Have any of you watched any Kdrama series?
If yes, what comes to mind when asked, ‘what was your favorite?’
If not – would you consider watching one in particular?
Annyeonghaseyo… (that btw is 'hello' in Korea)
I’m here to tell you why you should consider watching – or rewatching Goblin - as it is known as it's international release title.
In 2016, TVN – a Koreanmulti-media production, released a 16-episode story that mixed romance, drama, mystery, comedy and mysticism. This was called “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God”. But for some strange reason, someonw decidd to retitle it as Goblin. Go figure.
This stared Gong Yoo as the titular character (Goblin), Lee Dong Wook (Grim Reaper), Kim Go Eun (Goblin Bride) and Yook Sungjae (Sunny). It became popular to local viewers, and – thanks to Netflix, equally popular beyond the South Korean borders. But why was this so?
Why do I consider Goblin a masterpiece, that set high standards for the Kdrama industry to follow? Why did it become my entypoint to realizing that Kdrama was actually good, and afterwards decided to seek out more of such series?
Allow me to share three reasons that contribute to this, namely Genre, Artistic Quality and Soundtrack.
Genre – Goblin is a fantasy series set in present time. However, it also jumps into glimpses of the past – showing actions in past lives of our characters, and the consequences that affect these characters, centuries later.
There are deities that love hanging around mortals; observing… and in their own capricious ways, allowing certain people to reincarnate or live long; manipulating events to play out, and observe if certain beings make up for sins of the past – resolve wrongs and hurts, or fail to use theri second chances given them. In this is a world there are ghosts, Grim Repaers and Deities, living amongst us. And once in a while, demons on the loose. Then there's our Guardian.
The Guardian / Goblin:
Kim Shin,in his past life, was a General of his majesty's Imperial army - he was famous, victorious, beloved by his troops and the people - and considered a threat by the King. He gets betrayed by said King and dies - but not afterseeing his sister die by Imperial command - said sister, being bethroded to the King. Shin swears vengeance, and the Gods hear his cry, and tranform him into an immortal being with powers - but he arrives to the King's palace, too late to exact revenge. The King has died,,, both due to a broken heart and suffering for the death of his queen - and the pride that had made him commit such an act.The Goblin, however gets some semplance of revenge by killing the toady of a chancellor - hte man actually behind all the lies - the one who goaded the king to see the Gineral as a threat.
Being immortal, Kim Shin lives on for the next 900 years - he amases wealth, and rewards people who helped him in his past life. He just wanders around - evenutally bored with life and living, but he cannot die unless the prophesy of his death is fulfilled.
The Grim Reaper
In this world, there are Grim Reapers. Beings that fetch you upon your death - then bring you to their shop and offer you the tea of oblivion before you traverse to either heaven or hell;
One such Reaper contrats a person to lease his house for the Reaper to live in Yes, aside from having some powers as well, Grim Reapers share the mortal aptitude to eat, sleep, and go to work... except their work is to be there when the nearly departed meets their time.
The lesor happens to be the Goblin's nephew - who mistakenly thins the Goblin is about to leave - unfortunately for him, and the Grim Reapers, the Goblin decided to stay. Hence he now has to share his house with the Grip Reaper> A series of funny situations presnt itself to us viwered making it obvious that both Reaper and Goblin do not really like each other.
As th series continues, we see these two try each otehr's patience to force one , or the other to leave. However, we also see their graoth and development, as they slowly get closer, until they both seem to become friends..
Ji Eon Tak, The Goblin bride
Eum Yak.is a young student, who even having gone through hardships in life, has a selfless characteristic. She is almost normal – except that she can see, and converse with dead people… the ghosts seem to know who she is - at least from the point of knowing who she is destined to be.
Eun Tak is a student with a harsh auntie - her mom died while she was still quite young, and she looks for a job to help her support her being a student. She eventually finds work at Sunny’s cafe. Thing is, the mother should have died years ago - a victim of hit and run, and at tht time, she was pregnant with Eon Tak. but in her last moment sof lucidness, she prayed to the gods, that she live and her daughter be saved. The Goblin, who just happened to be sitting on top of a large sigh - and slightly innepriated, took pity and saved her, allowing her to be sent to the hospital... just a few moments before the Grim Repaer arrived to claim her.
Sunny, the shop owner, by chance, meets the Grim Reaper when they both like the same ring – the same looking ring that the Emperor gave his Queen in the past. None realize that she is the Queen reincarnated, while said Reaper is the King undergoing repentance for his sins. Sunny feels attracted to the black clad stranger, and he with her too. Unfortunately, he is a Reaper, and is unsure how to proceed. Little do both realize that this is fate, working to make them meet.
So yes, in a twisted way, The Grim Reaper was once the emperor how had both his wife and his general killed. Now he meets his wife again, and lives with hsi General, who is immortal seeing for a way to end his life - a life he can nowstart to consider with apossible end soon as he meets his bride, who'se mother he helped years ago to survive a hit and run. The series revolves around their lives, misadventures and whimsical moments. How the Goblin meets his bride, how she proves that she is indeed his bride - how they fall in love, and in doing so, the Goblin feels tht he does not wish to end his life. Yet fate moves on - with the nudges from the deities wathcing over them. Need less to say, it is enjoyable seeing their characters grow, and we learnthe connections a little earleir than thye do,making us woder who things will play out, soon as they learn the truths betwen their past connections.
Artistic Quality (Cinematography and Production effects): The camera angles, the near picturesque, panoramic long shots (by the sea, a buckwheat field, or a mysterious dark tunnel, or a boat) – the camera is guided to capture the beauty of such seemingly mundane, to bring out each scene’s innate beauty. Post editing and lighting gives each scene their needed emotional theme. These shots are presented so artistically, and thematically, one fathoms the thought processes used to create such picturesque scenes. The Macro shots where sharpness is focused on the characters with blurred backgrounds are used for focus.
There is also the slow motion shots capturing the falling snow, or; leaves, or even raindrops – they stretch a scene’s beauty – or literally makes time stop. Set designs are tasteful, stylish, deliberate – to show well to do backgrounds, vs. people just eking out a living. How the Goblin and his bride first lock eyes with each other - oblivious to who the otehr is. The sue of reverse time (rewinding) slow motion shots - not just in the story, but on the title sequence... this gives a mysterious connection. It teases the audience with the mystery of what is going on here.
. The sets are well designed. The Goblin's house, the Grim Peaper's Office, the attention to detail amkes for a great visual delight.
Fashion is tasteful, and I have considered emulating some looks. But they also present how certain characters behave – the carefree Goblin vs the stoic Reaper. It is also a point to show character development as the Goblin and his bride start mirroring fashion colors later.While the Reaper starts experimenting (albeit in a still limited sense, with colors.Sunny is always fashionable, Eun starts of as simple - with jus school uniforms, them later starts showing mor fashon in her wardrobe. The wardrobe also refelct's Eun's maturity.
The Soundtrack:
By this time, I’ve watched a lot of Kdramas. After all, my wife and I had to do something while in locown for two years.
Many of these have memorable songs… cute, catchy – but usually, having just one song standing out.
The Goblin’s soundtrack almost sounds like an ‘all hits’ collection. Each song has its ‘rasion de etre’ – and they all stand out. The series opening theme itself almost sound like they tapped Enya to sing it. They tunes sound playful, catchy, haunting and melancholic.
The singers chosen belt out great melodies.
Honestly, I can say a lot more… but instead, let me share with you this link that shows you what I mean about both the cinematography, and the songs. I won’t play it now, because it is a 14 minute video, so please enjoy it later.
https://youtu.be/l1XJwVexjAM
If music sets the mood of any scene – or theme of the genre, then Goblin’s delivers quite well.
Simply put, this series seems like a passion project for everyone concerned. And boy, did they deliver.
Again, fellow Toastmasters and guests, I reiterate… Goblin is a masterpiece.
I highly recommend it.
I rarely repeat movies – much less a series – but I repeated Goblin, and after researching for this talk - I still got caught up with the emotional flow of the series. So yes, I might just watch it again.
If you have yet to watch at least one Kdrama series, let it be Goblin. You won't regret it.
By tvN - http://star.mt.co.kr/view/stview.php?no=2016112109460618761&type=1&outlink=1, Fair use, Link
Gamsahamnida
If yes, what comes to mind when asked, ‘what was your favorite?’
If not – would you consider watching one in particular?
Annyeonghaseyo… (that btw is 'hello' in Korea)
I’m here to tell you why you should consider watching – or rewatching Goblin - as it is known as it's international release title.
In 2016, TVN – a Koreanmulti-media production, released a 16-episode story that mixed romance, drama, mystery, comedy and mysticism. This was called “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God”. But for some strange reason, someonw decidd to retitle it as Goblin. Go figure.
This stared Gong Yoo as the titular character (Goblin), Lee Dong Wook (Grim Reaper), Kim Go Eun (Goblin Bride) and Yook Sungjae (Sunny). It became popular to local viewers, and – thanks to Netflix, equally popular beyond the South Korean borders. But why was this so?
Why do I consider Goblin a masterpiece, that set high standards for the Kdrama industry to follow? Why did it become my entypoint to realizing that Kdrama was actually good, and afterwards decided to seek out more of such series?
Allow me to share three reasons that contribute to this, namely Genre, Artistic Quality and Soundtrack.
Genre – Goblin is a fantasy series set in present time. However, it also jumps into glimpses of the past – showing actions in past lives of our characters, and the consequences that affect these characters, centuries later.
There are deities that love hanging around mortals; observing… and in their own capricious ways, allowing certain people to reincarnate or live long; manipulating events to play out, and observe if certain beings make up for sins of the past – resolve wrongs and hurts, or fail to use theri second chances given them. In this is a world there are ghosts, Grim Repaers and Deities, living amongst us. And once in a while, demons on the loose. Then there's our Guardian.
The Guardian / Goblin:
Kim Shin,in his past life, was a General of his majesty's Imperial army - he was famous, victorious, beloved by his troops and the people - and considered a threat by the King. He gets betrayed by said King and dies - but not afterseeing his sister die by Imperial command - said sister, being bethroded to the King. Shin swears vengeance, and the Gods hear his cry, and tranform him into an immortal being with powers - but he arrives to the King's palace, too late to exact revenge. The King has died,,, both due to a broken heart and suffering for the death of his queen - and the pride that had made him commit such an act.The Goblin, however gets some semplance of revenge by killing the toady of a chancellor - hte man actually behind all the lies - the one who goaded the king to see the Gineral as a threat.
Being immortal, Kim Shin lives on for the next 900 years - he amases wealth, and rewards people who helped him in his past life. He just wanders around - evenutally bored with life and living, but he cannot die unless the prophesy of his death is fulfilled.
The Grim Reaper
In this world, there are Grim Reapers. Beings that fetch you upon your death - then bring you to their shop and offer you the tea of oblivion before you traverse to either heaven or hell;
One such Reaper contrats a person to lease his house for the Reaper to live in Yes, aside from having some powers as well, Grim Reapers share the mortal aptitude to eat, sleep, and go to work... except their work is to be there when the nearly departed meets their time.
The lesor happens to be the Goblin's nephew - who mistakenly thins the Goblin is about to leave - unfortunately for him, and the Grim Reapers, the Goblin decided to stay. Hence he now has to share his house with the Grip Reaper> A series of funny situations presnt itself to us viwered making it obvious that both Reaper and Goblin do not really like each other.
As th series continues, we see these two try each otehr's patience to force one , or the other to leave. However, we also see their graoth and development, as they slowly get closer, until they both seem to become friends..
Ji Eon Tak, The Goblin bride
Eum Yak.is a young student, who even having gone through hardships in life, has a selfless characteristic. She is almost normal – except that she can see, and converse with dead people… the ghosts seem to know who she is - at least from the point of knowing who she is destined to be.
Eun Tak is a student with a harsh auntie - her mom died while she was still quite young, and she looks for a job to help her support her being a student. She eventually finds work at Sunny’s cafe. Thing is, the mother should have died years ago - a victim of hit and run, and at tht time, she was pregnant with Eon Tak. but in her last moment sof lucidness, she prayed to the gods, that she live and her daughter be saved. The Goblin, who just happened to be sitting on top of a large sigh - and slightly innepriated, took pity and saved her, allowing her to be sent to the hospital... just a few moments before the Grim Repaer arrived to claim her.
Sunny, the shop owner, by chance, meets the Grim Reaper when they both like the same ring – the same looking ring that the Emperor gave his Queen in the past. None realize that she is the Queen reincarnated, while said Reaper is the King undergoing repentance for his sins. Sunny feels attracted to the black clad stranger, and he with her too. Unfortunately, he is a Reaper, and is unsure how to proceed. Little do both realize that this is fate, working to make them meet.
So yes, in a twisted way, The Grim Reaper was once the emperor how had both his wife and his general killed. Now he meets his wife again, and lives with hsi General, who is immortal seeing for a way to end his life - a life he can nowstart to consider with apossible end soon as he meets his bride, who'se mother he helped years ago to survive a hit and run. The series revolves around their lives, misadventures and whimsical moments. How the Goblin meets his bride, how she proves that she is indeed his bride - how they fall in love, and in doing so, the Goblin feels tht he does not wish to end his life. Yet fate moves on - with the nudges from the deities wathcing over them. Need less to say, it is enjoyable seeing their characters grow, and we learnthe connections a little earleir than thye do,making us woder who things will play out, soon as they learn the truths betwen their past connections.
Artistic Quality (Cinematography and Production effects): The camera angles, the near picturesque, panoramic long shots (by the sea, a buckwheat field, or a mysterious dark tunnel, or a boat) – the camera is guided to capture the beauty of such seemingly mundane, to bring out each scene’s innate beauty. Post editing and lighting gives each scene their needed emotional theme. These shots are presented so artistically, and thematically, one fathoms the thought processes used to create such picturesque scenes. The Macro shots where sharpness is focused on the characters with blurred backgrounds are used for focus.
There is also the slow motion shots capturing the falling snow, or; leaves, or even raindrops – they stretch a scene’s beauty – or literally makes time stop. Set designs are tasteful, stylish, deliberate – to show well to do backgrounds, vs. people just eking out a living. How the Goblin and his bride first lock eyes with each other - oblivious to who the otehr is. The sue of reverse time (rewinding) slow motion shots - not just in the story, but on the title sequence... this gives a mysterious connection. It teases the audience with the mystery of what is going on here.
. The sets are well designed. The Goblin's house, the Grim Peaper's Office, the attention to detail amkes for a great visual delight.
Fashion is tasteful, and I have considered emulating some looks. But they also present how certain characters behave – the carefree Goblin vs the stoic Reaper. It is also a point to show character development as the Goblin and his bride start mirroring fashion colors later.While the Reaper starts experimenting (albeit in a still limited sense, with colors.Sunny is always fashionable, Eun starts of as simple - with jus school uniforms, them later starts showing mor fashon in her wardrobe. The wardrobe also refelct's Eun's maturity.
The Soundtrack:
By this time, I’ve watched a lot of Kdramas. After all, my wife and I had to do something while in locown for two years.
Many of these have memorable songs… cute, catchy – but usually, having just one song standing out.
The Goblin’s soundtrack almost sounds like an ‘all hits’ collection. Each song has its ‘rasion de etre’ – and they all stand out. The series opening theme itself almost sound like they tapped Enya to sing it. They tunes sound playful, catchy, haunting and melancholic.
The singers chosen belt out great melodies.
Honestly, I can say a lot more… but instead, let me share with you this link that shows you what I mean about both the cinematography, and the songs. I won’t play it now, because it is a 14 minute video, so please enjoy it later.
https://youtu.be/l1XJwVexjAM
If music sets the mood of any scene – or theme of the genre, then Goblin’s delivers quite well.
Simply put, this series seems like a passion project for everyone concerned. And boy, did they deliver.
Again, fellow Toastmasters and guests, I reiterate… Goblin is a masterpiece.
I highly recommend it.
I rarely repeat movies – much less a series – but I repeated Goblin, and after researching for this talk - I still got caught up with the emotional flow of the series. So yes, I might just watch it again.
If you have yet to watch at least one Kdrama series, let it be Goblin. You won't regret it.
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