Visually stunning, impeccable storyline and beautiful drama
Hotel del Luna was such a refreshing drama for me. I haven't seen many fantasy dramas but the plot of this one really got me interested. Besides the plot, the trailer itself was intriguing and visually stunning as well which is what led me to watch this drama. It definitely lives up to the hype and even exceeded my expectations of the fantasy drama genre.WHAT I LIKED:
Plot/Storyline: I loved the main storyline of this drama and how it was written and portrayed throughout the episodes. The story was like I said very intriguing as you only get snippets of the main plot line which kept me guessing and curious for most of the episodes. Besides the main character (Man-Wol's) story, there were also little storylines on most of the episodes that featured the ghost guests and the supporting casts. I found these little stories beautifully written and meticulously intertwined with the main story. For most of the little storylines and of course the main plot, there were also lessons to be learned which the writer effortlessly taught the viewers.
Cinematography & Editing: Hotel del Luna is no doubt the most visually stunning drama I have watched to date. The visual effects, the camera work/angles, the stunning sets and locations and of course Man-Wol's unrivalled wardrobe all made for such an exquisite looking drama. We have to give it up to the make-up, wardrobe and editing team especially. The way they've edited and made the ghosts look, really made this drama even more fantasy-like and out of this world.
OSTs: The Original Soundtrack was just absolutely perfect in this drama. So many wonderful songs from K Drama OST legends like Punch, Heize, 10CM and more. Every time the songs came on during certain scenes, it just tugged at your heart even more. Some scenes towards the end were really heightened by the OSTs and definitely made them 10x more emotional which is exactly what an OST should do. Aside from the OSTs, the different sound effects were also very very well done in a lot of scenes. They added so much to the scenes like the comedy ones, the high tension ones and of course the scary scenes. Whoever did them deserves an applause for sure.
Acting & Characters: Ok, I'm most definitely late to the IU party but better late than never, right? I can now definitely see why IU gets so much love. Her acting is just so sensational and she makes it look so effortless too. It's just amazing how she showed so many sides of her acting/emotions in this drama from being serious, scary, comedic and of course all the heartfelt emotional acting too.
Of course, our lead guy Yeo Jin Goo is absolutely magnificent as well. It's hard to believe that he is only in his early twenties as his acting skills and career can rival many actors that are older than him. My favourite scene in this drama was a solo scene by Jin Goo at a bus stop. It was an emotional scene that tugged at my heart. This particular scene was so well done and so gut-wrenching and almost hard to watch because of how emotional it was. Jin Goo's performance in this particular scene was so so good that I won't be forgetting it for a while. Alongside his emotional scenes, there were his funny and scary scenes which were just so entertaining and great to watch too. The chemistry between the two main actors was just perfect and both of them really complimented each others acting.
I have to mention the supporting actors as well, they did such a great job with their own storylines too. They not only complimented the main characters but shined on their own as well. The casting director did a really splendid job with this drama.
WHAT I DISLIKED:
There's not much to dislike about this drama. The only things I probably didn't like is:
1.) 2nd lead guy/first love's story that sometimes outshined Chan-Sung/Jin Goo's love story with Man-Wol. I understand from the plot line why it's important and why it was written and portrayed the way it did but during the climax of the story it almost made me root for them more than Chan-Sung and Man-Wol, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But it just took away some of that highlight between the 2 main characters towards the end.
2.) Personally, I am a sucker for a good happy ending, that's just my personal preference. I totally understand why the ending happened the way it did. It was very important to the story line and it was something that had already been mentioned throughout the episodes leading to the ending but as I said, I am a 'they lived happily ever after' kinda person so that's what I would've hoped for. Although saying that, the last scenes were still beautiful and happy which I appreciate from the writers.
WOULD I RECOMMEND:
Absolutely, 100%. If you're into fantasy, romance, comedy or just want something different from the norm of KDramas, then this one is definitely one to watch. There's just so many good things about this drama that it would be amiss not to watch it.
WOULD I REWATCH:
Probably but not straight away. I feel like I could re-watch this drama after a few months/a year after finishing it as it will be a nice refreshing drama to watch compared to other KDramas I normally watch (romance/melodaramas/love triangles, etc). Plus I'd re-watch this just to see Man-Wol's incredible wardrobe again and gawk at the visuals of the whole drama.
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This review may contain spoilers
A beautiful, original and profound drama about forgiveness.OK, I have a lot of words to say about this drama. But honestly your best choice is not to waste anymore time on reviews and just go watch it. I can’t possibly do it justice so just trust me when I say, it’s incredible and there’s no better use of your time. Go now!
The cinematography, soundtrack, screenplay and the handling of product placements are all fantastic. Then there’s IU, who has long been my favorite Kdrama actor. She’s always fabulous, with a dark intelligence that suggests hidden depths and an astonishing range. She chooses her roles well, but this is the part she was born to play - a complicated, twisted but charming supernatural who has the self awareness to see her situation clearly but lacks the humility to get herself out.
Astonishingly, the storyline bears no resemblance to a classic kdrama. There’s no male CEO, no stalker second female lead, or even a second male or female at all. It starts in the Josean era but rather than the usual “our story ended badly then but we’ll fix it this time around” it’s all a continuation. And then there’s this crazy plot structure where a seemingly minor character is actually the emotional heart of the story. And, it’s thematically consistent, with all the stories layering and adding clarity to the theme.
I used the word “profound” earlier and that’s a word I don’t think has ever occurred to me to apply to a kdrama, but damn if I didn’t learn something important from this one. In fact, I consider an alternate title for this drama could be “Forgiveness, You’re Doing It Wrong.”
OK, so now I’m going to go into literary analysis mode and talk about the story and the themes. I’ll try to do it without revealing any plot points but if you don’t want to know what the themes are -just go watch it now and avoid my boring rehash! (Seriously-go now!)
The first thing that needs to be said is, this is a thoroughly Buddhist storyline. And by that I don’t just mean in it’s use of traditional Korean cosmology (the goddess Mago, the grim reapers and other gods). The central message of Buddhism is that attachment is the root of all suffering and the premise of this drama - a hotel where the dead go to work through their attachments so they can pass peacefully to the next world is the perfect set up to explore all the myriad attachments that keep us humans stuck even when we know we need to let go. As they say multiple times in the drama, “it takes more strength to let go than to hold on.”
While the drama does take the time to explore other kinds of attachments, the main character’s story is about grudge holding and the inability to forgive. Ostensibly she’s waiting around to find the person who wronged her so she can destroy them and thus destroy herself. But, as she herself recognizes, “It’s not them that you hate. It’s yourself you loathe for not having been able to protect what matters most to you.”
Which brings me to what I think of as the “iceberg character.” There’s a seemingly minor character with very little screen time (the 10% of the iceberg you can see) whose story, when fully revealed, is the heartbreaking emotional center of the drama (the 90% you can’t see). At the end of episode 14, when you find yourself wrung out and damp beside an empty box of Kleenex, you’ll know you’ve hit it. Because the theme of this drama isn’t just that we need to forgive ourselves so we can let go and stop suffering, it’s that we need to forgive ourselves because we are at our most cruel and implacable when we’re projecting our self hate outwards onto others. Even though it isn’t really about them, the harm we cause is real.
And once again, I’m blown away by the psychological astuteness of kdrama writers. There’s one scene (slight spoiler ahead-sorry I can’t resist) where she takes the version of herself from the time of her trauma, the version of herself she most hates, (We see a heart broken young woman overwhelmed by circumstance, but we know she sees her as hatefully foolish and weak.) and turns her into a curse. It’s only when this cursed self is returned to her and she accepts it that she can begin to forgive This is literally the most perfect (and accurate) depiction of what traumatized people do with their memories and of what they have to do to heal.
And last of all, I want to say, I don’t watch dramas looking for the profound and life changing either, I’m looking for fun and entertainment. And this drama is a blast. Even though I was bawling all through episode 14, this isn’t the kind of devastating drama that’s practically a trauma to watch. (“the Smile Has Left Your Eyes”, I’m looking at you.) In fact, I turned right around and watched it again because it’s a perfect blend of fun, funny and deep.
Why are you still reading this? Go watch it now!
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⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Her outfits. *chef’s kiss*That’s it.
That’s the review.
…
Just kidding. :)
Second time watching it. Worth rewatching. One of my top kdramas ever.
And I love the drama. I love IU. <3
I love how there were some thriller scenes with the ghosts, I’m usually not a fan of that but it was good to show the scary side of ghosts and the story. The story was well thought out.
OMG. LEE DOHYUN. YEEESSSS. I LOVE HIM.
I NEED ANOTHER IU KDRAMA!!!!!
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Angsty Plot with Ambiguous Ending
Like other series in the past, I think I watched this show at the wrong time. I wanted a fun and fluffy romance, but got an angst filled plot and ambiguous ending.❤ The highlight of the series is 100% IU as Jang Man Wol. When she was on the screen, you could not look away from her. She was a messy, emotional, and materialistic immortal with a touch of vulnerability giving her enough humanity to make her story (and redemption) plausible.
❤ The leads had tons of energy and chemistry. Unfortunately, Yeo Jin Goo as Goo Chan Sung was so one-dimensional as to be laughable. He was a character that could not stand on his own outside of the story. I'd also say the romance is not the driving force of this series, but more of a factor in Jang Man Wol's character development.
❤ The cinematography is absolutely breathtaking. It truly is a cinematic experience on the small screen. I can't think of one scene that didn't feel fully realized.
❤ While I enjoyed the side characters, few of their stories felt integral to the overarching plot as they were all crammed into the latter half of the series.
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Very good
The storyline, the cast, the ost in this drama is so so good. The thing that stood out to me was the storyline. It was different and very interesting. Honestly, I only watched this drama because iu was the lead female actress in this story. She did a wonderful job. The whole cast did. My favorite character was iu’s character. iu really bring that role to life. This drama can make you laugh, cry, swoon also. Please go watch this drama. The chemistry between the main lead couple was amazing. I hope you enjoy this drama and this review lol.Was this review helpful to you?
Watch it!
A superb drama- so well written and the actors were just so good! A really great and unusual story which had me gripped from the first to last episode. The main female character was so well drawn- her back story and development so beautifully told. So good to see a nuanced and strong female character. The stories of the other employees were equally fascinating. The cinematography was beautiful, her outfits stunning.You will cry many times but so worth it! Thete is nothing to dislike in this drama and everything to love!
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This review may contain spoilers
THE POWER OF IMAGINATION.
yin story per se is nothing new or unexpected. However, the casting, production, direction and EDITING .. was spectacular.IU is hands down one of the most talented actress of her age, paired with a VETERAN and CHAMELEONIC actor such as Yeo Jin Goo ...you already have a solid base. The screenwriting and editing are in sync and polished. A complicated intersections of people, twist and turns at each corner and yet no problem following the story, enjoy it, and re-watched it periodically. The production did a great job with maintaining a "low profile" and yet deliver a clean, yet artistic concept. The hotel per se feel so real in this paradoxical and dystopian reality that it doesn't make sense and yet it just does. I adored it.
I ADORED THE LIMOUSINE, AND THE STORY OF THE ELDERLY MAN WITH THE DOG.
It was hearth wrenching but so well done.
The final touch is the 3 goddesses. LOVE LOVE THE IDEA. It's the perfect definition of what yin and yang mean to me. Never full light , never total darkness. Just variations of it.
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I'm not too sure how they fell in love
The entire concept of the show is so interesting and unique however I was always confused as to how they fell in love so soon. I didn't really see much of a chemistry. maybe it's just me but that was the only drawback imo.I also didn't see any bonding amongst the other staff. it seemed super forced and distant. Everything else was interesting and I like Man-Wol quite alot.
If not for these seemingly superficial relationships, this show is honestly like an artwork. Absolutely stunning visuals and amazing music. The storyline is sooo intriguing and deep.
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ESSA COISA DA IU E FINAIS ABERTOS
Levei 3 anos para terminar esse drama (mais por preguiça mesmo e porque acabei priorizando outros). Ele não é ruim, pelo contrário amei a história, amei os visuais (principalmente os da IU), amei o enredo, a ost muito marcante, e o elenco tem um entrosamento muito fluido e maravilhoso. Essa coisa de a IU sempre pegar enredos super intensos de dramáticos é ótimo porque ela entrega muita atuação, mas os finais abertos é o que mais me incomoda. Eu anseio o dia em que ela fará um drama em que a protagonista tenha realmente um final fechado e isso fique explícito, porque pra mim eu fiquei com mais um sabor amargo de "porque eles não tiveram o tal final merecido". No mais, é uma produção dramática de fantasia que vale muito a pena. E aquele final, me deixou com vontade de conhecer a história do novo dono da "BLUE MOON" (mas que sabemos que não vai acontecer T_T).Was this review helpful to you?
One of TVN's greatest kdramas!
I mainly watched this as I was recommended this and I was interested in seeing IU's acting and also seeing Park Yoo Na portraying another character! I was not disappointed apart from the kdrama True Beauty, this has to be one of the best dramas I've seen from TVN.Acting
The cast did so well with portraying their characters to the point I forgot this was all fictional. The crying scenes felt so real to the point I shedded tears of happiness and sadness towards the final episode. IU and Jin Goo truly have some chemistry and they didn't have to have many intimate or sexual scenes to show that.
Soundtrack/OST
Amazing! The osts are absolutely beautiful it has to be one of my favourites to listen to! They do an amazing job capturing the atmosphere whether it's to create sadness or suspense.
Plot/Storyline
The writers did incredible! From the beginning to the end of the kdrama, I was intrigued of what would happen next with each episode, the writers definitely know how to keep the reader on their toes. The comedy was great too! I couldn't help laughing at some points.
Cinematography and Special FX
The Cinematography and Special FX is something I'll never forget about this drama. The makeup artists did incredible with makeup to create a ghostly look on the actors, it gave me goosebumps! Plus the editing is incredible, it definitely adds to the ghostly/supernatural atmosphere. Also IU's stylist needs to get a raise! I couldn't stop admiring at her outfits throughout the whole drama, all of them were gorgeous.
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Unique, Entertaining, Memorable
This is one of the few dramas that I'll never hesitate to rewatch. I loved watching this drama due to its storyline, OSTs, but also the emotions that I felt throughout. There are scenes that can be scary, scenes that will make you laugh, and scenes that will make you cry. The storyline of this drama is something new and unique that I haven't seen portrayed in other dramas that I have watched. There is great chemistry amongst the actors/actress. The OSTs are very nice and fitting to the drama, even without watching the mv to the most just by hearing the song you'll be able to picture a scene from the drama in your mind.Was this review helpful to you?
