Some dramas are popular. Goblin — full title Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (쓸쓸하고 찬란하神 도깨비) — became something closer to a phenomenon. When it aired it broke cable-TV records in Korea, its soundtrack took over the charts, and its images of a man in a long coat among red buckwheat flowers became some of the most recognisable in all of K-drama. Here's my honest, friend's review.
No major spoilers beyond the setup.
What It's About
Kim Shin was a decorated military general in the Goryeo era — betrayed and killed despite his loyalty, then cursed to live forever as a dokkaebi, a goblin of Korean folklore. (Curious what a dokkaebi actually is? See our guide to the dokkaebi in Korean folklore.) Immortality sounds like a gift, but for him it's a sentence: he carries a sword in his chest that only his destined "goblin's bride" can pull free — the one act that would finally let him rest.
Centuries later he meets Ji Eun-tak, a cheerful, resilient high-schooler who can see ghosts and announces, matter-of-factly, that she is the goblin's bride. Sharing his grand house is an amnesiac Grim Reaper, and the deadpan friendship between the immortal goblin and the reaper becomes one of the most loved "bromances" in Korean television. What unfolds is a story about love, memory, fate and the ache of living forever.
Why You Should Watch
It's stunningly beautiful
From the buckwheat fields to the snowy streets of Quebec, Goblin is shot like a film. It's one of the dramas most responsible for making international viewers want to book a flight to Korea. (You can follow its trail — see our Goblin filming locations guide.)
The soundtrack is legendary
Goblin's OST is one of the most famous in K-drama history, and it does half the emotional work — the songs are still instantly recognisable to fans years later.
The bromance steals the show
For all its romance, many fans' favourite part is the grumpy-roommate comedy between the goblin and the Grim Reaper. It's funny, warm, and a perfect counterweight to the melancholy.
Written by a hit-maker
It comes from writer Kim Eun-sook, one of Korea's most successful drama writers — and the polish shows in how it balances fantasy, comedy and heartbreak across 16 episodes.
Where to Watch
Viki streams Goblin with English (and many other) subtitles, and it's also on Netflix in some regions.
Original Korean broadcaster: tvN. Availability changes over time and varies by country, so check what's licensed where you are.
Watch It If You Liked…
- Dokkaebi in Korean Folklore — the real myth behind the goblin.
- Best K-Drama Romances with Happy Endings — more love stories worth your evenings.
- Goblin Filming Locations — visit the real places, from Korea to Quebec.
- 7-Day Korea Itinerary for K-Drama Fans — turn your binge into a trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
A dokkaebi is a goblin-like being from Korean folklore — mischievous, powerful, not quite a ghost. The drama reimagines one as a tragic immortal. We explain the real myth in our dokkaebi folklore guide.
Viki streams it with subtitles, and it's on Netflix in some regions. It originally aired on tvN. Check availability in your country.
Gong Yoo as the goblin Kim Shin, Lee Dong-wook as the Grim Reaper, Kim Go-eun as Ji Eun-tak, and Yoo In-na as Sunny.
It set record ratings for Korean cable when it aired, its OST became iconic, and its visuals and writing helped define modern fantasy romance — making it a frequent pick on "best K-dramas of all time" lists.
Goblin is the kind of drama people rewatch every winter. It's beautiful, it's funny, it'll break your heart a little — and the soundtrack will live in your head for weeks. If you love a fantasy romance with real emotional weight, this is an essential one.