★★★★★
The 2016-2017 Korean drama, starring Gong Yoo as Kim Shin, Kim Go-Eun as Ji Eun-Tak, Lee Dong-Wook as Kim Woo-Bin/Wang Yeo, and Yoo In-Na as Kim Sun/Sunny, also known as “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” or “Goblin: The Lonely and Great God.”
Brief summary: Kim Shin has been cursed since Goryeo times to live as a goblin in atonement for the blood he shed during his mortal life. The sword which impales him can only be removed by the legendary “goblin’s bride,” and its removal will finally grant him death. Until then, he decides to live doing as much good for mankind as possible. Ji Eun-Tak was one of the souls Kim Shin saved, from her mother’s womb, and since birth she has been able to see the spirits of the dead. The problem is that Eun-Tak was never supposed to have been born according to fate, so one of the Grim Reapers comes seeking her out as a special assignment. Kim Shin, Ji Eun-Tak, and Grim Reaper Kim need to find out how to manage their connections with each other, and the circle only becomes more complicated with the addition of Eun-Tak’s mysterious boss, Sunny. Can they all manage to change fate to make a happy ending?
This drama attracted a lot of attention because it converged so many talents, including the literary talents of the Kim sisters (well known for their screenplays). Viewer ratings were definitely high while it aired and it still remains popular in the k-drama world.
It is one with which I have a love-hate relationship. Loved watching it. Loved the laughs. Loved the characters. Loved the development. And yet, hated for the way it made my heart race, hated the tragedy of it all. This drama should come with a warning label.
Unlike what may be the case for many who started watching it at any point while it was still airing, I started watching it already knowing what the outcome would be. Of course, there were plenty of plot twists and turns that I did not expect, but I knew what the overall ending of the storyline would be. The real ending, the last three minutes, however, I did not expect. So watch it all the way to the end, people! This is another one for which you must not let that fear of an unhappy ending keep you from watching. It was beautifully produced! (However, if you do wish to end the drama with the feel-goods, I suggest stopping the drama at either episode 15, minute 34:43, or episode 16, minute 30:13.)
By the end, I didn’t have a lot of unanswered questions or issues with the drama, but there are a couple I wished to get just a little more info on-
1) The woman in red and the older halmeoni from the beginning are obviously the same person, but exactly who? There are many points in dialogue to suggest that she was a higher deity, as in, God, but then the character of the butterfly was introduced with the help of Duk-Hwa as God. The two shared similarities and a connection, but that connection was never fully explained. Could they have just been simply beings with power higher than that of Reapers and Goblins? I wish it had a bit more development, but I suppose the writers thought that viewers’ curiosity would be the fun part.
2) Park Joong-Hyeon. He could have had a bigger role than what was portrayed. He was creepy enough for a bigger villain. How did he manage to hide around Kim Shin for 900 years? What we learn from the drama leaves something to be desired.
While I was happy for Kim Shin and Eun-Tak as the main couple, I was thrilled for Grim Reaper Kim and Sunny. Their story pulled on my heartstrings just as much as Kim Shin and Eun-Tak’s did. And I know as you watch them, you will come to love them as much as I did!
Another thing to definitely love is the relationship between Grim Reaper Kim and Kim Shin. The story goes very deep between the two of them, but I appreciate what the drama portrays about that relationship's development!
I highly recommend this drama. Enjoy!
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