Lee Dong Wook arrives for the red carpet and gala screening of 'Queeen of Langkasuka' during day four of the Bangkok International Film Festival 2008 at SF World Cinema, Centralworld on Sep. 26, 2008 in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo : Kristian Dowling/Getty Images)
South Korean drama "Goblin" that is currently airing on tvN is currently getting high ratings on the cable channel. However, the drama that tells the story of a warrior who was stabbed centuries ago and transformed into a wealthy immortal or goblin, is very controversial.
The usual depiction of male leads in Korean dramas are as nearly perfect, intelligent, attractive and rich people. Others had male leads with supernatural powers.
In 2013's "I Hear Your Voice," the lead can read minds. "My Love From the Star" in 2014 featured an alien with superhuman powers of speed, hearing and sight while 2016's "Another Miss Oh" had a male protagonist who can see the future.
South Korean drama "Goblin" goes a step further by having a male lead that is literally a god who obviously surpassed humans. Its high viewership ratings are said to be credited to female viewers who yearn for an all-powerful man who can solve the problems of contemporary women living stressful lives, according to The Straits Times.
The second controversy is the love between a minor and an old man. The female lead is partnered with a guy who looks like a man in his 30s, but is actually 939 years old. The fantasy system of falling for a very wealthy guy overwhelms the guilt of the big age gap.
Another issue is over product replacement. For instance, episode 8 aired on Dec. 24, 2016 had the two main characters discussing sandwich ingredients in detail. The lead character and his housemate were eating fried chicken and brand names were captured by the camera. While product placements are fine as they help fund production, so much of them can already distract viewers.
"Goblin" is airing every Friday and Saturday at 8pm KST on TvN. It is set to have its 16th or last episode on Jan. 21.
Meanwhile, followers of the drama are currently drawn to Lee Dong Wook's character as the grim reaper who was the king in his past life. Stills of the series released earlier this week showed the actor dressed in traditional Goryeo robes where he is also shown as a king who looked profoundly sad, Naver reported.
The upcoming episodes will reveal the backstory of the Goryeo King. Actor Lee plays as both the grim reaper and the king, two different characters with different emotions.
Check out episode 11 trailer below:
