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I really wanted to like this more then I did
I'll be honest here, I watched this story because IU was in it, and I stayed because her acting and characterization of Man Wol were just that good. But, beyond that, the plot of this drama lacks in many ways. I never felt the dreading of Man Wol leaving because honestly, there wasn't much suspense behind it. I knew very well that it was going to be a happy ending and that they were going to reunite. But my problem isn't that it was a happy ending, it was that the writers made it so painfully obvious that it was. I mean...at least give me some suspense here.The side character plots were good, it was something I could tell would happen from the first episode. But, I just wished they put more thought into the side characters' backgrounds and their purpose for staying. All of it just felt so lackluster compared to Man Wol's story. You may think that because Man Wol is the main character her story should be the best one, and yes that is true to some point. But when the side characters' story takes up nearly 80% of the show at least put some thought into them.
In addition to that, the romance in this story was also a bit lacking. Let me be frank here, I genuinely really (x10) wanted to like GCS and MW together. They were adorable and they just had really nice interactions. But then GCM comes into the picture and I just couldn't follow the story of GCS and MW anymore. The old Man Wol from 1300 years ago and the GCM who loved her was such a beautiful story and their chemistry was just explosions for me. Their story was the only thing that kept me wishing for the next episode, the next scene, the next flashback. It kept me on the edge of my seat and made me curious about what happens next.
For GCM, they honestly didn't develop his background or story enough and it made me so, so, disappointed that in the end he and Man Wol barely had a proper conversation. You have to realize that he was there for MW all along. For 1300 years he stayed by her side despite knowing that it would weaken his soul and he would cease to exist. That's something I couldn't get over. Even though I really wanted to like GCS and MW together because I know that they were adorable I just couldn't like them as much as I did GCM. Despite all the heartbreaking scenes that we see MW and GCS have when they separate, the only time I have ever cried while watching this drama was when GCM and MW meet during the wedding and when he killed himself with her blade.
Finally, I just have to mention this, but I find it complete BS that they tried to pull with the "he had met her first all those years ago" in the last episode. Like, are you kidding me?! According to what we see, he found her, sorta kinda saves her (with water?), because I'm pretty sure she was half dead and water or food isn't gonna cut it here. So that bit was very confusing. The least they could have done was come up with some better storyline for GCS. They tricked us for so many episodes into believing that GCM and GCS were the same person and then makes it so that it's a big twist that they aren't. This means that GCS never had any connections to MW he was just destined to save her, and that's okay. But they definitely didn't have to go and pull the "they were meant to be" because 1300 years ago he sorta kinda saves her?
Honestly, it may be just my personal opinion but it would have been so much better if GCS turned out to indeed be a reincarnation of GCM. Destined to save her in order to atone for his previous sins. Then he would have to one day remember his past and realized that he is the reason the woman he loves is this way, and they would have Man Wol go through the process of realizing that she had fallen in love with him again and try to separate the idea that GCS and GCM are different people despite the former being the reincarnation of the latter. That would connect with all the different stories that this drama was trying to tell, like with YW and the princess.
All in all. I find myself to be a hard critic when it comes to drama, and perhaps it was just me that felt this way, but I just couldn't fall in love with this drama as much as I wanted to.
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Decent story with ONE OF THE BEST OST's EVER
The main hook of this dramas was its music score/OST there was not one bad song in the title. I have seen a lot of Kdramas and for every one that has one or two memorable songs there are very few where every song not only works, but is worth listening to again and again, even my mom who doesn't watch dramas remarked on how pretty the songs were.The plot is nothing unique, it really is a typical ghost drama, but the chemistry and acting by the leads makes it memorable.
The finale left an open end for a season 2, I would watch it.
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The cinematography was out of this world !
The show was a bit overhyped because IU, the queen herself was the main lead. Coming to the story line, it was refreshing and engaging compared to other fantasy dramas. A great concept even though it wasn't up to the mark.The show leaves you with a bitter sweet feeling like any other IU drama.
Ost!!!!! The osts were soo good, which was the only reason I didn't dropped watching it. You know the drama is worth watching when punch sang the ost.
Overall the drama was fine ( it could've been more better tho )
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Another drama by the famous Hong Sisters. The sisters are famous for making fantasy drama and you can see their style has grown from their previous drama like Hwayugi and Master Sun. So far I think this is my fav from all their previous work I have seen.The first episode is just so powerful. The introduction of the characters and the set where IU as Mang Weol shows up with a bang. It has already hooked me up. IU is really great and has become a very powerful actress. Her way of speaking as well as her body language is on the point. I cannot think that there will be another actress that can play the role as well as her.
In the beginning, I feel no chemistry between the lead but slowly by each episode, you can feel the chemistry is building as well as the romance between them starting to grow as well.
There are couples episode that you might feel like filler but each story indirectly carries a subtle message. Like the story about the dead bride is like a premonition about what end we will get from Man Weol and Chang Sung.
The side characters are loveable. The side couple is so sweet and even sweeter than the main couple. I hear the one who plays Ji Hyun Joong is actually a new actor. But he acts really well and kind of able to ignite me, as audience to sympathize deeply with what his characters feel. I feel like wanting to stan him for his next projects.
The backlash about this drama is probably that some episode is made like in a rush. I hear that the production team spend so much money on the first couple episode. I feel some episode is made a little bit in lower quality, another thing is way too many soundtrack song is used. I get that it serves to promote the song. But I feel like the song kind of sometimes destroy the ambiance of the drama. While the songs are good, I think it better to use it moderately and use an instrumental BGM instead. And a lot of product placement as well in the drama that is very obvious.
Overall I enjoy the ride. This drama raises my emotion when I don't expect it and keep going like a storm. The ending is justifiable and for the first time, I feel like 16 eps is not enough for K drama. I feel in my heart that I don't want to part with this drama yet.
Endpoint, this drama might not be a cup of tea for everybody but it has a special place for me. If you like Goblin and Hwayugi, you should give this drama a try. But if these are not your kind of drama, just move on.
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Hotel Del Luna started off as something dark, mysterious, fascinating and glamorous. Episode 1 was an amazing watch which got me hooked on this show. The music, fashion and acting were stellar. However as the story progresses, the first few episodes were mainly content with few scenes of romance, while towards the ending, we get many scenes of romance without much content. I find that it doesn't balance out too well for me.I came from watching Absolute Boyfriend starring Yeo Jin Goo, and he was very well suited for that role. In HDL, his character doesn't have much progression, just mostly acting like a wimp and then being brave and manly (Yeo Jin Goo's acting is in fact really good, and it is somewhat a waste for him to portray Ku Chan Seong). IU's character on the other hand, had much more to portray, and I must say, she is the best person to act out Jang Man Weol. The small details such as eye contact and also the instances of being hilarious while putting on a straight face is something IU does very well.
Halfway through this series, I rated it a 9, and after completing it, dropped it to 8.5. There is much more to be developed, such as the backgrounds of the other hoteliers and how Hotel Del Luna came to be what it is today. All these were briefly explained, which I feel didn't make the cut, as some of them like Ji Hyun Joong and Kim Sunbae have interesting stories behind them which were poorly developed. There was a lack of romance/chemistry between the two main leads, such that my favorite couple has to go to Hyun Joong and Yoo Na.
The story is mostly simple, but at the start, there are many random introductions of ghosts with again, poorly developed storylines. The first 2 episodes were really solid, but somehow thereafter the series became lackluster. It was only with IU's acting, the OST and the cinematography that the drama was somewhat saved. On an overall, Hotel Del Luna is a breath of fresh air from mainstream K-dramas, intriguing and breathtaking at times. However, I give this a low rewatch value as it does not impress. Hotel Del Luna is something special and unique, only that if you are expecting a strong story plot, it might have fell short.
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I rate this drama 10 no 20 no 1 billion IU's out of 2 IU's. She is wifey <3. The soundtrack was fire and I am on fire as well XD. I cries like 30 times during this drama cause 2 sad :( Anyways would recommend to all my friends, co-workers and the next generation below me x8 . #1 fave drama as of today, IU is wifey . I love the storyline, acting , story telling was well paced and never felt rushed. This drama will seriously be in my heart for the next 20 years and I will continue to cry cause my heart goes out to everyone that has worked on this drama :( thank you all for the pleasant memories .
Yours truly,
Reviewtoher
ps. Please like, subscribe and comment your favourite character (mine is manwell and Sanchez also IU)
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This review may contain spoilers
This is a very good fantasy mystery sci-fi drama! The viewer gets to enjoy a stunning cinematography, wonderful cast and a mesmerizing soundtrack to counteract two things on which the drama fall deficient- Gu Chan-seong and his relationship with Jang Man-wol, and the dual timelines. Gu Chan-seong is just a catalyst for Jang Man-wol’s character when it could have been so much more given the fact that he was always the person who loved her the most, and still, the writers couldn’t entirely fuse the love story into the complex and strong Jang Man-wol character ultimately resorting to a sweet and soulful romance, a disappointment when you have actors of high caliber as Lee Ji-eun (IU) and Yeo Jin-goo. The drama’s focal point is Jang Man Weol and Lee Ji-eun (IU) delivers an excellent performance bringing this character to life. The rest of the cast become an extension to her character delivering a sweet romance, thrill, drama, and comedic moments to her emotionally laden persona. The second deficiency on this show is the merging of timelines, past and present. The plot could have been better if only the present timeline would have the same important development as the past, but it fell short in comparison. Even though the drama is not perfect, it is entertaining and fun to watch. Enjoy it! Was this review helpful to you?
Don't Let the High Ratings Fool You. THIS DRAMA IS DESERVES HIGHER.
Hands down, Hotel Del Luna is one of the best k dramas. I have ever watched. The leads had excellent chemistry and always stood by each other. The plot was well executed. I have only praise for this drama. I love how everything is not explained in too much detail. If everything is set in stone it seems like an info dump to me. So I adored how the writer left some things open ended and give us hints to fit the pieces together ourselves. I'm very intellectual and thought-oriented which made this very engaging for me. The plot was very unique and had well planned and timed flashbacks. I can't say enough about the OSTs. They are the most beautiful things ever. I could listen to the tracks forever. Crime and thrillers were neatly integrated into the already multi-dimensional plot. Don't believe anyone who says that Hotel Del Luna has a sad ending. Like I said, it's for the audience to form their own conclusions. Overall, its the best. The ratings reflect exactly how good this drama actually is. Infact, I could even call this drama underrated for that is how good it is.Was this review helpful to you?
I watched many of the Hong Sisters' dramas, and the Director's dramas and well, none of them were out of ordinary, they all had a great start but failed to keep being great later for me. However this one I can say may be considered as an exception and a success. Maybe that is because of IU's character, but overall ot was great :)
Shorter review at the end.
Story:
Tied destinies, tied fates. The red knot that is connecting all of them shows us a story of love friendship and atonement.
This drama is about a Korean legend, that somewhere around there, there is a place a hotel of the moon where the people who passed away can stay for few days, can rest before they go on to the journey to the afterlife.
The story centers around Man Wol (full moon) and the new manager at her hotel. It's a story that goes through time and space and is a really long one. However during this journey you also see a lot of others. Ghost's side stories that happen throughout a drama and take a lot of time. Well, I truly LOVE this kind of side stories. It's like the good old Japanese mystery dramas/animes I loved. Lots of sidestories all of them can be a story of their own but they still all connect the main story. There are people around there who don't enjoy these kind of things, so If you are so, you might not like the drama as much as I did, however I guarantee you will love the beauty of the drama and IU in it. So you might as well give it a try :)
I loved how this drama focused on the afterlife. Usually the ghost stories don't interest me. But I loved that they showed how people can be taken over by their feelings, almost eaten up and have to wait until that clears, so they can go forward to the afterlife world and then be born again. They showed how sometimes Man Wol helped them not to lose themselves, keep the consciousness and wait till their grudge calms down or disappears. They showed how everything in people's life is not simple and yet it is not so complicated after death. The whole concept of the hotel where ghosts can stay and rest before going to the after life was amazing. I also liked how it changed with time and looked suitable to the era it was in. I liked how they showed that those ghosts can be super scary and at the same time they are still those humans wanting or willing something, it can be something terrible though. It also showed that the grudge even if fulfilled can't be so satisfying as it seemed to be. I really loved it. I loved the concept of feeling of guilt too and how it can make people do unimaginable things even after death. I totally liked all the special services the hotel provided. Anyway it's a complex story about fates that are tied together even after death.
Characters:
Oh IU is marvelous as Man Wol! lol I think everyone heard of her amazing wardrobe, hairstyles and makeup. Well She changed her outfit like 7-10 times during an episode and i LOVED it. haha sometimes it was ridiculous but sometimes it was amazing. Beautiful! But Man Wol was not only pretty she was very strong. a perfect woman. She was feminine yet very strong and at the same time fragile. I loved how she felt confident even while not understanding the economic stuff. I find it also cute how she lived so many years but didn't spent them for learning (which i would LOL) but rather she was all about eating and dressing. haha I loved her character a lot. And I think it will not be wrong to say that this drama hold on to this character and is build around her. Gu Chan Song was also nice. He was an average boy who studied well, in prestige places. He wasn't a special character BUT he was very kind and sweet and smart. I loved him. Thanks to that simple yet warm personality Man Wol could have been moved. <3
I just loved all the main side characters! The three employees of the hotel were such a nice and cute team. I love that we saw more of them at the end. Each of the characters had their own complicated past but each of them still became new people working there and i loved their different personalities. I loved Sanchez(<3) and Mi Ra and the Detective. Sanchez i loved the most out of them. He was a funny friend of the male lead and i think he added a lot of comedy to the show as well as grief.
I totally Loved the gods!! <3 All their personalities were so different and they all did different things <3
I would have liked to talk about all the side characters, even minor ones and even cameos, but I will stop here. :)
Cinematography:
As I said this drama is beautiful! I am going to make a list of beautiful dramas. It's amazing! I really love the cinematography here. And I love the wardrobe of the characters. <3
Acting:
Acting was a Top-Notch. Well I always wanted to say about acting in Characters as they go hand to hand but I saved it for here. IU is always great at acting, i love her in all of her dramas. After the Most amazing but dark and sad my mister role, here she was vivid, wonderful and outstanding. She made the outfit changing in the drama something to look forward to. Yeo Jin Goo is always great at acting but I think this is his BEST tole as a grown-up after Circle. I loved circle but all his other dramas were just meh after it. Finally he got a role where he could fully shine :) Other actors were also amazing! P.O did a great job!!! omg i never thought he will play so well lol xDDD I hope he gets more roles now :) And the Cameos were wonderful!!! So many people made cameos <3 And the last cameo was just soooo impressive!!!!!!!!!
I want to separately say about the Ma Go God. That actress is amazing, truly!! I am so happy she played here lol. The most memorable role of her that I saw was in Good Thief Bad Thief. Oh my she was crazy there. I hated her character with all my heart at first and at the end of the drama I couldn't wait to see her lol. Here she was amazing playing so many <3 I became a fan.
OST:
Well Ost was great :) nice songs, nice artists. what was left in my memory was mostly IU's song that was played only once lol. I just love IU's singing and her Flower Bookmark albums. Also her in MUDO festival with Park Myung Soo XD haha
IN SHORT!! :
What i liked:
-IU!! IU !! IU!!
-Yeo Jin Goo
-The three employees
-Outfits
-Beauty
-cameos
-some concepts
-somewhat ending
-ending super last scene!!!!
What I didn't like:
-some parts of the ending (well It was very logical and well done!! (minor Spoiler!!!!!!!!) - she had to leave and I agree with it yes, but overall they could have showed it much better)
- ending outfits and slowness ( LOL well this one is just something to say if I have to really say something i didn't like, because overall i liked it a lot lol, but during the last episode everything felt super slow, and her outfits were not so amazing. I understand it was necessary though so this can't be considered as something bad about the drama. I just have nothing else to say lol)
hmmmm i can't find anything else i didn't like lol. It was great! A bit not what I expected but It was great I loved it! <3
P.S. I don't usually re-watch dramas so the score i give there is random.
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Spectacular, Amazing, Fantastic
STORY: I really liked this drama. I know many people don't really like idol/singer actors but this one is really good. The story was interesting. There was one main story, about Jang Man-Wol and her sins and etc and there were minor stories about the ghosts. This kept the drama interesting and made me want to watch more.ACTING/CAST: The 2 had really good chemistry and the person who played the male lead (forgot his name) did a really good job playing the character and IU also did a good job playing the selfish cold character.
MUSIC: The reason why the music rating is low is because I didn't find the music so catchy or emotional. There was like one emotional song and made me want to search it up and listen to it but it wasn't so catchy.
REWATCH VALUE: The reason why I gave this section such a high rating is because I watched this drama so many times that I lost track. I don't know how to explain it but the drama makes you miss the scenes and stories.
Anyways I hope you find this helpful and I hope you enjoy the drama :)
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