‘Guardian’ (Goblin) popular but controversial

[waves-of-light.livejournal.com]

Critics point to gender stereotyping, viewers complain about excessive product placement

In the popular TV drama series “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God,” the male lead is, quite literally, a god.

Based on the Korean folklore of dokkaebi, a higher spiritual being roughly translated as goblin, the drama series features actor Gong Yoo as Kim Shin, a warrior born centuries ago who, after being impaled with a sword, is transformed into an immortal dokkaebi with endless wealth.

Korean dramas have notoriously favored near-perfect male leads -- attractive, intelligent, heirs to vast fortunes and more. “Guardian” has gone one step further in conjuring an ideal knight-in-shining armor, TV critics say.


“We’ve evolved past god-like men to actual gods, who don the appearance of good-looking human men,” said culture critic Jung Duk-hyun. “Now, their abilities surpass the realm of human strengths.”

Jung says the popularity of the dokkaebi character -- “Guardian” has boasted a record-breaking viewership since its Dec. 2 launch on cable channel tvN, scoring 12.7 percent according to Nielsen Korea -- can be attributed to female viewers’ yearning for all-powerful male figures who can solve the problems of modern women’s increasingly stressful lives.

“The realistic ideal is that two people complement each other in a relationship,” said Choi Ji-sun, 28, a lawyer who has watched every episode of the show, which airs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.

“But it’s easy to escape to a world where someone will come to my side at the drop of a hat, no questions asked, and provide everything. Of course, I would never expect that of my real life partner.”

In “Guardian,” the female lead Ji Eun-tak, played by Kim Go-eun, is able to summon Dokkaebi Kim simply by blowing out a flame.

Hit drama series in recent years have seen a surge in male leads who possess supernatural powers. In the 2013 show “I Can See Your Voice,” the male protagonist can read people’s minds. The following year, “My Love from the Stars” featured an extraterrestrial with superhuman powers of sight, hearing and speed as its romantic lead. The male love interest in “Another Oh Hae Young,” which aired last May, is able to see into the future.

“With these abilities, the male becomes a savior of sorts to the female,” said culture critic Ha Jae-geun. “Female viewers find comfort in these characters. But their very support of such characters could lead to a decline in women’s social status.”

During the same period, meanwhile, dramas also saw a rise in independent, true-to-life female roles, suggesting that the Cinderella complex no longer has a footing in Korean television. “Another Oh Hae Young” was lauded for portraying a flawed, relatable female protagonist who is honest about her emotions. “I Can See Your Voice” featured a competent, older female prosecutor as its lead. The currently airing “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo” spotlights a heroine for whom a slim figure is not a priority.

“Guardian,” however, offers a female lead who is downtrodden and naive, reminiscent of the conventional “damsel in distress” type.

Ji is motherless, living with relatives who scorn her as a burden to their family, and ostracized at school; Dokkaebi Kim comes to provide for her material comfort and shelter. Granted, the character is sprightly and determined to survive despite hardships, seeking out part-time jobs to support herself.

“But it’s a shame she is unable to escape the Cinderella stereotype, especially when her male partner is so almighty,” says drama critic Kim Sun-young.

The fact that Ji is portrayed as a high school student has sparked further controversy. Dokkaebi Kim is said to be 934 years old, though he sports the appearance of a 30-something man.

“The system of fantasy blocks any guilt and allows viewers to accept, without being repulsed, the romance between a minor and an older man,” wrote TV critic Hwang Jin-mi in a column last month. “But the image of a young girl ... hanging onto a rich, 30-something man ... lingers.”





Awkward product placement

Another issue that has plagued “Guardian” is its overt and awkward product placement.

In a segment in its eighth episode, which aired Dec. 24, the two main characters are at Subway, discussing in detail which ingredients to choose and how large the sandwiches are. The dokkaebi and his housemate only eat fried chicken from a certain franchise for days in a row; every piece of clothing and interior decor is exhibited as if in a magazine spread, and the camera captures brand names.

Though it is normal for TV series to use product placements to fund production, viewers say it has become “excessive to the point of distracting” in “Guardian.”

“It’s gotten to a place where the products (the characters) use are moving the plot along,” said Park Su-jeong, 48.

The competition for product placement in hit dramas is higher than ever, advertising executives say, as featured items sell out instantly both in Korea and throughout Asia. Makeup brand Laneige, for example, reaped 1.2 billion won ($995 thousand) in profit from the lipstick used by actress Song Hye-kyo in last year’s smash hit drama “Descendants of the Sun.”

Ads are meticulously timed and spread through multiple channels, said an entertainment industry official who requested anonymity.

“After viewers watch the show, they go online to look up items they liked,” said the source. “So bloggers are paid to upload posts featuring an advertised jacket, for example, right after an episode has finished. The brand then spreads out to offline ads.”

A spot in Gangneung’s Jumunjin Beach has already risen as a bustling tourist zone after “Guardian” shot a scene there. Recent social media photos showed lines of visitors waiting to pose for photos. Merchants have set up shop nearby with signposts that read, “Muffler, flower and umbrella can be rented for 1,000 won,” allowing visitors to recreate the exact scene captured on television.



KPopHerald

Comments

[iznanassi.livejournal.com]

“The system of fantasy blocks any guilt and allows viewers to accept, without being repulsed, the romance between a minor and an older man,” wrote TV critic Hwang Jin-mi in a column last month. “But the image of a young girl ... hanging onto a rich, 30-something man ... lingers.”

ia w this, and this is kge's second(?) role of this sort and its uncomfortable to say the least

[torontok.livejournal.com]

I'm honestly not that bothered by the product placement.Their CGI, exploding cars, steak and travel budget has to come from somewhere and I don't find it too distracting from the overall storyline.
I do agree that Euntak's writing is getting hella annoying. She seemed so mature in the earlier episode but then episodes 4-9 were just her crying and goblin getting pissy with the whole to-pull-or-not-to-pull scenario.
My ideal ending would be him dying and her ending up with someone else (Deokhwa or Taehee) but i doubt it'll go that route

[soft-taozi.livejournal.com]

I'm honestly not that bothered by the product placement.Their CGI, exploding cars, steak and travel budget has to come from somewhere and I don't find it too distracting from the overall storyline.

mte. I've seen worse product placement from cheaper looking dramas.

[xxmannequin.livejournal.com]

I can't with the main OTP and everyone who makes up excuses for it (it's fiction!!!11).
We are watching a man in his 30s go out on a date with an underage girl in her SCHOOL UNIFORM.
Idk how people are so calm about this. I'm even more mad with the actors tbh. They should hold some responsibility for their acting choices.

[mjspice.livejournal.com]

Yeah that's more concerning tbh.

[agitatorswaltz.livejournal.com]

It was not necessary for Euntak to be a high-schooler, it's been kinda creepy. Doesn't matter if he's 30, 100, 300, 900 years old, the fact that they chose that age for her is uncomfortable. Kinda gives off grooming vibes since he was the one who saved her originally.

But let's be real, nobody is watching Goblin for the main couple. Looking at you, Grim Reaper.

[pseudo-shigure.livejournal.com]

But let's be real, nobody is watching Goblin for the main couple. Looking at you, Grim Reaper.

YES YES YES. decided to skip all main otp scenes the second i found out she's underage and staying for lee dong wook instead

[jasmineakaiumi.livejournal.com]

mte about everything you said.

my friends are really into this so I watched an episode or two with them but couldn't get over the fact at how young the lead girl looks and acts, and how creepy that makes the whole relationship to me. he's a goblin, so there's inevitably going to be a several hundred year age gap even if he's with an 80 year old woman, but the fact that he's supposed to be physically attracted to someone who looks like a young teen (imo) creeps me out way too much to get into the show...

[cafe-miel.livejournal.com]

I'm guilty of watching this and I won't deny feeling a little strange at times watching some parts but I still like the show so of course, I feel conflicted but mainly intrigued by it's aftermath.

To be honest, I am surprised it's become this big of a project and more so by the teenagers squealing over Gong Yoo (practically bringing him into every article). Definitely didn't expect for him to become this popular as a male lead at this age with his "ahjussi" image. When he played in Coffee Prince and I honestly thought this was going to be his peak as a male lead. I've been rewatching Coffee Prince and his cheekiness is very similar and this was ten years ago. After watching "Train to Busan", I was certain he was going to become an action movie kind of star so this is to me completely unexpected

[jaelissi.livejournal.com]

"Another Oh Hae Young” was lauded for portraying a flawed, relatable female protagonist who is honest about her emotions"

She was also jerked around from left to right and picked up and dropped like a pair of gloves. How did she end up as an exemplary female lead? Anyone who relates with her should find professional help and I'm not even saying that to be mean

[sweetestbliss1.livejournal.com]

I tried watching Oh Hae Young and hated it. I was confused about why it was such a big hit. She seemed so whiny and clingy and that just turned me off from the show. Like, she was kind of borderline stalkerish? I just remember that one scene where Eric plays his sound recording from the night before and its her drunk and whining about how he should tell her his whereabouts or something because it's the courteous thing to do since they live (kind of) together? And this was in the beginning where they just met not too long ago. Like, girl, he owes you nothing why are you acting like he's your BF.

It was weirddddd.

[kjc48.livejournal.com]

i'm 1000% team

@mainship (and kinda the 2nd lead ship too...he's basically stalking her)
The 2nd kiss scene literally killed me. It should have been sweet and funny, but instead it was straight out of the Grooming 101 textbook (chapter: birthday countdown) -_-

but NO @ people coming for that product placement. The cf skit was GOLD, my bae needs to keep Won Bin on his toes tyvm.

KES ruins everything. I bet Gong Yoo will still choose to be a full-time movie actor even with the great ratings because of her bullshit concept of romance~~~

[sweetestbliss1.livejournal.com]

Agreed. The cf skit was hilarious. I don't mind the other product placements much, just the damn SUBWAY ones. They're kind of getting out of hand? But, DOTS had the same product placement issue with Subway so I don't know why people are complaining about it with this drama.

[iviih.livejournal.com]

Well, at least JT isn't minor anymore and isn't wearing school uniform. But It was creepy how she wanted a real kiss after she turned legal, and Kim shin said he was holding back before... cringe.

Also I stil dont get the hate she gets. She is young, plus she never dated. Sure she might be annoying and immature, but she will grow up.

What bothers me is the grim reaper (300 old +) and Kim Shin (900 old +) are petty, immature as fuck for their age, but everybody love them and find they "funny" while hating on JT lol I can't.

The ppl is very annoying imo, the subway one is too much.

Edit: I also noticed viewers always hate on the girls for being boring, immature or annoying, while the boys always get called Tsundere, funny or charming.

[saemcrh.livejournal.com]

Well you know what they say, boys will be boys 🤷‍♀️ rme

[tsuyoi-hikari.livejournal.com]

haha you are totally right on both of them are so immature and petty. It was hilarious but its very weird for somebody to have live that long to be that childish.

But I'm watching this just for the laugh and I dont have any emotional attachment to any of the characters so I was just enjoying it as it is.

Despite KGE being very childlike and kind of annoying, I thought she was adorable. Actresses like Park Minyoung, Jin Seyeon or Yoon Eunhye usually annoy me when I watch them in dramas, KGE in the other hand come off totally adorable in my eyes.

[shinychopstick.livejournal.com]

Ughhh I can't watch the main couple. There's an unbalanced power dynamic on every level--age, supernatural power, wealth, maturity, knowledge of the future, etc. And I also hate that she's so willingly dependent on him. I get that she's been isolated for most of her life but they're making very little effort to give her a human life independent of Shin and the gang of supernatural beings. I don't like overly criticizing female protagonists but the constant pleading for money, designer bag, trips abroad, lavish living arrangements, and Shin's attention really bugs me. Like girl, have some self-respect/restraint? I feel like someone who was living with relatives out to get her her whole life would be more headstrong about depending on others? All the romance scenes feel so skeevy.

Also if I see all these rich folk eating at Subway again I'm gonna bug out.

[bubblyshades.livejournal.com]

i can't watch this show b/c of the main pairing. i rebuke that age gap and power imbalance :(

[jinkiestabi.livejournal.com]

Perfectly valid and true criticisms of the dynamic between the two. Unless she's gonna pull out the sword, there's no interest in the two of them together at all. Individually, all the way. When Go Eun and Sungjae have scenes together, I like their chemistry. Same when Gong Yoo and Dongwook are in scenes together. I just don't see the need to make her character younger when Go Eun is 25 years old.

I don't notice the product placements other than the obvious eating Subway, but it doesn't overshadow the characters or hinder the plot to me.

[tsuyoi-hikari.livejournal.com]

The product placements basically in every scene lol -- the water that they drink, the food that they eat, the things that they shop, the place that they went to, the dresses and sweaters that they wore, the towels that they fold -- it basically in every single scene in the drama. But I got to hand it to KES for making it as subtle as possible unlike the product placements in Yongpal (shudder).

[jinkiestabi.livejournal.com]

But I never noticed that until it was brought up here. The products aren't my focus, so they won't catch my attention.

[zsanae.livejournal.com]

I don't know why I still check that drama from now and then. I cannot enjoy the show while I know the female lead is supposed to be 18/19 and the male is a guy who's 938 but looks like 38. That's like a 2 decades gap with a girl in her late teens still in school uniform that comes from an abusive environment. Also I hate how everyone seems able to control her life but herself can't.

The CF thing is acceptable though.

[broadcities.livejournal.com]

i was considering picking up this drama but reading this article + the comments is making me reconsider. interesting how this article puts the drama in a societal perspective.

[miwa201.livejournal.com]

i don't watch goblin so i can't comment on it but i started watching weightlifting fairy kim bokju and i can't take the "heroine who doesn't consider a slim figure her priority" seriously when stick thin lee sungkyung plays bokju. it still bothers me tbh. it just makes no sense and it doesn't help that you can see women in the team that actually look like weightlifters (and let's not even get into how jang miran actually looks like irl)

[iviih.livejournal.com]

Yeah, what bothers me about bokju character, is they putting oversized clothes on her and putting 2, 3 Coats to Make her seem "fatty"

[nekokonneko.livejournal.com]

this is exactly why i can never get into that drama, not matter how cute the main pairing supposedly is or how funny it is. it would bad enough without actively basing the drama on jang miran's life and promoting it as such.

[burnbook31.livejournal.com]

Everything about this though. Except, like everyone else, I didnt notice the product placement lol.

Also, im only after the real OTP here, grim reaper and kim sun tho 😍😍

Ithink gong yoo is still amazing in this drana but this role isnt for him imo

But, lee dong wook, the last time i saw you in a drama was My Girl and i was only a sophomore then! Look at you NOW! my bb forever

[namichan.livejournal.com]

Hmmm.... I must be weird because 1) I didn't notice much besides the subway and the chicken thing, and 2) I got over the age gap really quickly. I don't like how dependent Eun Tak is on Kim Shin, or how she went from seeming strong willed and trying for independence to childish (I guess they thought she wasn't cute enough or acting like a high schooler), and I think the wavering back and forth on pulling the sword was REALLY annoying, but the age difference only bothered me up through maybe the second episode, probably around the time when I realized that she was 19 and graduating.

It could be because of Kim Shin's immaturity, leading me to believe that he doesn't get out much and interact with others (probably no dating experience either), or it could be that even though she's a high school student, at 19 years old she would be a legal adult here in the US. I know that it's 20 in Korea, but that didn't really cross my mind until last episode. I was all grossed out because I thought she was like 16 or 17, and even in a fantasy setting, a relationship with a late 30s looking man that's really 900+ was gross. In the real world, I don't really like it either, but even though there is a big age difference, consenting adults are consenting adults.

I guess when it's drilled into my head that 18= adult and liable for your own choices, articles and comments like these are needed to get a really clear view on the situation, especially when it's a different culture with different laws!