Let's start with the first category: the story. This is the only category in which I gave 9.5. I loved the story. Rich in twists, very well written and it kept me with my mouth wide open for the shock/surprise the 95% of the drama...the remaining 5% I was crying so it was open so that I could breathe. There were only a few things that I would have added in some cases, but...that's fine!
Next: acting/cast. Here we come! Can we talk about how awesome IU has been for the whole drama? She's Amazing! I loved to see how badass she can be. I mean, among her dramas I only watched Moon Lovers, and there she was as perfect, for sure, but the character was different: sweet, innocent and naive (sometimes even too naive!). So I was really surprised: she caught me completely off guard. Queen!
Also, Yeo Jin Goo! What can I say? I love him, I've loved him in other dramas and I loved him even more here. Great acting, great chemistry, they were sooooo beautiful! He made me laugh and cry and laugh again within five minutes.
I also loved all the other cast: they were superb. Great acting! Amazing.
Music: beautiful, BEAUTIFUL OST. I won't name them all, but: Heize, Punch, IU, Gummy, etc… great names, great voices, great songs, great singing. Check it out. Can't stop listening to the songs on YT.
Rewatch: same as above, I didn't feel many differences, even if I already knew the plot. It allowed me to notice even more details that I had missed before.
Overall, this is a fantastic drama! You should definetely give it a try, because it deserves it.
Bye and...thanks for reading!
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Heartwarming with a bittersweet aftertaste
I am in love with what this drama makes you feel! It gives you this bittersweet taste of not knowing for certain what should be bitter and what should be sweet. A lot of scenes were shown to supposedly be pleasant yet the emotions it translates leaves you clutching at your heart; confused as to what you should actually be feeling.There are certain plot holes but they could be easily overlooked because of how flexible the plot is: anything can happen when it's fantasy. The main couple also exudes with chemistry and I am loving how pure and selfless their romance is with the whole "I love you enough to let you go" trope. I also love their cute and wholesome bickering, adds so much fluffiness to my heavy heart. Their love is very subtle yet leaves a very deep impression to the viewers.
Each character also has their individual subplots which adds more flavor to the overall story - especially loved the whole parallelism of the female lead's past and present (and how they tackled reincarnation). I will always remember how effective this storyline is in evoking conflicting and contradicting emotions, which takes this drama a notch above other dramas with similar premises.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Love Letter to Jang Man Wol's Badassery
I shamelessly dove into this series because of IU – a loyal fan here! Little did I know I was signing up for a rollercoaster of awesomeness, with IU's character, Jang Man Wol, leading the pack as the ultimate 'I should look pretty even if I go broke!' queen. It's like IU went from sweet to 'Hello, I'm here to slay, darling!' for the first time, and boy, did she own it!Jang Man Wol isn't just a character; she's a whole mood, a fierce fashion icon with an attitude to match. I've lost count of the times I've rewatched this show – blame it on Jang Man Wol's charisma and those killer outfits. Seriously, she's got me thinking, 'Can I look this good while conquering life's chaos?'
IU, take a bow! This series isn't just a fan's binge; it's a witty testament to IU's acting chops and the sassy brilliance of Jang Man Wol's character. So, excuse me while I go rewatch for the umpteenth time – because why settle for anything less than badass and beautiful?
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One of the more unique rom coms
First of all I dropped it the first time I tried watching it. But when I picked it up again and finished watching it recently I was glad I gave it another shot. It was a beautiful drama. As someone who loves beautiful visuals, this drama was a literal eye-candy (except for the horror parts, which were a bit icky). It was also one of the very few dramas which satisfied me in the music part too. The OSTs were amazing. As an audio-visual treat this drama was 10 out of 10. That being said the drama had a good story with some volume to it which was evenly paced and kept me interested to know what happens next. It had it's fair share of loving and touching moments, silly and serious moments, which kept the drama from becoming stale after it hit a certain point (unlike most other dramas which loses their momentum at the half-way point). As a horror drama it's not scary at all, so if you are here for the horror then you will be disappointed.One of the major reasons I dropped it the first time was the ML. The acting of the male lead felt too stiff and awkward the first few episodes. It was a major disappointment for me at that time and so I dropped it. Now after watching the whole drama I can say, in the later episodes the acting seemed a bit more natural and it was good.
But I was pleasantly surprised with the Ma Go (support) character as the actress did a very amazing job in my opinion. The female lead seemed perfect for her character too. She made the cold character seem very lovable throughout the whole drama.
It's already been a while since it's release, and if you are still wondering whether to watch it or not then don't be like me. Just watch it. It's worth the watch.
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~Pulls all emotional strings balancing the stories of the leads as well as the ghost guests. The journey through life and death as well as morality often makes a mark
~All the leads and side characters nailed their performances. IU plays one of the most iconic characters ever seen in kdramaland as well as the gazillion wardrobe goals she gives the viewers. ~Personally, I liked the chemistry between the FL and SML better than with the ML.
~Shoutout to the gorgeous cinematography and OST of the show.
~I also loved how the ending played out perfectly in line with the drama’s concept.
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If Only The Writers and Director Spent alittle more time working on the plot
At the end of this drama I find my initial thoughts on the ghost related plot to be messy right on point! The consistency of combining afterlife with reincarnation was nowhere to be found.. maybe because it's a flawed concept to being with, so them trying to be extra imaginative with it made fall in shambles.An example would be when making the dead able to roam around the living in some cases ( there was no rule!) They sometimes can affect the living while others can't (depending on the plot needs) and so on.. even Fantasies need rules set in the world to make sense to the viewers.
Even the couple's drama suffered from this inconsistency that something which was strongly emphasized was never used or mentioned in the finale!
Aside from that, the drama of our hotel family and the reaper - love his character- was really good that i cried a river in the finale. Everyone had an impact which isn't always the case when we have a main couple to focus on, though our ML had weak presence compared to the other 2 second leads which iscrazy considering they aren't even in the same timeline!!!
The setting wasn't that special for me, while the MUSIC was everything! Halfway through the drama I started humming along with teary eyes everytime one of the osts starts playing.
If only the writing wasn't this sloppy, it's a tragedy considering the cast being superb actors!
To top it all the drama was 50% repetitive slowmo scenes..
I was planning to rate it an 8 but after summing up my review a solid 7.5 is all my mind could spare.
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This review may contain spoilers
Visually Beautiful Series
Fantasy and this sort of drama is not my normal wheelhouse but I really enjoyed it and has piqued my interest in this genre. IU is stunningly beautiful with gorgeous outfits. The world building was amazing and there was still a bit of mystery up until the final episodes.The series didn't have scenes where it blew me away like CLOY or Hometown Cha Cha Cha but I felt it was consistently good throughout. Some people feel there were flaws with the series but I thought it was great and definitely did not fail in execution of ending compared to other series.
I actually enjoyed some of the filler stuff in the series with different ghosts in many episodes and trying to resolve their issues. I felt they also could've spent more time focusing on the characters if the writers wish but I also like what they've done. The supporting characters don't get too much screen time but this is more of a story of the Man Wol and everyone else is a supporting character.
This has overall made it into my top 3 since they didn't flounder the ending, visually gorgeous and interesting story line.
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Action, Comedy, Drama, Horror, Romance, Suspense, Thrill - This has it all
It's a mix of all genre (excl. Melodramma!!!, THANK THE AUTHORS FOR THAT).Acting/Cast:
IU oh the goddess plays a phenomenal FL, portraying a badass women in power to a sensitive and vulnerable person wating for the right one. She plays as an amazing proprietor, bringing a mix of comic, tsundere and warm-quirky personality to the table. With her at the center the show was full of laughter.
In terms of the ML, however there isn't much to comment on and perhaps a slightly better plot for the role could have presented more to comment on. Overall the acting was good (as usual) and doesn't leave much to comment on.
Other recurring casts weren't also fine with my favorite being the receptionist (he was too cute). The cast was well matched with IU as hotel staff and had complete backstories. They portrayed their respective roles quite well and matched to the theme of the show perfectly.
Story:
If I have to compare the storyline it is similar to xxxHolic (Anime and Manga series from CLAMP). It had all the similar vibes with a guy being able to see the supernatural and getting help from a woman. I loved xxxHolic and loved this too, especially the cast for the FL lead (if they decide to make a live-action remake for xxxHolic, IU and Seo Yea Ji are the ones to go for).
The series had new plots however didn't feel much intuitive compared to other ghost stories. Still it managed to keep me at the edge of chair, waiting for what happens next, guessing what new trouble our dear ML lands himself in, or how the devilish beauty of a FL rescues him. (slight spoiler)
There isn't much of a rewatch value for this reason alone.
The story wrapped up on a good note, however, it felt too short and could have lasted for atleast 8-9 more episodes quite easily. I still await the second season starring (starring Kim Soo Hyun). But then I feel the same for most K-dramas,
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Amazing production
This fantasy drama is very much along the same genre as the Goblin. Resentful of a betrayal that happened 1300 years ago, Jang Man Wol was trapped in a hotel by a deity who kept her there as the CEO to stop her from going berserk and turning into a vengeful ghost. Then came the kind-hearted Goo Chan Song who ended up working for her because of a deal his father made with Jang. He tried to put a stop to her excessive spending and disastrous finances, and interfered with her attempt at revenge which could affect her chance of a good reincarnation. The story was centred around their relationship and work, and his changing attitude towards her.I watched this drama to take a break from Chinese dramas which were getting to be more of the same - repeating the same threads of scenarios which had been successful in earlier dramas. The obvious cultural differences in the dramas were refreshing. The storyline of this drama is simpler than the intense scheming, obsessive lovers and rivalries often featured in Chinese dramas.
I rated this drama highly for many good reasons. The most important is I enjoyed it and actually watched it again. The plot was interesting and developed well. The story behind Jang's unfortunate past unfolded along the drama. Mysteries involving the lives of ghost visitors and staff also enriched the drama.
The acting skills of the cast were excellent. The handsome male lead and pretty female lead had this amazing chemistry. Good looking leads always make a big difference, but they need to act well too which is crucial.
The drama invoked a range of emotions. The verbal 'quarrels' between the leads were quite humorous in many parts and made me laughed. But it also managed to make me cry - few dramas managed to do that and this has become a measure for dramas I watched. Often, I found crying scenes boring and wished they would past quickly. The drama was well paced and I could not recall any dull moments.
Lee Ji Eun (Jang Man Wol) appeared in every scene with a new outfit - almost like a fashion parade. They must have gotten a lot of sponsorships from fashion houses or designers. Otherwise, clothes would have cost a fortune to produce this drama. Yes, I love beautiful costumes.
Then, the backdrop of the hotel was glamorous - the hotel lobby, the view from the balcony, and the wine bar - I guess some might be computer graphics but done very well.
There were of course some shortcomings - mainly inconsistencies. Early in the drama, it was said that ghost could not appear in camera. Yet in a scene later, someone saw the ghost in the library through her mobile phone. Towards the end, the staff at the hotel took photos together.
The ending was bitter-sweet. When the ghosts found resolution to their resentment, it was also time to say goodbye as they moved onto the afterlife. You would feel happy that they moved on but sad at the parting. In the early episodes, Jang said she was alive and not a ghost; yet towards the end of the drama she was referred to as a ghost.
Overall, I enjoyed this drama a lot and would recommend it highly. If you had watched the Goblin and enjoyed it, you may also like this one.
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This is worth your time
This K-Drama is definitely worth watching! It has a very unique plot and has very amazing characters.For example, Jang Man-Wol. She's the CEO of Hotel Del Luna and has a very unique personality. She likes expensive things and wants everything!
The ending was really sad though... Jang Man-Wol had to cross the Samdocheon bridge. Before that, the staff members disappeared one by one, which means JMW has to go too, leaving KCS alone in the human world. And if JMW disappears, Hotel Del Luna would have come to an end..
Though the end was really sad, it still is worth watching and has a unique plot.
The acting of the actors was also VERY impressive! They portrayed the characters greatly!
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In ways of a monster-of-the-week-type show, every episode of Hotel Del Luna presents us with one or more ghosts of people who have unfinished business on earth and, therefore, aren’t ready to pass on just yet. In the meantime, they get to stay at the titular hotel to find out what’s keeping them here. It’s a fun angle, where most stories have a bit of a comedic undertone, but what kept me coming back was the overarching story about Man-wol, the hotel owner, going back hundreds of years, which kept things interesting.
Near the end, some of the episodes got really, really long. While I did enjoy them, especially the last couple of episodes, it’s hard for me to recommend this show, unless you’re already accustomed to shows with episodes that can exceed 90 minutes or if you’re a fan of IU, as she delivers another great performance here.
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Aesthetic
I watched this drama for IU and it proved to be completely worth it! IU did a good job here in a badass role. This drama has an amazing photography and very beautiful sceneries. It also has a little historical storyline. IU's outfits were also beautiful. All outfits suited her well. She looks adorable in whatever she wears! It also has a great OST.It became really sad towards the ending. What I didn't like that the episodes were really long but it's fine. I enjoyed it. I look forward to seeing IU in more dramas.
Overall, this drama is surely worth one watch.
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