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Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (Goblin): Spoiler-Free Review

  • Jul 22
  • 3 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

Title:

Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (Also Known as Goblin) (2016)

Platform:

Viki

MDL & IMBD Rating:

8.8 & 8.5

Genre:

Urban Fantasy/ Romance

Episode Count:

16

Parental Guidance Rating:

PG-13: Minor violence and blood. The real kicker is the Twilight sized age gap between the 2 leads. The FL actress was 24 & the ML actor was 36 at the time of filming, which isn't the end of the world, but the FL character was 19 when the show starts and the ML is older than Edward Cullen. Make of that what you will.


For more info: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5994364/parentalguide/

Starring:

Gong Yoo (Train to Busan)

Kim Go Eun (Yumi's Cells)

Lee Dong Wook (A Shop for Killers)

Yoo In Na (Snowdrop)

RBTS Rating:

3.8/5 Stars (Perfect for Fall, Goblin is a product of it's time that holds up in more ways than it doesn't)

Cast From Left to Right: #GongYoo, #KimGoEun, #LeeDongWook, #YooInNa, #YookSungJae


Synopsis:

Kim Sin was once an unbeatable general in Goryeo's military who died tragically. He now possesses immortality but is tired of living while everyone else around him dies. For 900 years, Kim Sin has searched for his bride, a mortal who can pull out the sword and end his life. One day, he encounters Ji Eun Tak, a positive, upbeat high school student who can see the dead and has gone through tragic events yet still stays strong. She claims to be the Goblin's bride who can end his immortal life, but what appears to be an easy task only gets complicated as the two fall in love. @MDL



Stay Tuned: Full Review Still to Come!


Spoiler-Free Mini Review:

Before I dive in, make sure you are watching the right drama. When Guardian was first marketed to English audiences, it was promoted as simply: Goblin. Which is a heck of a simpler title than Guardian: The Lonely and Great God. Goblin is the name I have always used for the drama, especially when recommending it to other people, which has caused a case of mistaken identity with the C-Drama The Guardian, which is a VERY different show lol. I got some very confused (and hilarious) texts asking why it was so violent.



When the drama released in 2016, it was an instant hit, and to this day, is considered one of the great K-Drama classics. Here we are 10 years later and it is still the most popular drama on MDL. It feels very on par with shows like Once Upon a Time and to a (very) lesser extent, the Vampire Diaries. Set in modern day South Korea, Guardian interweaves magical characters and Korean folklore very naturally, embracing the mid 2010's fantasy television frenzy. The drama has grim reapers, goblins, and other magical beings walking side by side with mortals, bringing legends to life, while creating a new mythology of its own.



Though I was conditioned by Twilight to accept a Bella/Edward Cullen age gap, I couldn't buy into the romantic relationship; Kim Go Eun (FL Actress) did too good of a job playing a kid and Gong Yoo (ML Actor) didn't demonstrate a full circumference of emotion, shall we say. The 2nd couple's mystery was intriguing, but I wasn't emotionally invested in them as a pair. If you were invested, you can see these two actors reunite as romantic leads in Touch Your Heart.



The pull of the drama for me was the magic and Canada. Which I never thought I'd say about a K-drama. But the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac looked like a castle in the glorious fall weather, and everything about the environment really sold me on the fairytale. The soundtrack is also extremely catchy and a perfect artifact of 2016-- I still listen to Round and Round (opening title song). It will never make sense in English, but I do love it.



Though the age gap is jarring, Guardian offers more than just romance; it offers nostalgia and a touch of enchantment in the modern world.


Story=3.75, Acting=3.75, Production Quality=4, Ending= 4, Enjoyability= 3.75, Would I rewatch= Maybe


Trailer:


Director: #LeeEungBok (Dear X, Sweet Home, Mr. Sunshine, Descendants of the Sun)

Screenwriter: #KimEunSook (Genie Make A wish, The Glory, Mr. Sunshine, Descendants of the Sun)


*Disclaimer: I do not own any of the images used on this blog. All images belong to their respective copyright holders and are used for commentary and review purposes. All reviews, opinions, and statements expressed on this blog are my own and are intended for entertainment and informational purposes only. They reflect my personal thoughts and interpretations and should not be considered as factual.



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