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The story line is incredible, you go from the present to flashbacks/dreams of the past and it truly amazes me how everything in this scenes is truly important to the development of the characters. While the ending may be disliked by a few I think it is the best ending the drama could have had.
Characters:
I can say that I am not surprised I became attached to all the good characters, from Man-wol to fourth choice. I literally loved the chemistry between the two 'couples' that came to be during the drama. I was truly captivated by how well this characters where developed throughout the story.
I think once my heart has settled back down, maybe a year or so down the line I will come back and re-watch this drama because I do think is worth re-watching.
If you are looking for something that will have you on a roller coaster of emotions and will keep you up all night than this drama is definitely worth watching!!
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This review may contain spoilers
IU was perfect, but I really need a second season with ...(spoiler)
Really nice, original story. IU was PERFECT, it took me a while to get used to Yeo Jin Goo, but I realized it might have been for his character - Goo Chan Sung wasn't my favourite at the beginning, but he fit the story, so now I'm okay with him.Overall, there were many wonderful moments - especially those from the past, again, Man Wol was the best thing in this drama. The last few episodes were a bit prolonged, it felt as if they were just trying to kill time sometimes. To be honest, I would even be fine if Man Wol didn't come back in EP15, her leaving in EP14 fits her story in my opinion, I didn't really see the point of her coming back.
I have to say, this is one of few dramas where I'm actually glad that it ended how it did. Yes, it was sad, but it was for the best for everybody.
Okay, now let's put all that aside and talk about the end: Kim Soo-hyun aka the best thing about this whole drama. To provide some context, I'd finished 'It's okay to not be okay' just a while before watching the last episode, and I was literally screaming when he appeared, nobody else would fit there better - pure perfection.
The greatest gift that this drama has brought is the hope for a sequel with Kim Soo-hyun. Seriously, my greatest wish is a second season with him as the owner
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The horror part was just enough to keep things interesting (but be aware that some scenes are scary). The ghost stories were entertaining and enough to spice up the main plot. However, the romance was not that good. The love story was out of the blue, as they were more like friends rather than lovers. Sure, they had chemistry, but they just fell in love too suddenly. The background story of IU's character was pure gold and it was nicely presented, though.
So, overall, seven out of ten.
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I've been waiting for this show for a while since it's directed by the same director of While you were sleeping (one of my all time faves) and he didn't let me down. The writing however I was a bit disappointed that it was pretty much exactly what I expected since the ghost side stories felt very similar to Master's Sun. The upside is that all of the side characters were all very lovable (not a single overly annoying or over the top characters) and had pretty good handling/screen time unlike some of the other works by the Hong sisters. The main leads did justice to the overall theme and type of character they had but I didn't really feel the chemistry between them, so their eventual relationship wasn't my fave. I think the overall arc would still be equally good if YJG was just a devoted worker and not in love with her. However I hope that YJG gets a definitive happy ending in a drama soon. His dramas this year isn't that good for that lol.
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It is a very emotional drama,touches upon sensitive topics and teaches a lot.To be honest,in the end,I came to the conclusion that this is actually a sad drama.But oh so good
Let's go in parts:1-the acting:Oh my God everyone was literally perfect.IU's acting was amazing,I first came in contact with her acting in the netflix's mini series "Persona" and she was splendid and in HDL she was just the same,she was perfect for the role.It was my first time seeing Yeo Jin Goo and he was also amazing,they had perfect chemistry.The rest of the cast was also literally perfect for their characters.The way everyone portrayed them helped the drama be even more perfect
2-Story:I thought it was very creative and different,to me every episode was awesome.I've seen some people bothered by how long it took to show Man Wol's story,but to me, if they showed it all in the beginning, we would've been bored by the end of it,which wasnt the case,every episode we learned something new,and that is how you usually get to know someone,little by little.It was...perfect.If you like realistic endings,and by that i mean one that makes sense with the story and the characters personalities, this is for you.The ending was so bittersweet and reasonable with what should actually happen,and we knew since the beginning it would happen,but not in a predictable way,i actually thought the ending would be why usually happens in kdramas.It was the perfect ending to that storyline,if you wanted the cliche kdrama ending (you know,the ones where they're apart for like 2 or 3 years and then they meet again and stuff)I'm sorry,but you're not really getting that...not really...I guess.Enough about this,just watch it please hahaha.
3-Soundtrack:PERFECT.They managed to put every song in the perfect moment,and they were all so emotional and...really just perfect.Also the background musics were just as perfect.I'm sure I'll be listening to all of them for a long time.
4*bonus-THE WARDROBE OMGGG.Man Wol's clothes were so amazing,I loved every outfit she put on.As a fashion student,I can say that they did an amazing job,the majority of her outfits were a mixture of the first half of the 20th century and present days.I want to be her,I want her clothes,I'm so in love.
I think I'm gonna stop here,I actually thought about making a special part to those who have watched already to talk about how much my heart is heavy because of this drama,but if I change my mind I'll do it.
So,if you like fantasy dramas that touch upon very sensitive topics,and teach about a lot of things,give it a try.But i feel like I''ve lost a part of my heart,I feel like I've lost my friends and I miss them so much hahaha.I don't know if i talked about everything I wanted to talk about but you know...okay bye
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The drama is captivating. You will instantly feel Man-wol's desperation for revenge. Man-wol portrays herself as a powerful and confident woman, but under her cloak is a woman trying to escape her sins, and desperately trying to live a good life. On the other hand, Ku Chan-sung is the perfect companion for Man-wol. Despite, Man-wol's constant caprices, and her ostensibly cruel personality, Chan-sung is always there to take care and accept her as she is. However, the overall plot fails to project on how to carefully unfold the secrets behind Man-wol's sins and her past.
Overall the drama is aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. The series is best for drama enthusiasts who love watching historical dramas. More so, with IU's top-notch acting with a mix of Yeo-jin Goo's charisma has made the drama a success.
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The story line was new, refreshing and Unpredictable. It was filled with moments that were relatable, hilarious and heart breaking. Story of ghosts is also interesting and a little bit horror too. I had no idea about the plot... with Its unique storyline this drama captured my heart. ????
Strong part of the drama is IU's character, her fashion, expressions, reactions, her sassyness. Her story captivates you right from the start, causing you to be curious about her past, and eager to find out more.
Jin goo excels at every scene. He did his best too.The story of every character was explained thoroughly.And Everyone Acts so realistic.
Music was delightful. Background music is pleasant and specially, Song Done For me.
Even though I knew it was probably going to be sad but with plenty of twists and turns it keeps you on the edge. Great job,Outstanding cinematography, Acting and writing. Loved It ????❤️????
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This review may contain spoilers
Eventhough the first four episodes could be a little boring for starters, it gets better and better til the end. So don’t skip this drama because honestly, you’ll regret it. And for those of you who is still in dilemma whether you’ll be watching or not because of the ending, don’t worry, it’s a happy end.I never thought this drama could bring so much hidden emotions I never felt before when watching other dramas. I cried easily but never cried when watching the opening episodes (1-4) but watching this I realized how fast I was to cry. The drama was quite sad for me, but also happy at the same time. It shows beautiful goodbyes frequently in every episodes and I’m very satisfied with how all the “main characters” in the story each has their own stories to tell and somehow managed to relief and let go of their pasts eventually.
To sum this all up, I’d like to praise all of the directors for directing all the casts perfectly; the writers for writing such a beautiful story; and last but not least, the casts who played their role beyond excellently.
9.5/10 ⭐️
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This review may contain spoilers
The first episode captivated me. It was beautiful and I definitely enjoyed it. But as the episodes went on, I became less invested in the story lines of the guests and more impatient to see man wol and chan sung's story, man wol's past. What I liked about the show:
1) the acting. I'm a huge IU fan and I watched this show because of her and she absolutely convinced me of her character as the immortal man wol. Despite her being so young, she conveyed an ageless wisdom with her eyes.
I have not seen anything with yeo jin goo but I was blown away by his acting skills. He and IU had definite chemistry.
2) the ost. I might not listen to them as separate songs (done for me and another day being exceptions) but they definitely complemented the show.
3) cinematography was beautiful. It was charming.
4) the way the makers handled the plotline of the vengeful ghost of the young woman whose video was made viral. That was in my opinion the most interesting episode
5) loved the way ms.choi's arc was completed. Her arc touched me the most and her conclusion was beautiful.
What I didn't like:
1) the amount of time each guest would be given per episode. There needs to be a balance because we need the already present characters to develop too.
2) the way the arc of man wol's first love was handled. I think its because the plot of the show is a little similar to goblin but I couldn't help compare and appreciate how goblin handled the whole grim reaper and Kim shin confrontation better. Considering how man won spent 1300 years resenting this man who she believed to have betrayed her, the moment they finally met was so lackluster. It was like she felt nothing. No emotions at all. Just because she had found love with chan seung did not mean she could not have had one decent conversation with ko chung myung. Same goes with the reincarnation of yeon yu. I liked the way goblin handled the subject. How despite sunny not knowing her brother in her current life, he still managed to get to her. I would have liked to the main characters from that time 1300 years ago to have alteast one moment where they were togetger. The fact that there was barely any interaction made the 1300 years of wait seem like a childish thing whereas we know it wasn't. It was 1300 years of pain, anger, resentment, hate and self loathing. Not to mention that ko chung myung stayed with her as her first guest. But not even that is acknowledged by man wol. It was all kinda anti climatic. Given the build up. Also it kills me that man wol will never know that it was ko chun myung who brought back chan sung safely from the tunnel. I'm not saying that what ko chun myung did 1300 years ago was right. There were many ways he could have avoided the situation. But given that he more than paid for what he did, I expect more from when the two would finally face each other. Both having lived 1300 years with the past in their hearts.
3) the episode in which man wol gives the hair pin to vengeful ghost out for for chan sung. I get it. She thought he was the reincarnation of that man she had hated for 1300 years. But I kept thinking that she would not go through with it. That she'd come and save chan sung. But she didn't and was prepared to vanish. I think that was the only time I genuinely disliked man wol. And because that particular moment is never addressed again, I could never like man wol as much as did before. She would have gone through with it. She would have killed chan sung through that ghost and taken the coward's way out by vanishing. The fact that she couldn't stab chan sung when he offered her the dagger meant nothing to me as a viewer because man wol had already stated that the reason she gave the ghost the pin was because she could not kill chan sung herself. So why did her letting go of the dagger mean she was overcoming her hate when she really wasn't? I wish that this particular plot line had been handled better. Like man wol giving the ghost that pin so that it would finally come out into the open, confident in its new found power, while she secretly protected chan sung. They could have shown that she didn't tell chan sung to make it seem like chan sung had truly been abandoned and so they chan sung could go look for the ghost and be more believable about how he had been abandoned by man wol. They could have even shown man wol having a change of heart at the very last minute and showing that it didn't matter to her who chan sung was in his previous life. By showing that she gave the pin to the ghost and by not doing anything she showed that nothing had changed for her. I'm bringing goblin back into this because we saw the way Kim shin came to terms with grim reaper being the king's reincarnation and the way it was handled was beautiful. In hotel del luna, this was poorly handled in my opinion.
That being said, it was a good show with solid performances, good chemistry between the leads and I honestly do get the hype. And atleast this show did not shy away from showing some truly malicious ghosts (unlike Master's sun which made it seem like all ghosts were nice and not dangerous)
My absolute favourite moments would be when man wol reaches the tunnel where chan sung had mistakenly gone and runs to him when she seems him. That moment when man wol's cold exterior came crashing down and she felt true desperation will always stay in my mind. And secondly when man wol fights with ko chun myung and he talks to her about he had wanted to see her dressed as his bride, as she waited for him. How he would then reach out and touch her cheek. For some reason that scene hit me hard. I was all choked up because here she was, the girl he wanted to marry, dressed as the bride but holding a sword to his neck. That moment was strong and kudos to the actors for making it so. Third moment was when man wol returned after seeing off ko chun Myung and chan sung ran to her and just held her, not letting go for a second. the way he enveloped her in his arms and stood there, shaking, was a brilliant bit of acting.
As for the end, since I love happy endings, im going to stick with my interpretation: that chan sung and man wol met each other after they were reincarnated and they remembered one another (hence chan sung reading the book existence and time). I'd like to think that this particular blessing of remembering one another was a favour granted by the magos to the staff of hotel del luna for all they did to help the ghost guests. its also possible that chan sung was not reincarnated and man wol came in his current life time (which is possible since the show told us that time flowed differently beyond the bridge)since we don't see yuna in the park where everyone else is which is odd because everyone else was there. so I stick to happy ending version cuz I love happy endings
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moral of the story??? if you love someone you also have to be able to lose her/him
wooahhh what crap of concept is that? may be I'm the only straner here because it looks like 70% of people commenting here have liked a lot the series...come on this a fictional story there wasn't a need to be this mch real well author's story author's decisions viewers can only sit and watch but if I knew the end would be like this I wouldn't even started the drama
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Will Forever Stay With Me
The beginning of each scene was engaging and the plot that unfolds leaves you wondering what happens next. The storyline is very much like goblin so can't really say it's original but it was still interesting nonetheless. A lot of plotlines from the other characters and the ghosts from the hotel were thrown at me but I was more interested in finding out about Man Weol's past. I must admit that I did think the overall storyline of the drama was kinda confusing and even after finishing it there were still some things that didn’t make sense. I do think that the show spent too much time focusing on the storylines of the ghosts who would come into the hotel. Like sometimes they were interesting but I wanted to see more of Man Weol and Gu Chan Sung, damnit!The CINEMATOGRAPHY is beyond beautiful. There wasn't a single seeing that wasn't any short of wonderful. Even the boring scenes we're nice to look at because of the amazing production that went into the sets.
The COSTUME DESIGN was exquisite. The main cast always looked good but IU's wardrobe was on another level. Her clothes matched her character so well. She definitely looks the part. Gu Chan Sung wore suits most of the time but hey you can never go wrong with a suit ;)
The ACTING was excellent(I figured if IU is in this it will be good), and the scenes between the Man-wol and Chan-sang were so enchanting to watch. Each interaction between them was truly captivating. I couldn't get enough of them both on the screen together. I love their chemistry.
The OSTs are literally so amazing I have no words. every song was right for the scene it was put in. The music truly transported you into the story as you were watching. Taeyeon's "all about you" and Paul Kim's "so long" are my favorites. Punch's "another day" was very good also. This is the first drama where I actually like all the osts.
OVERALL Many shows and movies talk about life and death, but nothing stuck with me the most than Hotel Del Luna. I appreciate this drama so much, I can not explain what it means to me. This show will always be stay with me, and I will force my future kid to watch it.
For those who are wondering to watch it, please do. Everything about this show is beautiful and is perfect!
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