Fun, beautiful, though the story was not so memorable.
Trapped in her resentment, Man Wol (IU) has to spend an eternity running Hotel del Luna, catering to the unresolved issues of ghosts before they move on to the afterlife. Go Chan Sung (Yeo Jin Gu) ended up working for Man Wol due to a deal his father made with her. Through his job, Chang Sung gets to know the mysterious Man Wol and her dark past. Will there be any redemption for Man Wol doomed fate?The first stand out point is the fantastic world building of Hotel del Luna, it is majestic and wonderful to look at. More than that, the visual effects, OSTs and costumes are all stunning. Man Wol’s costumes are something else! They are undeniably feminine & stunning with luxurious & rich color tones, and IU wore them with confidence that these clothes are not ‘drowning’ her. She really proves herself in this role, with her cold and powerful gaze that perfectly define cold, powerful, and ancient being Man Wol. The next point I love is the cast chemistry, the hotel staffs, the god ladies, and the chemistry between IU with Lee Do Hyun (they fought great together). Indeed, it’s not the chemistry between IU and Yeo Jin Gu, who is our male lead that I enjoyed most.
However, those are the aspects that I love from Hotel del Luna. The story itself didn’t grip me and some of the ghosts issues are not that exciting to watch. I enjoyed the comedic interactions, especially the beginning ones, but the main romance never felt romantic. Overall, it’s a great drama despite my pros and cons. I like how it ends with good life lessons as well.
Last edited-Mar 2024,
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This review may contain spoilers
A flower that dreams of the moon
Story: The story can be predictable but also unpredictable. One thing is for sure, it will keep you wanting more and more. It’s a story of betrayal, misunderstandings, reincarnation, hate, love, passion, revenge, and whatnot! It has it all. I am not one to cry easily but I shed a tear or two while watching. Death and what allegedly happens after death is mentioned a lot and we see deities helping people in dire situations as well as changing someone’s fate. It does make you wonder if death is the end.Characters/Acting: The chemistry between the characters was good, especially between IU (Jang Man Wol) and Yeo Jin Goo (Goo Chan Sung), as well as between Yeo Jin Goo (Goo Chan Sung) and Jo Hyun Chul (Sanchez). All the characters had very intriguing stories and I think that the casting choices were great. We have some character developments like Jang Man Wol’s (IU) character to mention a big one. I was very satisfied with the acting and how the actors embraced their roles.
OST: Apart from Can you see my heart by HEIZE which plays A LOT in almost every episode, I discovered some more beautiful songs like At the End by Chung Ha, Another Day by Monday Kiz & Punch, and Taeyeon by (태연) - '그대라는 시 (All About You) by Blue D to name a few.
Overall: Give Hotel Del Luna a chance to take you on a fantasy journey where the boundaries between life and death, as well as fantasy and reality, get blurry.
Score: 9.5/10
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Story failed my expectations, wasted star-studded series
I was quite disappointed about the overall story which was filled with sub-plots that doesn't connect to the main plot and was pretty boring as well.I love seeing IU on those extravagant clothes and accessories and her acting doesn't really fail but I felt like the story is lacking in so many ways. The first half is specially boring but it gets better towards the end when the story finally had some substance in it. I feel sorry because the casts really did their best and most of them portrayed their role exceptionally well specially IU but then again it all ends up with a poor writing.
I don't think the plot is my cup of tea but I can say this series at least make it a little more bearable as I watch more episodes. I almost dropped it but because I really admire IU's acting I decided to continue. Maybe what's more disappointing was the hype when the show was first aired. It was so popular so I expected a lot from it.
Overall, I still enjoyed watching it. If you're an IU fan, definitely watch this as IU is stunningly beautiful and such a great actress here.
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The OST and Moonlight Sonata were all gorgeous, they really pulled the scenes together and drew you into their world. I really loved the side storylines with the hotel guests and learning about their grudges and what pulls them away from release. I also thought the side characters were all really wonderful and had great chemistry, so I didn't have issues when an episode was side-character-centric. I sensed more chemistry between IU and Jin-goo while they were just friends, but I never felt like they didn't adore each other through the end. I was a sobbing mess at the end.
The visual FX was pretty meh. It's okay that it's not great - I understand visual FX is expensive- but sometimes it was worse than cheap Halloween makeup and very amateur. I got over it after a few episodes though and tried to enjoy the show/scenes for their story and character chemistry. My only real "issue" is that I really wish there was a special episode to show the epilogue. I really wanted to know more about what happened after the end episode.
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Beautiful, but the backstory is what got me
Yes, just to get it out of the way. The cinematography of this drama is just gorgeous, IU rocks every single outfit, and the OST is also pretty great.In this entire drama, however, I have to say that plotwise I was just so much more invested in MW's backstory and in the enemies-to-lovers ship. I completely fell in love with the flashbacks and the high-stakes dynamics between the characters, even while knowing that everything was going to end in tragedy.
While I still enjoyed the modern story and the unusual dynamic between the main leads, I didn't love them as much as I loved the backstory couple, and I almost didn't feel any romance at all. I think part of this is just the time taken to the modern plot.
I wasn't a huge fan of this kind of episodic writing in Master's Sun and I felt the same for this one. Other than the subplots that connected us directly to the main or supporting cast, I didn't care much for the individual ghosts and their stories and pretty much just waited with bated breath to find out about MW's story.
She was undoubtedly the most interesting and layered character out of everyone, and I wish we had dedicated just as much time to the male lead as we did to her or even to any of the supporting cast (the hotel workers). Even with his backstory, his character and plot seemed a little shallow.
Ultimately, it was the backstory of MW that stole the show, my attention, and my heart.
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knowing at iu was being a part of the cast made me quite excited, and as expected i couldn't imagine who could play jang manwol better than her.
production wise, this drama is very aesthetically pleasing and definitely worth it's quality. from the interior of the hotel, manwol's outfits and also the cinematography that the drama has delivered is pleasing to the eye and i loved how the whole drama is shot.
plot wise, it wasn't the greatest plot i have encountered but it definitely wasn't bad at all. i enjoyed the character developments of each character, and the connections between the past selves with their the current selves and how fate brought each person together. however, for some reason in the middle of the drama i felt like i could predict jang manwol's back story and what made her receive her punishment.
overall the drama was good! it's worth my time and i loved the chemistry between all the characters in this drama ~
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This review may contain spoilers
A story about healing, moving on, forgiveness, and loving again
n.b.: Might contain what others consider as "spoiler" but is not in my opinion.-------
At first, one would assume this is a typical romantic comedy about some couple who found each other, denies being in loved, and eventually lived happily ever after. However, one will soon learn that this is a story about healing, moving on, forgiveness, and loving again.
IU, as Jang Man Weol the owner of Hotel del Luna, beautifully brought to life her character. She successfully hid her image as the world's "Queen of Pop" with her superb acting. From a very friendly, approachable, smiling IU, she totally became the bitter, easy to anger, and strict that is Jang Man Weol. As this story spans a thousand years, IU's talent in acting shone as she took on different roles and genres in one series.
One would probably also assume that Hotel del Luna was an IU show especially since she wore countless of dresses in every 1.5-hour episode, which could range from a thousand years ago to the present. I would say she probably beaten Lucy Liu in Elementary in this area, turning a series into a subtle fashion show. However, Yeo Jin Goo made this his own show as well, himself a veteran actor who have taken challenging roles, playing as Goo Chan Sung, the Hotel Manager, equalised the show between the two actors and their characters.
The music were also great. Yeo Jin Goo's and IU's acting were more than enough but with the right music at the right time, it deepened the emotional connection to the important scenes. From action to the most heart-wrenching scenes, the music made the series very memorable and touching, especially for those who are going through the same challenges in their lives.
The writers also did well. While Hotel del Luna was a hotel for ghosts/spirits, nothing was too scary, I wouldn't even categorised this show as "horror". In each episode, they touched on different subjects about death, murder, accidents, forgiveness, and separation with the people we love, that longing desire to be with them even after life has ended. They carefully guided the show to not turn into "horror"--which amateur writers would've fallen into and throw the story everywhere--by always bringing in the light-hearted comedy of Yeo Jin Goo and IU.
Finally, the overall story of healing, moving on, forgiveness, and loving again was told perfectly in 16 episodes averaging 1 hour and 20 minutes each. This was very eye-opening for those of us who were recently deeply broken, those of us who are denying we have lingering bitterness in our hearts, those of us who are finding it hard to forgive and move on. Goo Chan Sung and Jang Man Wol showed us how and why we should heal, move on, forgive, and love again. Goo Chan Sung demonstrated to us how we should let someone heal first before entering into a relationship with them, how we can be the support they need and not give in to their every demands just because they were deeply hurt. While Jang Man Wol told us how bitterness and an unforgiving heart can lead one to live a sad, unfulfilling, pointless life, and how we can once again love by healing ourselves first.
Thank you to the whole team for bringing us an amazing production and a great meaningful story.
If there will ever be a "Hotel Blue Moon", I hope that it will tell meaningful stories as with Hotel del Luna, and that the sequel wouldn't fall into "just another entertainment show"--a common pitfall with sequels.
Hotel del Luna: 100 out of 10 stars!
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This drama has so many lessons about life, death, revenge, love, hate and forgiveness that really touched me. In my opinion the plot and the story line were very good and the characters evolution throughout the drama was amazing, both main and secondary characters.
Also, I never saw a drama with IU before and I loved her! Her acting is fantastic. The romance between the main leads is very cute and I really liked their chemistry.
The OST is an important part of the drama and Hotel del Luna’s OST is a masterpiece, the musics are really good and they just fit perfectly in every moments.
They made me laugh, made me cry, and now I miss them very much!
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IU was perfectly casted as Jang Man Wol and this was the first drama I have seen her in anything. I read that My Ahjussi was a complicated-torn character for her to play, so I was surprised that the directors and screenwriters only wanted her to play this very sassy and bratty role, which she executed perfectly. Yeo Jin Goo was fantastic in his role as Gu Chan Sung, but I admit that his character wasn't given enough depth and spectrum to be explored and expanded, other than the fact that he's the most perfect guy for Man Wol to finally break free from her centuries-old anger and need for revenge. But then I wasn't really a stickler for this since whatever of Chan Sung's thrown on my face, I don't really find the lack of it take anything much from the main story. Lee Do Hyun who played Man Wol's ex-lover was fantastic as well, and his eyes really express a lot. This is a rookie actor with so much potential to make it big!
As for the BGM, everyone knows that the whole playlist of this drama is so well done and very delicately crafted. My favourites are the songs by Paul Kim and Punch (Done for Me).
Rewatch value is very high because of all the beautiful details and scenes that make this drama so enjoyable to watch.
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BEST OF HONG SISTERS!!! RECOMMENDED TO EVERYONE IF YOU WANT A GOOD LAUGH AND A GOOD CRY!!!
I've been a huge fan of Hong sisters' dramas and they never disappoint me. First time I heard about their comeback and the casting, i thought I shouldnt miss it. YEO JIN GOO omaygashhh I jus cant move on. He had such a charming character that made girls fall in love with him even more (fight me if I'm wrong). And IU was hilarious despite her bitchy character. I loved her makeup and dresses, she jus always looked so stunning. I cant think of any actress who can fit this character other than IU. You wouldnt want to miss the side stories too, how they were so attached to each other in the end makes me so attached to them too. T.T so hard to say goodbye to this dramaaa!!
I saw a lot of comments that say that this drama was so unrealistic that they couldnt finish it. I'm actually one of those ppl who's not into fantasy and stops watching a drama if it gets cringy, but this drama never made me feel that way. If you start this drama and dont finish it, youre missing one big of a treasure. The story indeed was unrealistic, cmoooonn its fantasy, but look at how every character actually pulled off their roles adn also the life lessons(love, friendship, family etc..) Each of them broke my heart with their stories. (there you gooo, im getting tearyyy lol). I love all of them so much!
After I watched the last episode, I jus really had to share it with my friends and make them watch it. XD and so I'm sharing it here as well cuz I want everyone to watch it. A masterpiece ladies and gentlemen! Also the acting was 100/100!!
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Story:
We are set off with Jang Man Wol's story and the beginnning of the existence of the Moon Guest House but are however left as to why this occurs. Later on we are presented with Goo Chan Sung, the child, who because of his father, is tied to Hotel del Luna for the rest of his life. Throughout the development between both characters' relationship, we come across the lighthearted yet somewhat sentimental stories of the ghost guests, building a sense that ghosts are nothing to be afraid of as they were also humans who had died, often leaving regrets behind. The hotel features Mr. Kim (the bartender), a funny and down-to-Earth man, Mrs. Choi (rooms manager) a heartwarming and rational woman and last but not least Ji Hyun Joong (hotel receptionist) an adorable and sentimental guy. You get to know each character and sympathise with their background story and why they hold grudges that make them unable to go to the afterlife. Jang Man Wol's past is shown and built up throughout the entire drama and each time an episode ends it leaves you on a cliffhanger wanting more. I have to say that it would have been nicer if the way she had confronter her grudge/regret would done her past justice. Personally the story that got to me the most was Ji Hyun Joong's.
Acting/Cast:
From the main cast to the cameos, everyone's acting was exceptionally impressing and captivating. After 'My Mister' Lee Ji Eun proved that her acting skills were not simply those of a singer, but could instead be compared to great actor's and actresses'. She perfectly delivers Jang Man Wol's character with all the conflicting memories and emotions she carries. It was my first time seeing Yeo Jin Goo in a drama and I can safely say that I could tell this man had been in the game for a couple of years. Only then I found out that he is 22 years old, which blew my mind completely. He depicts Goo Chan Sung's composed and disciplined character but also manages to make you laugh due to his innocence. I have to add that there was this particular scene in which he broke down into tears; completely heart-wrenching and made me cry like a baby. All the other actors and actresses impressed me beyong expectations, whether I had seen them before or I was seeing them for the first time.
Cinematography/Styling:
I think it's particularly important to point out how amazing the production, camera work and editing was. I was in awe with every single setting and didn't realise how much a particular background or colour scheme could bring out emotions until I saw Hotel Del Luna. Of course, Jang Man Wol's outfits/style was the talk of the town. You could probably count up to 10 outfits and hairstyles in each episode and they were all absolutely beautiful and mood-fitting. So a really big round of applause to all the crew because they really did a great job.
Music:
I don't think I had seen such a powerful OST lineup in a really long time. Not only does the music accompany the scene but in fact makes the scene, it intensified it to an extent beyond imaginable. My personal favourites were All about you (그대라는 시) by Taeyeon and Done For Me by Punch, the latter being absolutely heart-wrenching with that heavy instrumental part in it.
Rewatch value:
I would probably watch this drama again now that it's complete because, believe me, it was a pain to watch it whilst it was airing. Watching all the episodes at once will definitely allow me to maintain the same mood throughout the drama and I will probably enjoy it even more. (I do have to say that sometimes the 1h 30min episodes tired me out a bit and seemed unnecessary long).
In conclusion, would I recommend watching this drama? YES. Nothing else to say, just watch it.
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This review may contain spoilers
After a full day and a half, I've made my mind about Hotel Del Luna's rating... It's an 8. Let's make no mistake, this series is good and will most likely be the best drama this year. A complete blueprint of what a fantasy drama should be, full of romance and mystery and world building which excels very much in that regard.
However there were times when I personally thought nothing was happening in the story especially in the middle parts of episodes and would often fast forward to the points where the characters I cared about actually moved their arcs forward, it reminds me of formulaic storytelling were a villain of the week or monster of the week or in this case, ghost of the week happens and all the main characters have to untangle and solve. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this format but in a digital world where we can skip ahead, it kinda takes away from the traditional raw emotions meant to happen.
The series had phenomenal acting and it's star IU continues to shine throughout. YJG also holds his own with what he's given. It's beautifully shot with every frame seemingly from a movie. The soundtrack is ok. Not as memorable as other dramas have had.
Basically this is Goblin-lite with the roles reversed and the actions reversed. You had 900+ year old Goblin waiting for his bride to take the sword out of his heart and end his existence only to end up, falling in love, dying and staying to eventually see the bride of his life move on without him. Here, you have poor weak and naive Gu, the human hotelier falling in love with someone knowing full well the only way she could truly move on is if she left him and he does whats best for her, sacrificing his happiness for hers, sending his last guest off but the key points in both cases are the memories left behind, both leads didn't want to lose the memories and that to me is the most painful thing.
Being reminded everyday for the rest of your life of what truly made you happy and not being able to re-live it or in this case remember it, was never truly an option for our male leads. So they will continue on, living without the other that made them happy. A love like that goes beyond time and existence. It shines eternally without waver and without valour.
Gu becomes the tiger in the painting, looking at a time now lost but a time remembered.
It's not all roses however, there are flaws. I do think Gu's backstory is notoriously weak, almost Mary Sue like. The late reveal at the finale seems like a cop-out for not having any relation prior. I do think if you were rooting for the second lead, you got cheated tremendously. All that build up for not but even more noticeable was in the last few episodes you didn't really see any kisses, just a lot of lingering hugs.
I interpret the ending as its shown. Gu, never taking the meds continues to live his normal life, outside of Korea. Eventually when he does pass on, he sits at a bench and meets Man Wol again in a brand new life but their actual conversation doesn't necessarily mean they just met. Maybe they're already together in that life so happier ending but sad loves are always more memorable.
The supporting cast also had it's moments as well. They had to have more scenes because we'd get bored of the main couple by the fourth episode. It was very much an ensemble and group effort to make this series enjoyable as it was.
I do think as time goes by, this will be remembered as one of the greats. Up there with BBF, YWCFTS, DOTS and Goblin and rightfully so. Also wouldn't it be something if Kim So Hyun's first manager at the Blue Moon was Jun Ji Hyun... :)
And here I thought the hotel industry was boring.
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