I have many many thoughts on the Kdrama, Guardian, the Lonely and Great God aka Goblin.
Too many, as you’ll see…
(The first part of this post was originally a Twitter thread)
Finished Goblin (Guardian: The Lonely and Great God). Kim Eun Sook is so gifted at writing male friendships. The bromance between Gong Yoo and Lee Dong-Wook as goblin and grim reaper housemates reminds me of how much I loved Captain Yoo Si-jin and Sergeant Seo Dae-young in DOTS.
Jul 18, 2021
Fellow tourists are passing me on Rue Petit-Champlain wondering what’s so special about this red door.
If they’d seen Goblin they’d know it connects Quebec City to Seoul.
Now I just need to find which bookstore Gong Yoo is hanging out in…
(Written in response to a deep and insightful Goblin retrospective podcast episode by Play on K. Yes, I am that obsessive person who will write an 800 word email response to a podcast.)
Hi Emily and Raquel,
I’ve recently watched Goblin and just finished listening to your 2017 podcast episodes on the show. It’s so funny that several times during the shows you say: ‘if you’re listening to this in the future, even if it’s 2019, get in touch to tell us what you think’. Well it’s 2021 and I thought I would.
The key topic I want to address is the age difference between Eun Tak and Kim Shin. I had all the same complaints you guys raised about this 19 year-old and 35+ year old man, and I wondered why a female writer had set it up this way when it looks so horrendous. I didn’t feel comfortable with their relationship until she turned 20. 29 was even better. However, by the end of the drama I had a different perspective on the age gap so I want to make a counter argument.
The optics of Goblin look bad. The actress looks about 15 (though she’s 19) when she declares her love for Kim Shin and offers to marry him while dressed in a school uniform. Later I think she’s wearing a hoodie when she asks what kind of wife he wants. It’s a really bad look. But when you put aside the optics it’s way better.
19 isn’t a child. If Eun Tak was British she’d have finished high school at 16, done two years at a further education college and at 19 be a first year university student. at 19. You’re not a child bride. Should you be marrying a 40-year-old man at 19? She’s not. She’s marrying a 936-year-old man. With that kind of age gap what age would we be more comfortable with? 25 would ‘look’ better, but it’s only 6 years older than 19, and you’ve still got a 900-year gap. Even if she were 40 he’d still have 900 years of life experience on her. There’s no ideal age for her to be. He’s not old enough to be her father, he’s old enough to be her grandfather’s grandfather’s grandfather’s….etc. It’s the optics we’re reacting to. We’re fine with an age gap as long as people appear to be the same age.
ie Twilight.
Then there’s her declaring her love – which made me cringe too – especially as it was barely days after they met.
But when you think about who Eun Tak is, what she’s been through it makes perfect sense. I think if Goblin were a book we’d get a clearer sense of her interior life and why she’s so enthusiastic about this match. She’s been an orphan since age 9, she lives with an abusive family, she has no money, no security and nobody to depend on. But she knows she’s the Goblin Bride. Then the Goblin turns up and he’s attractive, rich and caring. He’s not always kind but he comes when she calls and he always has her back. She sees the opportunity to gain emotional and economic security and she jumps at it.
I’m sure she’s not in love with him when she first confesses her feelings but she’s on her first foreign trip with a man who magicked them there, who may own a hotel that looks like a castle, who is attractive and who fate says she’s supposed to marry. Her confession is a ‘yes please! Let’s lock this down!’ The feminist in me says, ‘no! Don’t attach yourself to a man for things, wait for love, keep your options open, grow up some more’. But that’s ignoring her life experience. She’s raised herself from age 9. She doesn’t want independence. She wants safety and security. It’s very Jane Eyre.
And Kim Shin may be immature and annoying but he’s not manipulative (that’s her territory), he never looks at her lustfully, she is able to go to college and follows her dreams. The kind of things we usually fear with older men and younger women don’t materialize.(I’m not convinced they ever consummated that marriage).
So though it looks bad, from the perspective of their characters, I think it’s actually fine. It’snot werewolf Jacob and baby Renessme.
When Eun Tak turns up in the last scene as a school girl again I said: ‘Thank god!’. I want them to have as many years together as possible. He won’t take advantage of teen Euk Takbut he will love and protect her. Maybe they’ll read comics together for the first 10 years. I want her to find him as a teen for her next two lifetimes too.
So that’s it. Counter argument. Thank you for your brilliant podcast!
Shade
(They replied agreeing they could see how Eun Tak was desperate for security and thus was attracted to Kim Shin, which was all the encouragement I needed.)
Hi Emily and Raquel,
Thank you for the lovely reply. And thank you for validating my theory. Now I see it I can’t stop seeing it.
– When Kim Shin turns up with a piece of steak on a fork Eun Tak looks at it hungrily and remarks on how he eats well
– He’s always feeding her and I suspect those are the best meals she has
– When she finally admits why she wants the 5,000 won it’s for a sauna just in case she ends up homeless. She’s a bad day away from destitute.
– When her letter turns up from Canada after 10 years she’s told her mum that finally someone asks how she is and she’s become special to someone and you realize this is the first time someone has loved her since her mother died.
[dabs at tears]
I don’t really have other comments as you guys covered it all so brilliantly on the podcast. I laughed at the bit about the ski resort because it was so odd and unexpected but when you suggested it might be product placement, that made sense. The shelves and ski equipment never touched her so no idea how she nearly died in that weird scene. Also her wild hospital visit and how every doctor in the building waited by her bedside for her to regain consciousness made me laugh. Those scenes were a bag of crazy cats but at least the coats were beautiful
.I’m actually off to Quebec City next week for vacation. I live in Toronto so this is me staycationing during the Panini (pandemic). I shall search out that red door while I’m there. Maybe Gong Yoo will be on the other side.
My next podcast listen will be your series on Touch Your Heart. I watched it after Goblin. I know they were your fav couple so I can’t wait to hear if it lived up to expectations.
Have a great end of summer!
Finger Hearts!
Shade
(And finally…)
Oh oh! And can I add – the need for love is why Eun Tak wasn’t okay with being dumped in a hotel room?
A hotel room is where you put your mistress. Or someone disposable. The nephew is fine there because he’s from money. But for Eun Tak it’s keeping her at arm’s length. There’s no security for her. Kim Shin could stop paying the bills anytime.
By being in his home – yes he could change the locks – but she feels more secure. And she has a family at last. That first morning when she wakes up and Goblin and GR have made breakfast – her face! And when she gets her own room, specially decorated! Her face! And when Kim Shin drops off snacks while she’s studying! Yes, he’s trying to persuade her to kill him, but still. She feels cared for. She gets to put down her burdens and be a teen for once.
C’est tout!
Aug 27, 2021
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