Translate

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Hotel Del Luna


Episodes: 16
Synopsis: 
Hotel Del Luna is a fancy hotel located in Myeongdong, Seoul. However, despite being open, no guests seem to reside there. This is because all of their clients are ghosts. In fact, Hotel Del Luna acts as a resting stop for ghosts before they move on to the afterlife. Jang Man Wol is the CEO of the hotel, and she is tethered to Hotel Del Luna and forced to cater to the dead due to a huge sin she committed a millennium ago when she was still human. Her grudge toward those who harmed her then and her bitterness toward life force her to live a life tied to the hotel. With the help of the deities, Jang Man Wol meets Gu Chan Sung's father and makes a deal with him. He is allowed to safely return home to his son but his child would have to come work for her after 20 years. This child, Gu Chan Sung, grew up to be a righteous, sincere young man who works as a hotelier. He comes back to South Korea after his father's death to be an assistant manager at a well-known hotel corporation, only to find Jang Man Wol is awaiting his arrival to come work as the manager of Hotel Del Luna. As Gu Chan Sung gets used to the strange line of work he is engaged in, he also teaches Jang Man Wol to do more good for those who have passed away and to also face her fears and grudges. 

Review: 
        I loved this drama so much! This is by far one of my top favorite dramas that I watched in 2019. This drama reminded me of Goblin in many ways as it deals with the same questions of what life is like after death, the same concept of a character tethered to the mortal world for thousands of years due to a grudge/sin, and the ways in which we can learn how to let go and find peace in ourselves. I also cried so much at the ending (so much more than I expected to).

Some things I liked:
- IU's acting as Jang Man Wol was so impressive. She was sassy, emotional, deeply sad, cold, hilarious, serious, etc all at once. I was very pleased with the wide range and depth she provided with this role. I have also read many reports that she enjoyed this drama a lot more than some previous drama roles she had.
- I think Yeo Jin Goo is great at recognizing how much he needs to act and how he has to act. In fact, his crying scenes really hit differently. It's crazy how I watched him when he was a child actor in dramas like "Iljimae" and "The Moon Embraces the Sun" to him now acting in mature lead roles as such.
- The ghost stories were very entertaining to watch as each told a story. It definitely feels less scary when you have Jang Man Wol explaining things or assisting along the way. I definitely was more invested in the three main ghosts that worked at Hotel Del Luna. Most of my tears were for them.
- I do question how Gu Chan Sung resumed normal life after Jang Man Wol. I know he is a mature, reasonable, and strong-willed character in this drama. But it seems close to impossible to move on from a connection he shared with Jang Man Wol.
- I feel like Jang Man Wol and Gu Chan Sung had great chemistry as friends but it did feel a bit awkward when they turned romantic. I can't quite put my finger on it...but their chemistry and compatibility were amazing in scenes when they're engaged in deep conversation or are joking together.
- I loved the ways in which it showed different soulmate connections and also the ill-fated ones. I loved the way it depicted life, death, and so forth. It was very comforting.
- Cried so much during the last two episodes

No comments:

Post a Comment

FEEL FREE TO COMMENT AND GIVE SUGGESTIONS~^^