K-Drama Goblin Confirmed for Musical Production After 10 Years, Aiming for Global Stages

The highly popular tvN drama 'Guardian: The Lonely and Great God' (Goblin), which created a 'Goblin syndrome' upon its broadcast in 2016, is being adapted into a musical to mark its 10th anniversary. Library Company has signed a musical rights agreement with writer Kim Eun-sook and Studio Dragon, with plans to develop a large-scale musical targeting both domestic and global audiences.

The musical adaptation of 'Goblin' intends to reconstruct the music and stage aesthetics to fit the musical genre, rather than simply replicating the drama's key scenes. The original drama, which achieved a peak viewership rating of 20.5%, centered on the fated love story between the immortal Goblin Kim Shin and his bride Ji Eun-tak, exploring profound themes of life, death, and destiny. The performances of actors like Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, Lee Dong-wook, and Yoo In-na also contributed to iconic scenes and lines, enhancing the work's overall quality.

Bloggers attribute the drama's enduring appeal, even after a decade, to its unique narrative encompassing life, death, and fate, the distinctive setup of the Goblin and the Grim Reaper, and the actors' perfect chemistry. With the news of the musical production and the release of the tvN variety show 'Goblin 10th Anniversary Trip,' interest in the original work is resurging. Many express great anticipation for how the story of Kim Shin and Ji Eun-tak will be reborn on stage.