June 23, 2018:
By Ally:
We’re finally here! The final episode of Goblin! Was it a fun ride? We certainly had a good time, and we had more people to enjoy this with us this month. Three new friends joined us today, including Lady in Red’s teen-aged daughter, (K), a fellow golfer (I think Sunny will be her name because she’s always happy), and PK who has joined us before. But before we began, Amy cleansed our auras to give back to the universe the negativity we all had stored up for the month, which hopefully added to our enjoyment of the last show! I gave a quick recap for (K)’s Sunny’s and PK’s benefit which was entertaining in and of itself before we got started. (There was a lot of, “Oh, I need to tell you this too and I forgot to mention!”) For a true recap: http://www.dramabeans.com/2017/01/the-lonely-shining-goblin-episode-16-final/.
Amy: Is this really the finale?
Ally: Yes! It only took us a year and a half to get here!
Chi: It was six months ago that I saw the final episode and I was so emotionally drained afterwards! Sunny, I would not recommend binging this show, you’ll be a wreck.
Ally: Oh, it’s the red scarf! Oh, and she can see ghosts again! I forgot about this. Sunny, this was an important part of the story, that Eun Tak can see ghosts as part of her special powers, which is part of why she’s the Goblin’s Bride.
Nene: We all have one of those red scarves now, by the way.
Ally: And the Goblin can see the future of people too, I forgot to mention that! And can act as a guardian angel for people. And remember, Eun Tak’s fate has already been determined, she’s just been really good at avoiding it.
Nene: Deok-wa is looking all grown up talking to the CEO. He’s not a kid anymore.
Amy: Aww, she (Eun Tak) is so pretty in that white dress.
Lady in Red: I need a haircut like that.
Nene: Wait a minute, how does she afford a Tag Heuer watch for his wedding gift?
Lady in Red: How much did Tag have to pay to be the groom’s gift is the better question.
Ally: She works now, remember? She’s not a high school/college student anymore. She’s a radio producer.
Lady in Red: That was a great summary that Sunny (from the show) just wrote too. This is for Sunny’s (our friend’s) benefit. (Sorry, that was confusing.)
Kimmi: Wait, these two (Sunny and Reaper) barely kissed and now she’s leaving!
Ally: But look what Reaper does, he doesn’t want her to leave, so starts over counting at “one.” (Sunny was going to count to 50 and then leave, but he shows up and starts over.) *tear*
Kimmi: Those two have some deep feelings for each other, for not really being physical with each other, don’t they?
Ally: They were married in her past life though, and their memories were restored, so I’m sure they have memories of consummation. Oh, and that was a picture the king drew after his wife died (whom he had killed, rather).
Nene: He was a king, who could have anything and anyone, at any time, so yeah. But have we forgotten that he killed her and is being punished for it?
Ally: Actually, he’s being punished by being a reaper for killing himself. He explains it to the woman reaper in this next scene. And when he’s talking to Eun Tak, there’s some foreshadowing there as well.
Nene: Is there a happy ending? There better be a happy ending. I didn’t spend a year and a half watching this for a sad ending.
Kimmi: Oh my God, the Goblin looks good there at his wedding! They’ve been holding out on us!
Ally: I have a theory that they style all these good looking men poorly until a scene like this, and then they surprise us, like, Hello! Gong Yoo, there you are! He looks great in magazine centerfolds too.
Kimmi: I’m sure he does.
(K): Wait, she’s going to age, and he’s not? How’s that going to work?
Ally: That’s why they’re star crossed!
Lady in Red: They’re fully clothed, in bed, and he has a turtle neck on! And they still pet each other like puppies!.
Kimmi: I guess that’s their definition of “petting.” Oh, wait, sorry (K), I forgot you were here. Sorry, Lady in Red.
Nene: Oh, no, what’s going to happen here? Those reapers are on duty. Oh, no, those kids. Oh, no, Eun Tak, you aren’t. Seriously, is there a happy ending here???
Ally: She was never supposed to be alive. Her fate is to die. The Goblin gave her life, but she was supposed to die before she was even born.
Lady in Red: (K) do you need a tissue?
(K): Why can’t she just park the car and get out?
PK: *whispers* There’s no time…
Ally: *Getting up to find tissues as half the room is crying now.*
Amy: Wait, can’t she be a ghost with him for eternity? Wouldn’t that work?
Ally: Sure, it would. But maybe she wants to “live” with him. Like, really, live.
Lady in Red: Yeah, they’ve only had one pajama sleep over together.
(K): *Crying* I can’t believe she died. And this is tragic that he has had to write hundreds of these eulogies for thousands of years.
Ally: You’ve only watched this episode and you’re crying, (K). I’m touched!
Lady in Red: She’s sensitive. *sniffs*
Ally: (I can see where she gets it. That’s sweet.)
Nene: Where’s that happy ending, Ally??? How does the Reaper get his happy ending (by being with Sunny in the after-life) after killing all those people and the Goblin, and the Goblin hasn’t done anything wrong and he still is left all alone? Is Eun Tak coming back?
Ally: Honey, it’s not over yet! (Nene may be a little bitter about the ending, actually. Can you tell?)
Amy: Wait, is he still immortal, or is he mortal now? Will he die eventually?
Ally: I don’t think the show really answers if he can die and go to the after-life eventually.
Kimmi: Oh, there she is. She’s a school girl again! Back in Canada, and he’s waiting there for her.
Lady in Red: Well, he’ll look like a creep for a while…again…
Amy: But they’re together, finally!!!
Sunny: Okay, I need to see the first 15 episodes now.
Ally: Here you go! *hands over box of DVD’s*
FINAL THOUGHTS: So, there was definitely some really sweet moments in this last episode, some tragic moments, and then redemption for our characters at the end. Some of us were satisfied, and others of us wanted a “happier” ending for our Goblin, who we all fell in love with (some more than others–I’m looking at Chi and myself, and Nene–even though she hides it well, it came out this final episode). And this fantasy world had so many real world applications: Those who die live on, in our memories, in our emotions, in our hearts, and we must cherish our own lives to honor theirs. True love may take what seems like forever to come to us, but it will if we are patient. And our friends, many times, are as close or closer than family (Eun Tak’s aunt was still awful to the bitter end, kicking and screaming, being dragged to the after-life) which is why we love our little k-drama group and keep adding new people!
What’s next for us? Well, we hope you come back next month to find out!
Free the Kimchi 