The Lonely Shining Goblin Contradictions

'Goblin' is becoming sensationally popular both inside and outside of Korea after airing only 4 episodes, and most fans love every bit of the show. However, some viewers are voicing their concern over the love line plot between Gong Yoo's character and Kim Go Eun's character. 

Many viewers posted directly to the drama's official website and asked the writer to re-consider the love line since Kim Go Eun's character is a high school student (18 years old international age, which is considered a minor in Korea) and Goblin is portrayed as an adult male in this 30s. 

Here are some of the posts from the website: 

"Do I have to watch a drama what portrays a pedophile in 2016...The man who looks like he is middle aged and a minor falling for each other is being portrayed as romance...It's disgusting."

"I am a fan of the drama...It was from the second episode I found some issues.  Ji Eun Tak (Kim Go Eun's character) is a high school student but she plays the role like she is a child...and in fourth episode, she says things like, 'Let's have babies and live happily,' and asks Goblin what type of women he likes. Even if she is joking, are those lines appropriate for a minor to say to an adult? I think a romance line between a minor (even if she is almost an adult) and a 30-something man is not right....Do you think a man in his 30s falls in love with a minor?"

"...Kim Go Eun says, 'What type of women do you like? Wifely? Sexy? Professional? Should I change everyday?' It's such a crazy line for a minor to say... And Gong Yoo says a line, 'Meat, alcohol, and women -- more the merrier.' What a thing to say." 

"I think Kim Go Eun's character needs some changes. She is simply too childish so the whole relationship seems Lolita-like...Another issue is that, in the drama, Ji Eun Tak is misunderstood as a prostitute involved with an adult and is subsequently bullied by her schoolmates, so the writer herself knows that the relationship is problematic...So what is the writer's intention in portraying the love line...?" 

"...Kim Shin says that the high school girl, a minor, is his first love...? Isn't that inappropriate? Some of you might say age is just a number, but in real life, if a 30-something-year-old man was going for a minor, it would be wrong. It's just because the actor is younger looking and is handsome, people are accepting it....And why make the female lead a high school student? Why not a college student?" 

Netizens also complained about the two character's relationship. One wrote on a popular online community, "...It's a bit weird to watch Kim Go Eun's character throw herself at an older male...I'm disappointed at the writer." Others defended the writer, saying, "It's fine...You just don't like Kim Go Eun and her acting." Another person wrote, "It's an understandable portrayal. She believed that she's the Goblin's Bride for 19 years, and he is finally here. Also, she is desperate because there is no one in the world who can look after her."