his life as Goblin and take the choice God has granted him to return to nothingness. I too enjoyed and loved this beautifully written and executed drama. It will be a tough one to beat for a long time.
Oh,I’m going to miss it 🙁 I just started to watch it again, since knowing the finale, there are so many rich details along the story that now it’s easier to understand. The best kdrama for me, and it will be hard that another will take the 1st place for me. I admire all the crew, the actors. All of them were amazing. And KES… thank you for such a wonderful and meaningful drama. I will never forget.
I feel like this drama is highly suspect genre. I don’t get why people avoid to mention it or stay silent on it.
The girl the Goblin was romancing was a minor. She was around 17-18yrs old while the goblin seems like he died in his mid-30s and stopped aging after that.
So basically it is like a 35yr old male romancing a high-schooler 17-18yrs old.
Imagine what people would have said if Hyun bin was dating Tzuyu twice
Didn’t Kim Shin go out of his way not to romance her when she was underage? Also, she threw herself at him. And, best part, her real life boyfriend is 42 while she is 25. Sometimes these things happen.
K dramas are usually melancholic? Isn’t it otherwise? It’s usually fluff n positive.
Gong Yoo, what a year he had. Two superhit films n one super hit drama. He himself is wise to know that this may not happen again in his career. He said this in an interview, was surprised at how aware his thoughts are. Even if he’s 38 not many have such insights.
I can’t believe there will be a day that I say that i love KES for writing such a beautiful story.
This God-fantasy story is always be my fav genre but unfortunately kdrama rarely has this theme. That’s why i prefer to read chinese novel because there are many Cnovel have this kind God related story.
When i know that Goblin will have this theme i was interested and later sold by the cast.
I can’t believe it’s KES work. I love every bits of it. The goryeo history, the bromance, the banter between the couple and all little story in the tea house.
I was wondering how long KES write this story and i just read from an article that she prepare this story since 6 years ago! No wonder it’s her best work!
About the ending, it’s bittersweet, beautiful and poignant. It’s perfectly sync with the main girl choice (a sad love) that will last 1000 years. This ending will surely left the viewer a deeper feeling to understand how lonely kim shin is. He will have to wait her bride to come, but this time he wait with all that beautiful memory about her. Then later after 4th end, i believe he can beg the divinity to go to the afterlife with her.
Gosh, Goblin make the worst withdrawal syndrome in my life!
You make me feel better about my withdrawal symptoms!! I too feel the same way. I think the only way to feel better is to rewatch the drama..i don’t know, my heart is feeling achy again, thinking about rewatching the drama..
I like your way of thinking. I do imagine many kids for them and then once Eun-tak’s 4th life is over, they can walk up those stairs together, hand in hand, like the reaper and his princess…omg…this makes me want to cry. Lol
Goblin is that unsettling k-drama, disguised as a love story, but of so much more… of God and humans… of the idea of a human’s free will vs destiny. Love the scene where God said he merely asks the questions and human beings answer with the choices we make. The choice Eun Tak made to save the children and losing her life in the process was by far more heroic than Goblin disintegrating into nothingness. It’s been raining like crazy here in Los Angeles and it reminded me of a lonely Goblin somewhere…will definitely miss this one!
I agree with all the comments. Thinking that Kim Shin would outlive all his loved ones breaks me. But that’s why the title is as such Lonely and Great God. The writer is smart and the director is smarter. I love this drama more than any dramas I have watched. It has no flaws to me..