Zombie: Ugh! Do we really even need to talk about these last three episodes? I spent so much time sobbing, I can barely contain my tears and it’s been how long since this last episode aired!?! I swear, this drama ruined me! RUINED ME, I TELL YOU! (In a good way, of course. hehe)
Raine: I’m still feeling the feels and it’s been a few weeks since it ended. Good thing dramas never break up with us so we can keep stepping back into their warm, loving embraces if we need the attention. Or listen to the OST. I’m singing along right now and feeling the feels all over again!
Zombie: Ugh! The OST! I’m getting chills just thinking about it! It seems so fitting that a drama that made you feel so much is accompanied by an OST that makes you feel just as much, if not more. The emotions the tracks of this OST invoke are so intense! Whomever was responsible for this compilation needs an award and a hug and possibly some cookies.
Raine: I seriously agree. All of the music was beautiful. It was a varied collection with great talent. I listen to it daily. Especially “Round and Round.” It brings back what is so magical about “Goblin.” I know a lot of people knocked it, but the whole drama really spoke to me, despite the fact that Writer Park was at the helm. I didn’t even have a problem with the ending!
Zombie: As shocked as I am to say it, I don’t have a problem with the ending either. Sure, it ripped my heart out, shredded it into a gazillion tiny pieces and ultimately left me with a Goblin-sized hole in my chest but I knew that was going to be the way this drama went from the very first episode. I wasn’t surprised by how painful this ending was, nor was I disappointed in it. In fact, I was rather satisfied with the way things ended. Sure, it took who knows how many years for everyone to find each other again but they did. Eventually. I guess when you’re immortal, it doesn’t really matter how long eventually is,so long as eventually becomes the present, eventually.
Raine: So here’s my take on the whole shebang. They have always tempted, tried, and surmounted fate. She wasn’t supposed to live. He made her live. Many times. He was supposed to die and stay dead. He chose to come back. They have always taken control of their destinies despite Samshin Granny or God/Sungjae/Duk Hwa. Even if Eun Tak dies and comes back four times and runs out of lives. Even if Goblin is fated to live forever, when her fourth life comes around, they’ll tackle that problem, too. It’s always been their fate to fight for love. It makes it poignant and powerful. I’m cool with that. Of course my take, but it’s real for me!
Zombie: Like I said, I never had a problem with this ending. Everyone found their own version of happily ever after and that’s all I needed. Like you said, this entire drama is about taking control of your life, rather than leaving everything up to fate. That alone is enough to make me happy because in my real life, that’s how I live. Or try to anyway. The truth is, in both dramas and life, you can take control of your destiny but even then, things might not work out the way you want them to. You have to be able to adapt, when life throws you its inevitable curveballs, and be willing to make the best of things, no matter what.
Raine: So true. Take Eun Tak, she gets married to the perfect Goblin and then chooses to sacrifice herself causes big ol’ crocodile Goblin tears, but it was shocking, poignant, and some great storytelling. Allows her character to step up. As a younger woman she wasn’t quite mature and seeing her take control, even in death, was very satisfying. (Although…I can’t take watching Gong Yoo cry and mourn….GAH!)
Zombie: She really did grow up well and I think her mom would have been very proud of her. I just wish we wouldn’t have had to endure those painful years in which she completely forgot Goblin ever existed. I know they were a crucial part of the story and all but OH MY GIDDY FLIPPING AUNT! My heart just couldn’t handle that! All of that time apart! All of those endless days wandering the wasteland between Heaven and Hell! Stuck in a meaningless existence for what had to have felt like ages, never knowing anything of Eun Tak or even of himself! Can you even imagine what that must have been like for the once mighty Goblin? I know he chose to be there, so that he could eventually get back to Eun Tak but GOOD GRIEF! I don’t think I stopped sobbing the entire time he wandered in that nightmare. It just made my heart hurt too much!
Raine: It was quite intense, and that is what this writer is good at. Her logic in writing isn’t always the most sound, but boy can she wrangle those emotions! And then put Gong Yoo in that role and watch me have red eyes for DAYS! But her bodily tethers to her memory triggers of him were brilliant: her tears when it rained; her unexpected sadness at seeing cherry blossoms. She suffered through indescribable sadness quite literally. She had no idea why she was hurting so a doc prescribed meds! Also, their second chance in her first life comes with a full return to the events of their first face-to-face meeting: when she blows out the candle on her birthday cake. A lot of the meetings in these last episodes were like that, repeats of the past, packed with so much more meaning. (Also, 9 years later, a significant number in Korean lore. Ages 9, 19, 29…all times of change and usually not good.)
Zombie: I think it’s the way all of these things were brought back together in the end that really made this whole drama so satisfying to watch. You weren’t left with any loose strings or odd rabbit trails that made no sense. Everything came full circle and because of that, you could walk away from this story feeling a peace. You knew that no matter what, Eun Tak and Goblin would always have each other, in one lifetime or another, and that was enough. Of course it was nice to know that Death and Sunny got one last chance to be happy (and more importantly, that they actually got to BE happy) but really, this story has always been about Goblin and his bride so their story is the one that brings the most satisfaction at the end.
Raine: Definitely. I love that coming together. It’s a bittersweet story and always has been. He chose his path. Is it sad? Sure? But it’s satisfying. I’m glad you mentioned Sunny and Death. I love that they got a life together untainted by the past. I’m sad Death doesn’t get his bromance with Goblin in his next life, but he gets to be happy with Sunny. It was so satisfying to see Death come back from purgatory and make up with Death. D’AW
A couple of nitpicky things though: what happened to Duk Hwa? Doesn’t Goblin keep having a butler? Was that who the old dude was at the end? Why didn’t Sunny keep in touch with Goblin even though she blocked out Death? Why did she do the same to Eun Tak?
Zombie: I know Sunny left because it was her way of punishing Death for what he’d done in his past life. Maybe she cut off all contact because she knew everyone would still be together and she didn’t want to risk the possibility of wanting to come back? Maybe if she knew how Death was doing, even if was via Goblin or Eun Tak, she’d be tempted to run back to him in this life and she didn’t want that to happen. It’s the only thing I can think of that might make a bit of sense. Why she chose to pretend she couldn’t remember anyone during those years when Goblin was gone, is beyond me. That’s the part that really confuses me.
As for Duk Hwa… I think he was kinda got forgotten in these last episodes. He’s going to eventually be the head of the company but he has to work his way up from the bottom. Literally. He’s well on his way when the story ends but does he ever make it? Does the secretary guy who was left in charge run the company until Duk Hwa finally gets to a place where he can shoulder the responsibility of running the company? I don’t know. I would assume Duk Hwa takes on the role of Goblin’s caretaker/manager/butler/whatever because that’s what role his family members have been holding since the creation of Goblin himself.
Raine: I assumed that as well, but Duk Hwa, while not a hugely prominent role, still managed to flesh out our adorable trio of awkward men and played host body for god and had some really great moments and comic relief or a vehicle for growth. He deserved better. Sungjae impressed me. He didn’t in Plus Nine Boys, but he sure did here.
Zombie: Yeah, I can’t say I was really happy with the way Duk Hwa was kinda pushed off to the side and forgotten. You’d think a guy who’d played host to God would have ended up with something better at the end but I guess not. It would have been nice to see him step into the role his grandfather once held but maybe that’s asking too much. I feel like we lucked out with the ending we got so maybe we should just be happy our OTP found a way to live happily ever after and let the rest go.
Raine: Yeah, kinda a failure there, but that won’t stop me from watching this drama 100000000000000x. It just had all the little things right. Eun Tak makes a friend and keeps her until adult hood. She achieves her childhood dream. Even how she dies is of her choice. Death and Sunny walk up the stairs to (heaven?) together at the end of Sunny’s life of ignoring him. All the souls that Death helps to guide provide expositional background for what is to come with our leads. All these really nice moments. I’m going to imagine my own ending for Duk Hwa. He grows up, finds a girl who he loves like Goblin loves Eun Tak and serves Goblin with a maturity found from his gramps and through living. And also leads his own fulfilling life.
Zombie: Sounds like a good ending to me! And you’re right, there were a lot of really nice moments in these final episodes, that really helped bring everything together well. I really couldn’t have asked for a much better ending. Yes, there were some minor issues and yes, it would have been nice for Duk Hwa to get a more satisfying ending, but all in all, so much was done well, I can easily overlook the rest.
Raine: I love that the “president” he imagined older Eun Tak greeting was him. Because he chose to keep his fine ass in purgatory until love magic brought them back together again. He made his own future and he was so cute and giddy when sitting in it. Gong Yoo really carried the show on his two very gorgeous shoulders. Lee Dong Wook was better than I’ve EVER seen him. His crowning achievement thus far. Kim Go Eun was adorable, but was able to show her chops really when Eun Tak was older. Yoo In nah was wonderful…as always.
Zombie: I can’t disagree with you. You’ve said everything I wanted to say so really, what’s left to say? I mean I suppose we could talk about Gong Yoo’s gorgeous shoulders some more but things might get a little… Uh… … Sorry, what was I saying again? My mind somehow started wandering elsewhere… Go figure!
Raine: Happens a lot. I’m used to it. Wait…probably ‘cause I’m doing it, too. In any case, despite flaws, the show rocked our socks. We loved talking about it and sharing those crazy talks with you all. Take the Goblin/Death bromance deep in your heart to get you through your rainy days and thank Gong Yoo for taking this awesome sauce role.
Zombie: *whispers, with tears in her eyes* thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you…
Raine: I think I need to put this drama on replay for Zombie. While I go do that, you all have an awesome time in Dramaland and re-living the joys and sorrows of Goblin. Let us know your favorite bits in the comments below. Thank you for joining us. Now I’m off to help Zombie with her Goblin addiction. (*cough*mine*cough*)
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