The Goblin (2022) ~ A Vicious Korean Gangster Flick

“The Gobin” is a 2022 Korean crime drama, categorized as Action, Crime, and Gangster flick; currently streaming on Viki.

SUMMARY: There is a killer in the underworld who is so ruthless they nicknamed him “The Goblin”. His wife left with his daughter and asked him not to look for them. How can she raise their child properly and safely when he comes from “work” smelling like blood? He could not argue so he let her go. He is eventually sent to prison. Ironically, it is for a crime he did not commit. When he is released from prison, he wanted to live a quiet and honest life. But his gangster friends wouldn’t let him.

Once Upon A Time, a Ruthless Killer Tried to Quit!

In “The Goblin”, Doo Hyun is a ruthless killer. His killing skills were so extraordinary he was nicknamed “Goblin”. There was a law enforcement who was determined to put him behind bars. But he always managed to elude capture. That’s his professional life. In his personal life he’s a loving husband and father. But his wife is very realistic. She knows what he does for a living and tells him that she must leave for the sake of their daughter. There is no way she wants to raise her child knowing the environment he works in. When he comes home he reeks of blood. Doo Hyun did not argue and let his wife leave. She also said she wouldn’t let him know their whereabouts.

The law enforcement officer finally “sort of” captured Doo Hyun. What happened was Doo Hyun decided to take the blame for the killing of a crime boss even though he knew that another criminal named, Young Min, was the real murderer. After sending Doo Hyun to prison, he is baffled. He tells Doo Hyun: “I was so sure that you were the Goblin. But while you were in prison the Goblin was committing all sorts of violent crimes. So I figured it couldn’t be you because you’re in prison.” Doo Hyun knew the “other Goblin” was Young Min, but said nothing in response. He just patiently waited until the day he was released.

Once out of prison, he genuinely tried to work an honest job and live an honest lfie. But Young Min would not and could not allow that. Young Min had a guilty conscience and always felt that Doo Hyun would one day exact his revenge for killing their boss. But Doo Hyun wanted to put it all behind him. The only thing he cared about was his wife and daughter. He had to search for them but he finally found them. When he did, his wife asked him not to tell the daughter who he was. His child already believed that her father died. Doo Hyun honored his wife’s request but he still made contact and introduced himself as a friend.

It turns out that Young Min also has a daughter, the same age and in the same school and she’s a bully. Doo Hyun’s daughter has faced-off with her many times but one time the bullying went too far. Young Min’s daughter injured Doo Hyun’s daughter and when Doo Hyun found out the details of what happened to his child and how there was a cover up … WAR BROKE OUT! Real Goblin versus Fake Goblin. Will criminals ever learn that they shouldn’t mess with family?

Main Characters:

Doo Hyun (played by Jo Dong Hyuk, “Rugal”)
Young Min (played by Lee Wan)

Viewership and Rating:

IMDb: 5.7 out of 10 stars
My Drama List: 7.2 out of 10 stars
Viki viewers rated this film 8.7 out of 10 stars

My personal rating is the same as the Viki viewers.

This movie is about family, but you can’t categorize it as a Family movie. This reminds me of one of the gangster movies in “The Godfather” trilogy where Al Pacino says: “Every time I think I’m out, they pull me back in.” I imagine it’s hard to escape a life of crime. I imagined it which is why I never chose that path. LOL. Personality-wise, the bad guy was a good guy. However, he chose a criminal profession and even though he wanted out, the others would not let him be. Sadly, when you choose that lifestyle, innocent people in your family often get hurt.

On a comical note, a gangster crime boss who wears a flowery jacket is asking to get himself killed. Who can respect and fear him? His fashion sense is just awful. LOL.

(NOTE: Do not confuse with the Korean drama series called “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God”, also known as “Goblin”, which aired from 2016–2017. )

If you are searching for this type of movie, you might like this PopGeeks review of “The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil”.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Film Review: The Goblin (2022) by Kim Hee-sung | Asian Movie Pulse

The Goblin (South Korean Film Review & Summary) | Global Granary

Review about Korean movie ‘The Goblin(2022)’ | SANGZA movie review – YouTube

TRAILERS/TEASERS:

Far East Films. “The Goblin (2022) 피는 물보다 진하다 – Movie Trailer – Far East Films.” YouTube Video. YouTube, May 24, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSQ-2incUEM.‌