1. The unconventional, but LOVABLE female lead.
First of all, I’m glad Lee Sung Kyung got a break and didn’t have to play the usual villain that we all love to hate. I think this Bok Joo character will help revive her image after the evilness that was Baek In Ha from “Cheese in the Trap,” which I’m ok with because she’s so much more!
Lee Sung Kyung is proving that she can be a solid female lead. I especially love her in this role because she doesn’t play the conventional main lead who is really skinny and always wears pretty dresses. The character Kim Bok Joo is just a regular girl who isn’t the most popular, but has a dream of becoming a weightlifter, which is someone we can all root for.
I love her quirky mannerisms:
…and her outfits, like this one.
Cute, right?
2. The theme of inner beauty.
Just when you think there’s going to be a big makeover and transformation in our main female character, you realize that she’s just who she is and that’s ok. Her short hair, aggressive behavior, and endless wardrobe of running shoes and track suits are all things that make her unique and special. Kim Bok Joo basically exemplifies the importance of inner beauty and how you shouldn’t be too concerned about what you look like. Her character is far from the typical skinny you see in K-dramas, but she still steals our hearts. Way to go, Bok Joo!
Perfection.
3. The out-of-this-world cuteness between Nam Joo Hyuk and Lee Sung Kyung.
I couldn’t help but fall in love with these two more and more as the drama progressed. Seeing how Nam Joo Hyuk’s character, Jung Joon Hyung, follows Bok Joo around, while innocently flirting with her? Sigh. I couldn’t stop gushing over them, especially the parts where he appears out of nowhere several times to call Bok Joo “Chubs.” The fact that these two are good friends in real life really shows in how comfortable they are with each other on screen.
…I will continue to ship them in silence.
4. How it addresses life’s most crucial questions and thoughts.
There are several times throughout this drama when I found myself relating to the many deep and provoking thoughts that the female characters had.
Questions like…
…and self-reflective thoughts like…
5. The definition of friendship presented in the 3 musketeers.
Although Lee Sung Kyung’s character Kim Bok Joo is so lovable, I can’t help but admire the friendship she has with her two friends, Lee Sun Ok (played by Lee Joo Young) and Jung Nan Hee (played by Cho Hye Jung). They exhibit the importance of forgiveness and helping each other out when times get tough. #friendshipgoals.
And if these aren’t enough reasons, I’ll just leave you with one more.
yes you are.
5 Reasons “Goblin” Is A Must-Watch K-Drama
1. The strange, but beautiful script
This melancholy Gothic fantasy fairy-tale is far from being your average K-drama. The love story, after all, involves a goblin and his high-school bride-to-be; the secondary love story involves the grim reaper and a lonely owner of a chicken restaurant. With this said, it is pretty dark, but something about it makes it so charming and hard to resist.
The overall theme of the drama is death. Although that sounds disturbing, it’s really not. The story addresses life and the fragility of it in such a beautiful way that it doesn’t make it seem so depressing. Kim Eun Sook (the writer) is a genius. The drama could have bordered on being cheesy or insensitive, but it presents death in such a perfect, moving way.
2. The eerie soundtrack
With names like Punch, Soyou, Eddy Kim, Sam Kim, 10cm, and Crush on the OST, you really can’t go wrong. With these vocals, you’re looking for an emotional, but superb soundtrack.
The sad and dark minor tones of all the songs add such weight and depth to the drama. Every single song on this OST was meant for this drama; even the happy songs have an overarching sadness to them that’s hard to shake.
3. The cinematography
This drama has some of the most beautiful and picturesque scenes I’ve ever seen in a Korean drama. It’s perfect.
4. The bromance
A goblin and grim reaper living as roommates in one house. Sounds like a comedy, right? Well, it is.
These two take the cake in terms of bromance. Their constant love/hate bantering while secretly caring about each other is a joy to watch. Their savage behavior towards each other will have you laughing and begging for more.
Plus, how cool was it when they partnered together to save Ji Eun Tak (Kim Go Eun)?
5. The acting.
What do you get when you bring two veteran actors and a great actress together for one drama? A flawless drama and a fictional world that you get totally sucked into.
Seriously, I really can’t praise this cast enough. I bet it’s not easy to act like a goblin or grim reaper without feeling or looking foolish, but Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook have outdone themselves. Gong Yoo has this ability to capture the history and emotions of his character through his eyes. The moments where he stares longingly at his bride, Ji Eun Tak, and the scenes where he’s in turmoil after being punished with immortality are all acted out seamlessly.
Lee Dong Wook’s acting ability goes without mention; he’s been recently praised for his acting in this drama and ability to show depth of emotion in mere seconds.
And of course, Kim Go Eun. From the movie “Monster” to the drama “Cheese in the Trap,” Kim Go Eun has proven to us that she’s one of the best actresses out there. Although she’s still young, she’s able to take on such versatile characters — really, she’s so different in almost every role. In this particular drama, her cute and endearing personality is so entertaining to watch. Her subtle I-love-yous and constant begging for money is really charming. You’ll fall in love.
You really won’t come across a drama that’s this perfect in every aspect. Every detail, down to the costumes — everything just fits together flawlessly. Make sure you check out this one-of-a-kind drama. You won’t regret it!
