It looks like fans are unable to get over Gong Yoo's Goblin. However, what caught the attention of the Korean media is a beautiful fan-made art of the Goblin characters on Instagram. Artist Kim Sung Moon goes by the name '9527moon' on Instagram. A report on Soompi described his work as "realistic" and rightly capturing the essence of the "well-love characters" with a simple mechanical pencil. He also seems to have an amazing number of followers.
Not just Gong Yoo, the artist has also beautifully carved out the portraits of Ji Eun Tak, the Grim Reaper, Sunny and even the antagonist. Though most of his recent works are dedicated to Goblin, he has also carved characters from "Descendants of the Sun" and "Reply 1988," portrait of K-pop stars like G-Dragon, IU and even international stars like Emma Stone and Benedict Cumberbatch.
Meanwhile, tvN's Goblin has broken many records set by the previous dramas. Also known as Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, the series narrated the story of a Joseon warrior Kim Shin and his curse for an eternal life. To break the 900-year old quest, he needs the help of a human bride Ji Eun Tak. The supernatural bromance made the fans go frenzy. During its debut week, Goblin reached 302.8 points and even dethroned Lee Min Ho's "Legend of the Blue Sea." Its final episode recorded an 18.68 percent nationwide audience share making it the second highest rated drama in Korean cable television history, behind Reply 1988.
"Gong Yoo, who showed everything from a charismatic side to a romantic and comedic side as Kim Shin, gave a small wave as he said his goodbyes," according to a report in Soompi. The cast also wrote a few emotional farewell messages for fans.
On the other hand, the show was also criticized by netizens for the romance portrayed between a high school girl, played by Kim Go Eun, and Goblin, an adult male in his 30s played by Gong Yoo. Some fans even felt that the show was indirectly promoting pedophilia to viewers. However, the writers quickly made a time leap, thrashing the pedophile angle. It was also heavily condemned for too many product placement ads.
