This review may contain spoilers
When you look for drama, romance, thriller, emotion, supernatural , it's the perfect drama circling everything above with a little spiceness of horror. It's IU's drama means it will be one of the best drama . Her acting makes this drama more beautiful. The way she carried all the looks , the way she represented the character Jang Man Weol, it seems like no one can better play that role than her. Yeo Jin Goo also played Ku Chan Seong role very good. The other casts are very good. The OSTs are very touching as there are fourteen OSTs, the story will keep it amusing till the end.Usually I get bored during episode 12-14 as at that period it become boring except the mystery genre, but in this case , I just watch it as fast the drama gets subtitles on the websites.
-- Overall this drama is worth to watch and you will feel that your time has been used in a good way, now stop reading reviews and watch it ! ????
Was this review helpful to you?
My first impression of this drama was that it was beautiful from cinematography to costumes and even the special effects, and for a moment I was scared that this would be just another drama with amazing visual and no story to tell, but I was wrong, although is not the most perfect story it's definitively worth give it a shot.
This drama follows self-centered Jang Man Wol that as a punishment for a revenge that happened many years ago as to serve as a CEO to a peculiar hotel which's its guests are ghosts. Goo Chan Sung his just a normal guy who has his life turned around when he starts to work as a manager in Hotel Del Luna.
Although this drama has romance it's a very slow-burn one, plus this isn't really the main focus of the show in my opinion, I think it's pretty obvious that the show story it's about Man Wol and her growth, her path to be a better person at peace with herself. She is the most developed character with flaws and layers and IU's performance helped to bring this amazing character to life. Because of that Yeo Jin Go's character Goo Chan Sung was completely overshadow, even the good acting couldn’t save this, it was pretty obvious that Goo Chan Sung was only there so Man Wol had a reason to change, I think it was a shame he didn't get a better development . I like slow-burn romances, so I didn't mind the time they took to realize they loved each other.
The side characters had good stories to tell, stories that were worth explore in more depth and not in the last four episodes, I think they could have left some of the other guest stories and focus more in this one's, because for me there resolution felt a bit rush.
This drama main focus and moral of the story per say it's about forgiveness and the act of letting go, Man Wol journey it's about that and even the side character’s arc it's about letting go of the past resentment and move on. The theme of "letting go" and "forgiveness" are very well explored in this drama, and it's pretty obvious by the amount of emphasis they put on it. As the drama put it: it's harder to let go than to hold on.
The romance in this drama was cute and very slow-burn, as someone who loves a good slow-burn romance I didn't mind, plus I really liked that this drama switch rules, making the arrogant CEO with a soft heart a woman.
But, even with its flaws this drama is very entertaining to watch the balance between very dramatic scenes and the comedy it's well done helping this drama to be fun and easy to watch. Yes, this drama will probably make you cry, but it also will make you laugh within the same episode. Also as someone that spent six month without watching any drama, and got a bit used to the american format of 45 min episodes, each time I watch an episode from this drama I felt like I was watching a movie to be honest.
Acting/Cast: It's pretty obvious that IU stole the show for me, her portrayal of Jang Man Wol was almost perfect, the way she portrayed this very complex character and his growth throughout the show was impressive and I couldn’t imagined someone else in this, plus she is really pretty and seeing IU in such nice clothes in every episode was a sight to see. Yeo Jin Goo also did a good job, but the script really failed him, as didn't matter how good of an actor he is, his character was lacking something more memorable, but in the scenes he breaks down emotionally it feels raw and sincere. The supporting cast did a go job complementing the two main characters very well and also provided us with some comic relief and some interesting side-stories.
Cinematography: I don't usually have a separated topic just to talk about this, but this drama cinematography it's top notch and definitively deserves a topic of its own. The special effects were tastefully use and blend perfectly with a scenery around, the camera work and the color use were beautiful and combined with the editing created this drama gorgeous visuals. It's one of the most beautifully shot dramas I've ever watch.
I can't finish my review without talking about the beautiful OST full of very well-known names, this OST isn’t just good music but also the way they were included in the drama helped create beautiful and unforgettable scenes, plus I found new music to enjoy in my way to work.
Will I watch this drama again? Maybe, I really liked the drama and it was very entertaining to watch. Do I recommend it? Yes, if you like fantasy with a bittersweet ending, amazing cinematography and an amazing main character growth. I think this is a show to watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
Regret not watching this sooner!
A mellowy, fun drama. What I loved most was the building romance between IU and Jin Goo. Their acting was very fun to watch. The OSTs are superb!!!!! 100/10 recommend just spending hours just like myself listening to them. A little advice I would say is while watching this one, don't judge the fiction part so much (actually cool but criticized upon) and just this rom-com! What I disliked about this drama I would say is the pacing which seemed a bit fast towards the end, as I would have liked a bit more from the middle portion of the plot and ending as well.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Heartbreaking but so worth it
The story is great, I truly loved it and my emotional being couldn't really handle the end but I'm rewatching it anyways because the heartbreak is worth everything. Everything is just so pretty, the colours scheme/filming, the story, the actors, everything.The producers really did a great job at making this, the scenery and everything was beautiful and already worth watching this. I really loved IU and the character she played, while I was watching I think I slowly fel in love with Jang Man Wol too. The fact that she left the human world at the end broke me but at the same time I also knew she finally found peace.
I loved the side-characters too, they were thought out well and really brought something to the story. It was also nice that they had backstories of their own, that way we really got to know them.
Overall I loved this and I can only recommend you watch this drama!
Was this review helpful to you?
Quite Meaningful KDrama.
One of the best Kdrama I've watched over the years. I know my reviews would be buried into the sea of praises for this show, but i would still like to contribute and give my honest opinion. I've always flamed many kdrama for its poor acting or bad script, however Hotel del luna doesn't lack any of that. The lead role that IU had was executed to perfection, with her amazing acting. The fact that she's a pop star before an actress shows how much talent she has. The plot delves into many topics relating to death, such as vengeance and forgiveness. Each subplot has its uniqueness, while hotel del luna doesn't lose its core theme of relaying the tragic past of man-sole. The chemistry between the leads were fantastic, and even the other actors were great. overall a must see Kdrama for the ages. Praise the Hong sisters again in writing a script i love.Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
Do you want to watch a fashion show ? You'll get it !
This Drama is quite disappointing unless you watch it for the actors, the settings and the costumes.UI is nothing less than a Top model, so beautifully dressed.... I swear you would like to wear every dress, shoes and hats she is in ! You will envy her slim silhouette and beautiful hair styles.
About the story ? Nothing interesting indeed, not even the main love story. I admit that there are some good moments but nothing that will make you think that this drama is a must watch one.
The OST is really good, very sentimental : I loved it.
If you love fashion shows and top models, this drama should make you happy... unless you can't stand ghosts and evil spirits...
You won't miss a lot if you don't watch this drama, every actor was very good though.
Was this review helpful to you?
I thought IU did such a great job acting in this drama and she was so funny. As for Gu Cheon Sang, I can't believe he grew up this fast!! I knew him from playing the young king in Moon Embracing the Sun and now he's over here playing a lead role. He did pretty good too, but I thought his crying scenes were a bit awkward and funny. But it's okay!! He will improve and become better.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
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!!
Was this review helpful to you?
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
Was this review helpful to you?
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.
Was this review helpful to you?
