So even though a really big point has been made about how the Goblin will die if the sword is ever pulled out, apparently by "die" what everyone actually meant was "get sent to icy purgatory for several years". This will end his suffering somehow. The logic of this rather escapes me, since being an immortal God in modern Seoul would seem to be a great deal more enjoyable than wandering the desert, and the Goblin ends up back there anyway except that no one remembers who he is.
Was it ever explained why Kim Sin was even being punished in the first place? I feel like I should know that, yet even if I did it would have pretty much nothing to do with the story at this point, which just revolves around the Goblin trying to flirt with Eun-tak when she doesn't remember him. Incidentally it's probably better not to dwell on questions like how Deok-hwa can still be the inheritor to a corporate empire when the Goblin has been erased from existence and was presumably unable to help Deok-hwa's grandfather several decades ago.
Anyway! On the bright side, post-timeskip Eun-tak's character has improved significantly. Being an adult now, Eun-tak does not act like a child, which makes her scenes with the Goblin less creepy. Also with her supernatural ghost-seeing abilities gone, Eun-tak's story arc is a lot more streamlined. Eun-tak has a nice job, and friends, yet is sad on the inside for reasons that she cannot fathom.
Funnily enough the story is more engaging from Eun-tak's perspective than it is from the Goblin's, because the basic mystery is fairly intriguing. Why does she feel so empty inside? Who is this mysterious stranger who pops up out of nowhere with incomprehensible remarks and implausible stories that turn out to be true? What is the deal with that letter, anyway? Are there depths to Eun-tak's story that this Kim Sin person can unravel?
Unfortunately we already know the answers to all these questions, so "Goblin" will not be able to surprise us. Indeed, I fully expect a return to the status quo. We're already partway there with the Goblin moving back to his old house and doing clumsy (if funny) situation comedy jokes with the Grim Reaper. Ah well. In place of an actual dynamic interesting story I guess I'll just have to settle for all those pretty special effects.
Source:HanCinema
