This review may contain spoilers
IU’s Best Performance So Far!
I definitely watched this series for IU, and I didn’t expect her to portray someone as cold and cruel as Jang Man Wol. She does an amazing job with this character. The storyline itself is quite unique, with her being the owner of Hotel Del Luna—a place where souls linger before moving on to the afterlife. The idea of allowing them to experience what they couldn’t while alive is such a brilliant concept by the writer.I loved how layered and tragic Jang Man Wol’s character is. Her past, full of sorrow and bad choices, ultimately leads to her being cursed and trapped in the hotel. IU’s performance as this character was something I didn’t expect to like so much, especially since I’ve only seen her in lighter dramas, except for My Mister, which was more serious.
As for Goo Chan Sung, the male lead, I wasn’t immediately drawn to his character. He comes from a poor background, but I didn’t find him particularly interesting at first. I initially thought he might be the reincarnation of Go Chung Myung, but I was surprised to learn he’s a different character. That could’ve been an interesting twist, but I understand why the writer chose not to go that route, as it would have been too cliché. Despite finding his character a bit dull, I recognize that he’s a good actor.
The chemistry between IU and Yeo Jin Go is there, but it didn’t quite resonate with me. It would’ve been more intriguing if Chung Myung had been the lead, given their 1,000-year-old love-hate history. I knew Chan Sung met Man Wol in a past life, but it felt a bit forced, like the writers were trying too hard to make it feel like fate. Still, overall, the series was good and definitely worth rewatching.
I enjoyed the mix of heavy drama with comedy, and the music was fantastic. My favorite tracks are Taeyeon’s "All About You" and Punch’s "Done For Me."
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potential wasted
what I like about this series:1. IU and Lee DoHyun: IU is as good and as beautiful as she has always been, no complaints there. my first time watching LDH and man, he blew me off the park! the acting and the chemistry with IU was off the chart. his storyline was so good, it doomed the ML’s look/acting/storyline/chemistry (or lack there of with IU).
2. Their past (love story): so tragic, and it’s basically the main arc for the drama lol. there is not even 1 but I dislike, except for maybe the ending. if there will be a future drama with these two, or a drama continue after these 2 reincarnate, I’ll be watching!
3. the music is very very good
4. the theme/premise is excellent!
what I dislike about this drama:
1. the ML: initially, I was fine with him. I like him, I was onboard with their love story. then come the train that called LDH, and man, it kicked the ML out of the park so hard, I couldn’t get back lol. by the end of it, I don’t see the chemistry anymore, and I couldn’t careless about the two leads any more 😒
2. it feels shallow! with a story like that, with what it could have been, it ended in a way that made you question the whole series. what’s the point? what do you get from it? no clear message, nada. just like how FL left the ML hanging (even though he understood the meaning n so it’s not technically hanging), the show left audience hanging 😩
3. it likes they have a great story, but in the name of “surprise!”, they went the unconventional way (making the ML not the reincarnation/has no link to LDH’s character), so while it makes the past love story super tragic (big selling point), it pushes the new love into the shadow (nothing to grip the audience with). so the result is meh! you can’t feel the leads ending 🙄
Do I recommend this series? yes! because the love story because IU and LDH is just so good to watch, missing that is a great lost to any drama watchers! but because of the negatives I listed, this series is only a sad 8 from me 😩 (I would love to give it a 9 or 10, but the flaws were toooooo big!)
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Beautiful to watch
This is a beautiful show to watch. Beautiful cast, beautiful set, beautifully filmed, etc. I was impressed by IU's progression throughout the show. I really hated her at the beginning (as I was supposed to), but her character really progressed and you could really see her pain and her vulnerability. Yeo Jin Goo was very good at the reluctant hotel manager. There was a sweet romance, but this spoke more to me about resolving issues in our lives, and the fact that family doesn't have to be nuclear. The hotel staff had their own lovely family.I thought the special effects were very good and added to the enjoyment of the show.
The costuming of IU was the standout for me. Her clothes and her jewelry were always so stunning and classy. I've watched some other K-dramas recently and have compared the feeling of the clothes/cinematography to Hotel Del Luna. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!
Add the cameo appearances of Lee Joon Gi and Kim Soo Hyun - bonus!
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A Must Watch of 2019
Before Hotel Del Luna can be called a "romance", it is first and foremost a drama about existing. HDL tells stories of our hotel guests' plight towards their own ends while shining a light on social issues, our faith, humanity, and humanity's inability to concretely define right from wrong.The central core to HDL is our anti-heroine President Jang Man Wol, owner of HDL. She is as much the owner of this seemingly grand hotel for ghosts as she is an equally trapped prisoner of her own memory.
I enjoyed how the ghost's stories unravelling in each episode somehow tied to JMW's storyline, and what she learns each incidence propels her towards a new choice in her own life.
IU is evidently the star of the show as the script focuses ENTIRELY on building her character and oh boy... she does not disappoint. IU delivered a beyond stellar performance. Her styling, layered facial expressions, tone of voice... I could write an entire essay about how delicately complicated her portrayal of JMW was, I digress, she is genius here. She also opened up an instagram account for JMW as an interactive way to connect with viewers. It was fun seeing her insta posts align with what was happening in the drama each week.
I LOVED Goo Chan Sung and JMW's chemistry. Their actions and words are vital in their relationship and so powerful to them. This drama won't be for you if you're looking for a giddy, sizzling, or somewhat cheesy romance. The writers paid attention not to conform to predictable romantic tropes and antics. Their relationship is much more mature, rooted in real compassion for each other as humans.
The drama has no plot holes, isn't draggy either but well-paced for its theme of forgiveness and proper farewells. I felt so at peace with how this drama ended.
I highly recommend this drama if you like stories about human life, forgiveness, revenge and redemption with a supernatural element. The cinematography, CG, acting, and OSTs are perfection. HDL is a very touching story and a treasure in execution.
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This review may contain spoilers
Have you ever heard of a hotel that has guests as customers? That's not really common. Hotel del Luna is about a hotel that serves ghosts- yes you heard it right. It's more than just the ghosts though. There are also life lessons. Overall: the aesthetics, the outfits especially Jang Manweol's outfits are amazing. The OSTs are really good as well as the actors. This is a great watch if you're looking for something new and unique. This drama lets you feel many emotions and you will be surely surprised along the way. This is definitely a drama worth watching.
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manwol is the only interesting character
The cast list & the guest roles were amazing and acting was superb & despite being one of the most hyped dramas it was so underwhelming , i couldn't bother to watch the side stories (which takes up a lot of the episodes) lol i skipped almost all of it bc it was super unnecessary. ghost hunting and all sheesh who's got the time!romance between manwol & chansung were Meh , manwol's characteristics was too strong for her to end up with chansung tbh they could've made him someone of her level (of characteristics) because he was so boring to me .. romance seems forced tbh don't really feel it there.
how they resolved manwol's grudge? what the hell was that 3 minutes of standing & looking at eachother? she held on to that grudge for 1300 years just for it to end like that? lol they could've at LEAST made it more dramatic. even the side characters have longer stories on how they resolve their grudges!
overall the best part of this drama is manwol (and her outfits) & the most interesting part is her past with cheongmyung & yeonu . i would've definitely rated this drama higher if they focused more on that. lee dohyun did an amazing job in portraying his character despite being a rookie at that time omg loved it so much. their story was the only one that made me cry lol
i contemplated a lot on whether to drop this drama or not but i didn't because i wanted to see how it all ends but ???? so so underwhelming. could've been so much better
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The cinematography in this drama is just marvelous, the cast is perfect and the soundtrack is really beautiful and it's played in the right moments, letting you feel every emotion when it's needed. The flashbacks in this drama are so beautifully made, too, they did an amazing job transporting you to the character's memories.
This is THE drama. It's THAT drama you won't ever forget, and personally I will definitely watch it again someday whenever I feel like I can listen to it's OST again without crying, lol.
Let me say the characters are unique. Even though the most developed character is Man Wol (since she's the main character) we get to see a little about every other people staying and working in Hotel Del Luna and their stories are unique too. The plot is really different from what we've seen related to ghosts and I really appreciated that, since every episode you'll learn something new about Hotel Del Luna and its guests, and how the world of the dead works. This is a really interesting drama and deserves a watch.
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This review may contain spoilers
Brilliantly written, memorable characters
There is love in this drama, but not exactly the fluffy kind. The main attractions are the brilliantly written characters, most especially Man Weol, one of the most adorably imperfect creations in all of kdramaland, perfectly portrayed by IU. Ku Chan Song at first feels too perfect to be almost flat (and you will undoubtedly get a bad case of second-lead syndrome somewhere in the middle), but in the end you realize he is not really perfect but rather strong, and stable, and solid, exactly in the way Man Weol needs.The tone, the mood, the way the story unfurls are all pitch-perfect -- just that right blend of dark and light, eeriness and warmth. Hotel del Luna feels both spooky -- a goth princess's daydream -- and a warm rest stop for lonely wandering souls, both in the drama and IRL.
My one complaint would be the totally unnecessary childhood/past life connection they had to add as the final twist in the end. The story would have been perfectly fine without it, IMO. All in all though, this is a sold drama, one of the best-written ones in a long while.
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A Fantasy Drama with Impressive Story and Cinematography
It is very evident from episode one that this is a Lee Ji Eun drama. As I mentioned earlier, I have never seen her previous dramas. But during the first few minutes of Hotel Del Luna, I was captivated by how she portrayed the moody, greedy, and funny Jang Man Wol. I found myself laughing whenever she tries out food or jewelries, or when trying to justify her reasons for getting a new car. It made me look forward to seeing the other dramas she starred in. A few singers and idols have been dabbling into acting recently, some have transitioned from being an idol to an actress and has gained massive popularity for their immense skills. Take note of Kim Yu Jin or Uie, a former idol and member of the group After School. The dramas she starred in always end with high ratings and has earned her numerous accolades. Like Uie, Ji Eun is also a singer and a talented songwriter known by her stage name IU. Hotel Del Luna has cemented her as a skilled actress.I know people might call me an ancient or old-fashioned, but this is my first time to see a Korean drama with an impressive cinematography and use of CG effects. Is this the new trend in K-Dramas? I was actually looking forward to seeing one in the upcoming series ‘SF8’, but watching Hotel Del Luna had set my expectations higher. The stunning cinematography really compliments the dark/fantasy genre of the drama, even the colors were well-chosen, from hotel’s walls to Man Wol’s garish clothing.
Overall, Hotel Del Luna is South Korea’s most popular drama of 2019 and it’s a no-brainer. It is a drama that breaks away from the typical romantic comedy genres which in my opinion has saturated the Korean drama industry. A drama that deals with death and the unseen world, it also deals with justice, healing and forgiving which are good values. For me shows that one who have been wronged will always get the justice he deserves. But sometimes in order to achieve justice, one should let go of all his grudges and learn to forgive so he can be fully healed and be free. Overall, it’s a must-see drama with great story, great visuals, and great cast.
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This drama is incredibly overhyped and not worth your time
The first few seconds of the first episode were intriguing but as the storyline progressed you could see how the drams gradually got boring and wasn’t as strong as how it started off i wouldn’t recommend i dropped it on the second episode the only good thing about this drama was IU outfits other than that everything was terrible and boring i expected more from this drama especially with all the hype that was behind it also i think this drama should’ve been 12 episodes max 16 episodes was a big stretch for the garbage of a showWas this review helpful to you?
However, Hotel Del Luna is different.
It's not only romance but also comedy between the two lovers. At first, I expected the scenes would be so long and was ready to skip them. BUT! As soon as I had a thought about it, they put the twist. Rather than putting kissing scenes, they made some jokes in those scenes and thus became comedy.
The story itself represents so many real-life and social problems. They did well in criticizing modern social life.
I've watched 3 latest IU's dramas and her character + acting are so gooooo0000d.
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This review may contain spoilers
Such a beautiful show
Okay so I’ve come here to write this before I finish the last episode(don’t know why it took me so long to watch this as it’s got a very high rating) because I ain’t mentally prepared for the inevitable to happen the scene of man wol leaving with koo Chang sun seeing her off so I just want to talk about how amazing this show isStory:
The story and concept to me is great as I’m relatively new to k-dramas I don’t know if it’s a played out concept or original but I love it, the idea there is something after death is a beautiful thing and I feel like a lot of people that watch this can find comfort even know it is fantasy in watching this.It is a very emotional show usually I’m not really getting watery eyed until the end but with this because every episode there is a different story of someone that has passed it started from the beginning the stories In particular I shed a few tears at was the couple the were going to get married and go to the afterlife together, the doctor and his wife trying to prolong there sons life by giving them there lifeline,Sanchez losing his girlfriend Veronica was very emotional too.I also enjoyed how the story of man wols past it intertwined throughout the whole show with yeon u and the general.The whole way through the show they have eluded that man wol will have to go and I’ve known this but I’m not ready for it it’s going to be heartbreaking.
Cast/characters
Main star of the show is 100% IU-man wol she’s hilarious and sweet and a more forward confident sort of female lead which is definitely how i prefer female leads in k dramas in the majority of the shows there shy with there emotions,beat around the bush too much or are just awkward with people they clearly like not with man wol she knows what she wants she’s self confident,stubborn and expresses her feelings full on similar examples of this in shows I think are great are go moon young from it’s okay not to be okay and shin Hye sun from angel:last mission love.
Koo Chang sun is great too his chemistry with man wol made laugh a lot of the time and there great together.
All of the hotel staff are great too the bell boy in particular I liked.
In conclusion I loved pretty much everything about this drama only thing I wish would change is probably man wol and Chang sun being together at the end but the story is about death and the afterlife so I suppose it would undermine the whole theme of the show
Watch it if you haven’t already you will enjoy it!
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