K-Drama “The Glory” Has A Shockingly Unexpected Reference To The Iconic 2016 K-Drama “Goblin” That You Might Have Missed

It could all be because of the writer!

One of the hottest K-Dramas of 2022 and 2023 has been The Glory.

The drama featuring Song Hye Kyo has been nothing short of a sensation in Korea. It follows the story of a woman exacting revenge on those who repeatedly assaulted her in High School, which has captivated audiences.

“The Glory” poster | Netflix

Well, what is the connection to the K-Drama Goblin, the show that seems worlds away from the brutally realistic storylines seen in The Glory?

In Goblin, Kim Shin (played by Gong Yoo), who is an immortal goblin, goes to find a human bride to remove an invisible sword from his chest and end his life. One day, school student Ji Eun Tak (Kim Go Eun) confesses to him that she is the chosen one.

The cast of “Goblin” | tvN

On the surface, it seems impossible that there could be a connection between the two K-Dramas, as they are different in every way possible. Yet, eagle-eyed netizens noticed an unexpected Goblin reference in an episode of The Glory.

In one of the scenes, the character Jeon Jae Jun (played by Park Sung Hoon) met Ha Ye Sol (played by child actress Oh Ji Yul).

Park Sung Hoon and Oh Ji Yul

During the scene, Jae Jun said, “Uncle has made up my mind. I have just been determined. Starting from today, I will protect Yesul. I love you, Yesul.”

| Netflix

Although it just seems like a heartwarming speech, some netizens realized that it was quite familiar… because it was an adaptation of a famous quote from Goblin. 

In the scene, Ji Eun Tak said a similar line to the drama when she first confessed her love to Kim Shin.

Gong Yoo (left) and Kim Go Eun (right) | tvN

In Goblin, the line was  “I have made up my mind. I have been determined. I will get married with you, Ahjussi. No matter how I think, I think Ahjussi is the Goblin. I love you.”

| tvN 

Although it seems like a random coincidence, it was actually intentional. Similar to the time that there were multiple Vincenzo references in Little Women, the writer of both Goblin and The Glory is Kim Eun Sook.

The writer of both K-Dramas Kim Eun Sook | Netflix

After realizing what had happened, netizens couldn’t get over the two parallels between the writer’s shows and two very successful K-Dramas over the years. Both shows received praise and although they are two very different stories, the line worked perfectly in each context.

While many fans noticed the reference, it was so subtle that only hardcore K-Drama fans would’ve noticed it. It shows just how smart and creative Kim Eun Sook is and why both K-Dramas was such a success.

The Glory

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