Korean Drama Goblin

Life’s Questions and Answers from Korean Drama Goblin

In 2016, the drama Goblin aired and became a huge sensation.
If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend you do.
Some may dismiss it as just another fantasy romance for young people, but for me, Goblin was a work that left me with countless thoughts.

Choice and Fate

The drama, written by Kim Eun-sook, is filled with philosophical depth.
It brims with memorable lines, and if I were to summarize it in one word, that word would be “choice.” The lives of the characters, the decisions they make, and the destinies shaped by those choices all combine to explore profound and thoughtful themes.

At first, I watched the drama with no particular expectations.
The first time, it left me surprised. The second time, I paid close attention to every line, determined not to miss its deeper meanings.
By the third time, I found myself savoring each word and immersing myself in its philosophical world. And I know I’ll watch it a fourth time.

The Answer I Chose

One of the lines that struck me most deeply is spoken by the deity:

“God is merely the one who asks questions. Fate is the question I ask. The answer is for you to find.”

This line resonated with me because it reminded me that I am the protagonist of my own life.
We often blame God or fate when we face challenges, but the truth is that the power to choose lies with us.
God never chooses for us; He simply asks, again and again, “What will you choose?”

Another scene that left a lasting impression on me was about choice and acceptance.

A boy, once saved by the Goblin as a child, grows up to become a successful lawyer.
When he dies and meets the Goblin again, the Goblin asks:

“Why did you get question 17 wrong when I told you the answer was 4?”

The boy quietly replies:

“I knew the answer was 4, but no matter how I solved it, my result was 2. It was just a problem I couldn’t solve.”

To this, the Goblin responds:

“No, you solved it perfectly. Your life is yours, and your choice is the correct answer.”

The answer was supposed to be 4, but the boy’s choice—his answer—was 2.
It raises a profound question: Should I write down the “correct” answer that everyone expects, or should I honor the answer I reached through my own path?
Even if life does have predetermined answers, the choices we make are ours alone.
What may seem like the wrong answer to others might be the most honest answer for me.

What is a Miracle?

The drama’s interpretation of miracles also stood out.

When someone claims that ordinary people cannot forget the moments of miracles, the Goblin replies:

“I have handed sandwiches to thousands of people, but few of them moved forward like you did.”

Miracles may happen to everyone.
But not everyone recognizes them, and fewer still use those moments to change their lives.
Many people let opportunities slip away without ever realizing their significance.

The Goblin also says:

“In everyone’s life, there is a moment when God lingers. If, while you’re drifting away from the world, someone pushes you back toward it, that is the moment when God has stayed by your side.”

God lingers in all our lives.
When we are exhausted, defeated, and can’t take another step forward, a gentle push might come—an unseen force that helps us stand again.
But even then, whether we choose despair or hope, whether we rise again or remain still, is ultimately up to us.

In the drama, Ji Eun-tak embodies this resilience.
Her life is one filled with struggle and exhaustion, yet a miracle—the Goblin—finds her.
But was it truly a miracle?
Eun-tak’s unwavering strength in the face of adversity shows us that miracles are not mere coincidences.
Her perseverance, her ability to take one step after another, was a choice she made.

Good and evil, love and hatred, despair and hope—life is made up of choices.

Another unforgettable line comes from a conversation about maturity:

“I am waiting for the real questions of adulthood—questions about the world, and about the joy and sorrow of those around us.”

What does it mean to be a true adult?
Perhaps it is not someone who rushes to grasp life with both hands but someone who pauses to listen, to share in the happiness and sadness of others.
Am I growing into such an adult?
This drama gave me the time and space to reflect on that question.

At first glance, Goblin may appear to be just another love story.
But beneath the surface, it explores life’s fundamental questions—about choice, miracles, and growth.

“Is the choice I am making now truly my answer?”

It’s a question worth asking ourselves.
There may be no perfect answers in life, but the choices we make become our lives.
Whatever the outcome, those choices are ours, and they are our answers.

Perhaps Kim Eun-sook hid even deeper messages within this drama, but for me, Goblin was enough.
It made me reflect on my own life with sincerity.

If you watch this drama again, perhaps you too will find yourself faced with the same question:

“Is the choice I am making now truly my answer?”

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