10 Years Later, This 10/10 Fantasy Series Raised The Bar And Has Stayed Untouchable To This Day

The number 10 is commonly associated with a classical numerical metric for perfection, whether it be subjective as the top grade for perceptible quality, or any number of objective uses as an integer. But in some cultures, the number and those closest to it take on additional meanings, such as in East Asia, in which it’s not only a “perfect” number, but also God’s number, and the mark of a cycle completing. This same arithmomania, or compulsive fixation on numbers, is present in one of South Korea’s seminal masterpieces of the past decade, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, or as is most commonly known, Goblin.

The iconic K-drama ran from December 2016 through January 2017, starring Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, Lee Dong-wook, and Yoo In-na in a slow-burn 16-episode saga of the conflicting immortal and mortal beings at its center, and how beautifully they could intermingle. With the series celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026, Rakuten Viki is the main streaming home for North American and other international subscribers looking to tune in. It’s fittingly set to drop at 9:10 KST (8:10 AM ET), after which Viki subscribers can watch it on demand as well as Viu in affected markets across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Oceania.

But beyond the cheeky release time choice for its big reunion, Goblin is commonly upheld as a gold-standard masterpiece among K-dramas. It’s perceived as a 10/10 less in terms of rigid notions of perfection, and more in how it moved the fantasy genre forward in exciting new ways, with multiple individually brilliant achievements to its name all the same. It’s worth seeing for virtually any fan of the genre, even at its most heartbreaking moments.

Goblin Is The 10/10 Gold Standard Of Fantasy K-Dramas

In Goblin, Gong Yoo plays the eponymous character, a once great Goryeo Dynasty general named Kim Shin betrayed by his king, only to be cursed as an immortal goblin. This eternal life is seemingly tethered to the world until his destined bride pulls the sword once used to impale him, from his chest. This is the basic premise of Goblin, in which its primary character lives a charmed yet miserable life, until the Goblin, seemingly on a whim, moves to stop a mother and her unborn child from dying. This puts him on a collision course with the other forces governing divine order in the series, where the bureaucratic Grim Reapers conflict with the Goblin’s interventions.

Yet, this entire series relays this premise in an approachable manner. The melodramatic Goryeo intro is just a prologue, setting up Shin’s 939 years of insular suffering as a Goblin, but brought into the modern era under affable chaebol elites, perfect for a 2016-era K-drama with elegant, if obnoxious, product placement. But beyond the flashy Maseratis and the vastly overestimated mental healing power of a Subway sandwich, Shin’s immortality forces him to witness the deaths of his loved ones while preventing him from ever getting rest. Even as jaded as he was, his life takes on greater meaning as the young Ji Eun-tak, the daughter of the woman he saved, comes into his life.

Much of the rest of Goblin focuses on Shin’s roles shifting as his static, permanent adult appearance allows him to shift from protector, to friend, to platonic soulmate, to lover. While Shin meets Eun-tak as a 939-year-old immortal Goblin, Eun-tak’s formative moments all come crucially when she’s nine with the loss of her mother, then 19 when she meets Shin and learns she can end his predicament, and finally 29, when the two reconcile once more. Eun-tak’s life being one enabled in defiance of destiny, one Grim Reaper (Lee Dong-wook) initially pursues her as essentially a “missing soul” meant to die decades ago, despite also grappling with the buried secrets of his hidden identity.

Goblin’s arithmomania helps set apart the series in the simplest of ways, while playing into the fixation on multiples of the number 10. Eun-tak’s various depictions each feature her on the cusp of a major life turning point, and the type of role her guardian Goblin thus plays, such as when she turns 20 during which her story with Shin meaningfully moves forward. This includes specters of the past and even deities operating in the background, focusing on creating paths forward for the cast while keeping a cycle of renewal and causality in effect. The episode also carefully lays the groundwork for how the Reaper gradually breaks the rules he once aggressively followed.

It’s not just in Eun-tak’s relationship that one sees these developments; the Reaper soon finds himself drawn to a chicken restaurant owner, Sunny (Yoo In-na), a beautiful woman with a fascinating past of her own, contributing a far more compelling romance. It understandably pulls the Reaper into exciting but dangerous new territory, especially as his proverbial chickens come to roost when his carelessness leads to new hardships of his own. However, one can argue that, beneath the romanticism, numericals, and high-concept fantasy, Goblin boasts perfection in other unique qualities as well.

K-Drama Bromances Don’t Get Better Than In Goblin

“And They Were Roommates”

While Goblin is obviously deeply rooted in its modern fantasy storytelling with occasional glimpses into the past and future, its focus on human connection is a rigid constant, a classic K-drama trait. This means some achingly beautiful emotional connections, such as the Reaper and Sunny’s romance seemingly sparked by idle attraction, but it also lets its platonic bonds shine through, even if the Reaper and Shin’s bond verges on BL in terms of their chemistry. Seemingly brought together by sheer coincidence, Shin soon finds the Reaper as his roommate in the home given to him by his wealthy chaebol benefactors.

The result is rather priceless. Shin’s past is a relatively open book, while the Reaper’s past is infuriatingly locked away, with his name being a fascinating secret for the viewers to discover. The two initially resent each other, with the Reaper playfully hoping Eun-tak can pull the sword from his chest so the Goblin can finally die. Out of context, this seems like a harsh dynamic, but Lee’s performance, and Gong’s youthful charm, play it off as a humorous rivalry, rather than two roommates at each other’s throats.

But not long after, they find common ground as the Reaper finds himself gradually humanized by a growing friendship with Eun-tak as well as his desire to connect with Sunny, despite his clear ineptitude at even resembling human behavior. This leads to charming moments of quiet bonding, or little scenes of the immortal duo, Shin boiling an egg using flames only he can produce, while the Reaper turns a beer ice-cold in his hand, the two swapping in perfect harmony.

The two bicker once Eun-tak takes up a room in their house, but ultimately grow to support each other, especially in their most harrowing moments by the end, with a mutual desire for each other’s happiness. Say what one may about Goblin’s romance, but its bromance is unassailable.

Goblin Is A Perfectly Imperfect K-Drama (And That’s A Great Thing)

Absolute perfection in K-dramas, or any televised media, is an impossible metric. Tastes change, and no matter how long masterpieces like Breaking Bad’s “Ozymandias” reign supreme over the IMDb user ratings chart, they all eventually, for one reason or another, encounter differing opinions, even if they’re not always in good faith. In the case of Goblin, the series features magnificent cinematography across its Korean shooting locations as well as Shin and Eun-tak’s favorite getaway, Quebec City. This location in particular exemplifies Shin and Eun-tak’s obsession with romantic-era culture, including “sad love”.

But the excellence doesn’t stop in the casting or visuals, which can range from utterly warm, to haunting as key figures emerge, to utterly desolate in later arcs. Goblin features some of the most charming songs to accompany its key moments, with one particular watershed moment between the Reaper and Sunny, underscored by Sam Kim’s “Who Are You”, proving the songs aren’t just saccharine or catchy; they’re bespoke in their lyrics. These features, alongside a slow-burn story, help sell Goblin for what it is, a solid experience both within and beyond the fantasy genre.

However, there are reasonable critiques one may have about the series. Goblin’s pacing, while deliberate because it intentionally builds out its bigger reveals with seemingly smaller moments, can be disengaging to those not wanting to invest in 16 episodes each running over an hour long. Shin and Eun-tak’s initial bond, when the girl is 19, sparks age gap concerns, even though there is no truly meaningful romantic development or intent at this stage. The ending also features some truly devastating developments which, while executed well and given a meaningful payoff, can be difficult to recommend for those craving a more conventional happy ending.

Yet the reason why Goblin can be considered such a standard-setting, 10/10 fantasy K-drama is because, even as flaws are pointed out nearly a decade later, audiences still recognize its legendary position in the modern medium. The series defined the careers of its illustrious cast, and even extras on the show, such as a very young Kim Hye-yoon, would go on to become modern K-drama stars, even recently headlining a folklore-inspired fantasy drama of her own. Such a reception isn’t about perfection, but rather, its essential position in Korean pop culture history, as a reliable yet deep viewing recommendation. One also just can’t go wrong with a Studio Dragon K-drama.

Goblin’s legacy is felt in how approachable yet challenging the fantasy genre can be, ranging from Tale of the Nine Tailed’s accessibility, to the somewhat esoteric excellence of Alchemy of Souls. While it nears the end of a decade as one of the top shows in the medium, the upcoming commemorative “travel format” reunion show shows this as a cause for celebration, not mourning. One cycle ends after 10 years at the top, but now, another one begins, with one question and plenty of corresponding variables: where it goes from here.

Goblin, aka Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, is available for streaming on Rakuten Viki, with its 10th Anniversary reunion special releasing to the platform following its Korean tvN broadcast at 9:10 PM KST (8:10 AM ET).

Release Date

December 2, 2016

• 

  Jo Hyun-sik

  Batch 21 Grim Reaper

•