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A magical show with lots of exciting twists
9/10 is my rating. This is a 2019 South Korean tv drama with 16, 90 minute episodes. Hotel del Luna is a hotel located “in” Seoul. It is not visible to just anyone and undergoes a complete transformation when night falls. Kang Man-wol (Lee Ji-eun) became the “boss” of the hotel when she was transporting some souls of people she killed to the hotel in an effort to make up for her actions. She is unable to find it until she drinks a mysterious liquor which curses her to be the proprietor of this hotel for ghosts. She had run the hotel for over 1,000 years when a human wanders in which is normally a death sentence. However he strikes a deal with her to give her his son 20 years in the future in exchange for his life. Ku Chan-Seong (Yeo Jin-goo), was raised by his father to avoid Man-wol and her employees and even lives outside of South Korea until he deems it safe to return. Avoiding his fate may not be that simple and he soon finds being the hotel‘s new manager may be a job he cannot refuse.Spoiler ? This was written by the Hong Sisters who have written other good dramas like ”Master’s Sun” and ”You are Beautiful“. They definitely know how to tell a good story. It is somewhat reminiscent of ”Goblin“ In that it has a delightful blend of spiritual and magical. It also has magical and ghostly elements like ”Master’s Sun”. I liked all the main characters and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each one and their back story. It was like ”Beauty and the Beast” in the way their relationship was transformative. Both leads were really gorgeous and their chemistry was really amazing. I would have given an even higher score but I’m not one that likes sad endings. It will be sad for some but for others it will not be. A lot depends on your beliefs and your own personal philosophy. If you like paranormal with twists of magic then you will really enjoy this one. I think everyone would enjoy it most of the way through. If you do not expect happily ever after it is easier to understand.
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This review may contain spoilers
Ghost plot wins, Romance barely survives
Pros:Individually, FL & ML are on point
costume
make up
sets/props/decor
lively ensemble
Cons:
Together, FL & ML do not generate any feeeelllllssssss aka lack of sparks between the leads
Terrible second lead syndrome with the FireFlyGuy
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
Both ML & FL are good actors with their own charms and characteristics, yet i failed to feel their sparks :(
Both actors brought their A game, yet their romance was still born.
This may be due to the writing or the directing - which seemed to be more invested on delivering the mystery/resolving ghosts' grudges plotline than on the romance.
As a result of this, JangManWol (needing to resolve her own hefty grudges in order to cross the bridge) have more sparks with the FireFlyGuy aka Go Chung-myung rather than the human Go Chan-Sung.
Halfway through the series, I was more invested in watching JMW with GCM scenes (Oh, the angst when he was getting married!) rather than the impending separation of JMW with GCS.
Watch this if you are a fan of ghosts' story line (which this drama totally delivered 10/10) and amazzziinngg dresses/make up on JMW.
Skip if you are looking for thrilling sparks of romance - interlaced with ghost stories.
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Yeo Jin Goe should've done better.
It was really good, gave me some goblin vibes. That one person who said it Will have goblin-type ending was right! heheOST
It was okay, but i didn't really Pay attention, it wasn't ear catching.
ACTING
Maybe because i watched all dramas IU has been in that i love her so much, but she was wonderful! Her cold-hot, bratty attitude was refreshing and not annoying! Yeo Jin-goo was fine, didn't partculary stand out sadly. He was main lead but was lacking in comparison of Lee do-hyun (past lover). Lee do-hyun and IU had such good chemistry i felt sad he wasn't main lead. Personally i didnt feel anything from him, and it seemed that if he was crying or sad, i'd feel more émotion towards Sanchez than him! Even tho he is main lead!!! Everyone praised him, but personally he was the only one lacking hère. Other actors who played side characters (Mira, P.O, Yoona, Sanchez etc....) were also gréât. They weren't lacking at all, and for side characters They did a fantastical job portraying their own charisma.
PLOT
It was refreshing to see it, a girl being stuck in Life forever, hosting a hôtel for dead. Pretty unique for me, and characters were unique themselves. They all had a part in the story and weren't there just to be there. They had history which is nice! Altho there were a few cliches that i hated, it was a drama where nobody was stupid enough to let a misunderstanding drag on and have a huge impact. I loved how writers didn't pull out a wild card at the end that something magical happenes and everyone is happy! I teared up réal hard at the end, but loved the cameo of someone spécial, it created a perfect opprotunity for a second season which i hope happens. The plot was nicely written with minor plot holes, overall it wasn't the best drama out there, but for a reason its hyped and loved so much....
BUT
The ML was actually very shallow. Now that i reflect on this drama, i dont like him any bit. The actor wasn't boring per say, because that is his character. He has a personality? Where? If you told me that he was a male lead i wouldn't have believed without watching all of it, since he seems too...boring. Was he only there to drive Man Wol plot or was he suppose to have a purpose? Heck Man Wol, who wasn't suppose to be expressive emotion Wise, was more than him. Which is terrible! The only reason i would watch this again would be because IU really performed well.
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First It was WoooowThen great
Then just OK
with a failure FL with dead face expression and stupid ending for me
AS USUAL THE END ??♀️
The writer made them all apart
He could make mi na go with p.o because she is already a ghost
And I saw it was so unfair for do hyun the fl's ex
And simply the writer could compensated the FL By making her choose to be back to the ML after living all these years suffering
But NOOOO
THEY should make stupid open ending which was really annoying
left us with a ML wishing he will be gathered with her oneday
And I don't know why?
I like and dislike at the same time
And the last 3 eps. Weren't necessary
The drama was full of many unnecessary side story and they dropped the main past one
They just came through it quickly and you should figure out what happened by yourself
And I think it was going to be a spectacular drama if they focused more on the past and present story
And a little bit side stories
But this was stupidity
And the romance was lukewarm
So I can't figure out whether I liked or not
But think not
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This Drama is Overrated
This review will be short.I liked the cinematography...really beautiful
The 2 OSTs by PUNCH were incredible
The cameo at the end - damn fantastic
Jung Mal Wol was quirky and not your typical FL - that was interesting to watch
That's it for me.
Even the great acting by the 2 leads could not save a lackluster plot. This drama is totally overrated.
The episodes were soooo long and they dragged and dragged. I just hate the fact that I can't not finish a drama once I am a few episodes in. That and my respect for IU as an actress were the only reasons I made it to the end.
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Pleasantly Amazing
Before watching HDL, I thought it wasn't going to be my "cup of tea". However, I was wrong, I was very wrong. HDL was amazing, fantastic, superb, wonderful in all the right bits and places. The first one or two episodes were a little slow, however, this is nothing new to me, as many Korean dramas seem that way, that's natural! But by the fifth or sixth episode, oh my gosh, I was so hooked! I loved every single character, the chemistry between the cast was phenomenal, and the storyline somehow had just the right amount of everything.I'm not usually much of a fantasy-enthusiast but HDL may have drastically changed my opinion on the genre altogether and has made me become more aware of how great a fantasy drama can truly be.
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Very underwhelmed by the story but FL is the only one that saves the show.
I love Man-wol but I think there is just too much talking about the past without showing us what happened in the past. There’s a lot of talking and less doing. The ghost of the day and the killer seems like a distraction/filler from the main story. There is like 2 episodes between midway and ending which was good but other than that, everything was slow.A little predictable which is expected from Korean dramas. There is so much budget in the production but I can tell that there is a lot of CGI. It is really hard for me to immerse myself into that world since everything seems so fake.
There isn’t enough chemistry between the leads. The male lead seems too stiff and one dimensional. I would have enjoyed it a lot more if they have chosen another male lead.
I feel so much more for the second lead that waited for 1000 years by her side, loving her. He risked his life, his pride just to save her. And even waiting 1000 years, he is willing to be happy for her falling in love with someone that is not him.
OST is amazing!! It just captures the right emotions at the right moment. Directing is amazing as well.
I'm just a bit underwhelmed with the ending and the whole show. Everything was slow but the only saving grace is Man Wol.
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The OST is simply amazing, almost as good as The Goblin. Two of the songs which I really liked are Yang Da Il's Only you and Heize's "Can You See My Heart(내 맘을 볼수 있나요)" . Many of the songs gave the drama very dreamy feel, further reminding the viewers that this is just a drama and can never happen in real life, hence, there is no need to keep our logic and rational, just go with the flow of the drama.
I love the main actress, Lee Ji-eun (as Jang Man-wol). She is so pretty in this drama! Of course Yeo Jin-goo ( Koo Chan-sung) is quite cute too, but I think Ji-eun kind of steals the spot light here. Her character is much more difficult to play as it spreads over several hundred years. In the fighting / combating scenes, she was quite good.
The plot is quite interesting , many strange things, not conventional and quite entertaining.
Would recommend to watch .
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Personally I don't like the one ghost/case/patient per episode type of dramas but I really liked this one.
The main story is very interesting and the main roles' stories are very creative and fun to watch.. But they didn't focus on that as much as they focused on the ghost of the episode story so that was a little disappointing.
The ghost stories were good too don't get me wrong but the main stories had more potential to have made this drama a perfect one.
Other than that, everything else was really great.
The acting was amazing. I've never watched the male or the female leads before (I've heard of them though) so I'm not biased at all.. Both of them did a great job. Actually all of the cast did (In the present and the past). The acting in this drama was one of the best I've ever seen.. Everyone was made for their part.
A must mention: IU "ate" her role. I can't think of other words to describe it. The first time I saw her I thought aww she's too cute to play this part but as I continued the drama I became convinced that no one was going to be able to do it better than her.
The music was pretty good too.. 2 songs are definitely going into my playlist because I can't get enough of them. And the background music was funny and new I liked it a lot.
If you don't mind the one story per episode type of dramas this is perfect for you.
And even if you're like me I think you'd find it pretty decent to watch too so give it a try.
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All Things Must Pass
There is one constant in the universe: Everything changes. Nothing stays the same. All “Goodbyes” are temporary. Shakespeare may have said it best: All the world’s a stage and all the men and women are merely players. They each have many entrances and exits, and one man in his time plays many parts.Hotel Del Luna is an extraordinary series about the high price of holding onto grievances, unfinished business, resentments, guilt, and grudges. They create a heavy burden; a weight that must be released. The pivotal theme of this series is “letting go.” Surrender may be one of the most fearful things you’ll ever do, and yet, it’s also so incredibly simple. The fear of letting go is that we lose that which we most care about. The irony of letting go is the realization that we never lost anything to begin with! It’s always been there and always will be.
Hotel Del Luna is a hotel for the dead; the dead who aren’t quite ready to move on due to the reasons listed above. It becomes a bit of a staging area, and the irony is that the guest determines how long their stay will be based on when they are willing to let go of the past. Such is the power of forgiveness. There is only ever one person you need to forgive: yourself. Let go.
Jang Man Wol is the illustrious owner of the Hotel Del Luna. She’s been the owner for 1300 years. What binds her to the hotel is her own deep-seeded hatred and grudges from the past. Rather than face and deal with those things, she chooses distractions (like most people in life do!). She is a woman of opulence who is always looking for something to buy, whether it be expensive cars, clothes, jewelry, or even just money itself. She’s a bit of a con artist who is able to trade various services with her guests for monetary payments. She’s selfish, greedy, and someone who cares little for anyone’s happiness except for her own self-indulgence.
Enter Goo Chan Sung, a young hotelier who has been recruited by Jang Man Wol to be the new “human” manager. Of course, he’s initially reluctant, but he quickly sees the value in the hotel. And more importantly, he helps Jang Man Wol to treat people with respect as well as give her a glimmer into a life she could have if she were able to simply let go of her anger and hatred. Goo Chan Sung represents all that is decent and ethical in people. He chastises Jang Man Wol for her greed and treating guests little more than bank accounts, and he’s never afraid to do so. He speaks his mind, no matter how much the honesty might upset Jang Man Wol. What starts out as a very rocky business relationship, soon turns into one of both necessity and love.
Of course, nothing is quite as it seems, which is indicative of some of the best K-Dramas. We get to know the staff and how each of them has a past that must be faced and let go. They are all likeable, but one can see that there’s something sad about each of them. And why wouldn’t there be? There are fewer things sadder than a soul who is determined to remain earthbound because they are unable to let go of their attachments and their past.
Jang Man Wol is unique in that she is neither living nor dead. It’s as if she has a foot in both worlds. And with that, she has special abilities that help her deal with some of the nastier spirits and protect Goo Chan Sung as well, since he is human and has no true defenses against the dead.
One of my favorite characters is Ma Go Shin, who is a deity who represents the various aspects of the Divine. Some are somewhat cold and methodical. Others are gay and delightful. Each one shows up when it’s most necessary. While she imparts wisdom, she also understands that even she cannot interfere in the freedom of choice. Each soul must make his/her own choices with the understanding that there are always consequences. Seo Yi Sook did a masterful job with these “multiple” roles!
The visuals and cinematography are astounding in this series with vibrant, crisp colors that seem almost ethereal and other-worldly. Hotel Del Luna looms into the sky like a monstrous Taj Mahal that endeavors to touch the sky. And yet, these visuals do not detract in any way from the story or characters. As with so many well-made K-Dramas, the plot and characters are never sacrificed for spectacle.
There are many hilarious moments as well as many tearful and heart wrenching ones. Koreans are masters of never revealing everything all at once. This enables them to go back and fill in the missing pieces that make the story work. This is often done at the perspective of the character or characters which explains their behavior until they’re given “the whole picture.” In short, nothing is ever as it seems! And this keeps the viewer on their toes!
If I have one minor complaint about the series, it’s the chemistry—or lack of it—from IU and Yeo Jin Goo. There’s warmth and respect there, but it rarely strays into love or romance. You just don’t quite feel it from these two. I understand that IU is trying to depict Jang Man Wol is a cold, selfish woman, but chemistry is absolutely vital to this kind of a story. As many actors have stated: you either have chemistry or you don’t. It’s nearly impossible to manufacture. We see tears and a lot of emotion, but I was waiting to feel that angst; that despair of a love that must be let go. However, as I said, this is a minor issue that, fortunately, never really distracts or takes away from the story. It simply would have served the series better if the two leads had had some kind of chemistry which is why it's imperative that casting directors do their due diligence.
“Missing: The Other Side” is still my favorite “after life” series from Korea. This one’s pretty close. It starts at a slow burn and gradually starts moving. This isn’t a bad thing though as there is ample time to understand and get to know this intriguing, mystical world.
The series’ strength lies in its thematic elements of letting go of the past and releasing those resentments and grudges. I’m not sure many people understand or fully realize how important this is. Life is a process of letting go. If you dare to hold onto anything, it’s a lost cause because it’s ultimately doomed to failure which brings nothing but heartache and resentment. Knowing that all things pass away is a blessing. Why? Because nothing is lost, and you will eventually share “the stage” once more with those who have always been there but are simply playing a different role with a different face. How do you know this? Because they are with you now.
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