My Girl's Lee Dong Wook. Coffee Prince's Gong Yoo. Admittedly, those two names were the initial reasons why I got curious about this drama. Later on, it was my 30-second glimpse of episode five when the male leads were going to the apps store (really cracked me up) that sealed the deal. Because of that, I was under the impression that this will be just another light rom-com drama with a touch of fantasy. Boy was I wrong.
I didn't watch any trailer before I started this drama and I wasn't prepared for the emotional roller coaster that it put me in. A salad of fantasy, romance, drama, and comedy, Goblin was able to make me laugh, smile, and cry all in one episode. There was no boring episode although I must admit that the last three dragged on a bit.
Though sometimes a bit forced and repetitive, the romance in this drama was good. The actors definitely knew what they were doing in that area. Now the bromance, a favorite of most Goblin fans, was just AMAZING. (All caps, people!). Having Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook acting adorably awkward and goofy in the same screen is now my second favorite thing next to chocolate fudge cake. More importantly, this drama is more than just about love that transcends time and death or about "destiny outside of man's boundary." Beyond the witty exchanges and the most poetic lines I've heard - or read (hurrah, subtitles!) in a drama, Goblin tackles deeper themes about friendship, life choices, and regrets.
Not to mislead you though, this drama is not perfect. There are a lot of underlying storylines that are undeveloped and could have made the story more awesome than it already was. By the time you realized it though, you've fallen in love with the drama and its characters that you won't have a choice but to overlook and forgive these plot holes.
The best part that I like about this drama (except for Goblin's and the Grim Reaper's bromance) is the music. Simply put - PERFECT. I don't understand Korean but the melody and how the songs were laid in each scene was so effective I would rate it 11 if possible. There were also some important scenes when I expected a background music but instead I was given raw acting and raw dialogue making the scenes more effective.
Last but definitely not the least, I was in awe of the cinematography of this drama. If not for Gong Yoo's face in the first episode, I wouldn't have been sure if I was watching a k-drama or some Hollywood/Chinese fantasy movie. They definitely spared no expense in making this drama. Then again, they probably also earned tons from all the advertisement they had.
All in all, Goblin is a strange and beautiful drama that is definitely one of the best k-dramas I've seen.
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