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안녕하세요
(Annyeonghaseyo)
こんにちは
(Konnichiwa)
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(Ni Hao)
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Hotel de Luna is a 2019, South Korean, dark fantasy, romantic comedy television series, written by Hong Jung Eun & Hong Mi Ran and directed by Oh Choong Hwan.
The series contains 16 episodes and started airing on the 13th of July, and concluding on the 1st of September 2019.
Main Cast:
Lee Ji Eun as Jang Man Wol
Yeo Jin Goo as Gu Chan Sung
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Supporting Cast:
Jung Dong Hwan as Noh Joon Suk
Shin Jung Geun as Kim Seon Bi
Bae Hae Sun as Choi Seo Hee
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Pyo Ji Hoon as Ji Hyun Joong
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Kang Mina as Jung Soo Jung/Kim Yoona
Lee Do Hyun as Go Chung Myung
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Lee Tae Sun as Yeon Woo/Officer Park Young Soo
Jo Hyun Chul as Sanchez
Park Yoona as Princess Song Hwa/Lee Mira
Lee David as Seol Ji Won
Seo Yi Sook as Mago
Kang Hong Seok as Grim Reaper
The series aired on tvN, it was the most viewed tvN drama of 2019, and it was the twelfth-highest-rated Korean drama in cable television history.
On the 24th of June 2020, it was announced by Studio Dragon that it would co-produce an American remake of Hotel del Luna with Skydance. Alison Schapker will be in charge of developing and producing the series.
On the 27th of January 2021, theatre company Showplay announced that Hotel del Luna would be adapted into a stage musical, scheduled to premiere in 2022.
Like many Korean drama's the soundtrack is amazing and fits perfectly with the series, check out some of my favourites below.
Monday Kiz & Punch - Another Day
10cm - 나의 어깨에 기대어요 (Lean On Me)
Taeyeon - 그대라는 시 (All About You)
Heize - 내 맘을 볼수 있나요 (Can You See My Heart)
Paul Kim - 안녕 (So Long)
Punch - Done For Me
IU (Lee Ji Eun) - Happy Ending
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Nestled deep in the heart of Seoul's thriving downtown sits a curious hotel, the like of which no one has ever seen before. Old beyond measure, the building has stood for millennia, an ever-present testament to the fact that things are not always what they seem. Running this hotel is Jang Man Wol, a greedy, suspicious soul who has spent the past thousand years acting as the establishments CEO.
Cursed for a sin she can no longer remember committing, Man Wol is doomed to spend all of the eternity running this odd establishment, catering to the needs of a most peculiar clientele. Her only hope of escape is to find someone who has committed a worse sin than her own, but after a thousand years, she's beginning to lose hope.
However, things take an interesting turn when Gu Chan Sung shows up. Once the youngest assistant manager ever to work at a multinational hotel corporation, Chan Sung finds himself forced to manage the Hotel del Luna because of a deal his father made with Man Wol years ago. A stickler for rules and regulations, he's a perfectionist to the extreme but that may be exactly what this odd establishment and it's cursed CEO needs.
It actually took me quite a while to complete this drama but I'm so glad I finally finished it, it had definitely become one of my favourite Korean dramas, not only was the story and cast amazing, but the styling was breath taking and the sets, all of it was pure aesthetics.
The cast were amazing and each really brought their character to life, they all seemed to work so well together on set and had amazing chemistry, which made you believe what each character was going through, You really feel every emotion with this drama, one minute you're laughing and then the next you're trying to hold back tears, it's definitely a series about forgiving and moving past wanting revenge.
Lee Ji Eun was amazing as Jang Man Wol, this is actually my first time watching Ji Eun in a drama and I can honestly say I was blown away, I don't think there was an episode where I wasn't in awe of her styling. I think she has the most growth throughout the series, you can tell that it's her hate for what happened to her in the past that keeps her doing the job she has to, in the hope that someday she can get revenge on those that betrayed her and and those around her. Something I think also empowers those that work with her that were also betrayed before their death, each of them all having unfinished business.
Yeo Jin Goo was amazing in his role as Gu Chan Sung, at the beginning he brings a lot of comedy to the series as he adjust to not only working at a hotel for ghosts, but also being able to see them too, in all their gruesome appearances. As the series goes on you can see the effect he has on everyone that works there, helping them to overcome and complete their unfinished business and allowing them to forgive, forget and gain their own peace.
Shin Jung Geun did great as Kim Seon Bi, he often brought comedy to the series and it's not till towards the end of the series that we get to learn more about him and why he's stuck working for the hotel.
I loved Bae Hae Sun as Choi Seo Hee, like Man Wol, she was betrayed before her death, and I think because she trusts Man Wol the most, continues to believe she can not pass on until the family line that betrayed her comes to an end, so much so, she almost punishes a living woman who is innocent, but is carrying a child that would continue that family's name.
Pyo Ji Hoon is just adorable as Ji Hyun Joong, like with Kim Seon Bi and Choi Seo Hee, we don't really find out his story until towards the end of the series, and I think his is just heartbreaking, he isn't held back through hatred and revenge, he is just waiting for his little sister to naturally pass away so they can be reunited again, but along the way we see him get close and even develop feelings for Jung Soo Jung/Kim Yoona.
Kang Mina was amazing as Jung Soo Jung/Kim Yoona, we get to see her play a role with 2 different personalities, when we first meet her she is Kim Yoona who is a rich and arrogant student, who bullied another student called Jung Soo Jung, when Yoona accidently pushes Soo Jung off a bridge killing her, Man Wol allows Yoona's spirit to be destroyed allowing Soo Jung to enter Yoona's body and and take on her life and identity, giving her a 2nd chance at life.
I can't believe that I forgot Lee Do Hyun played Go Chung Myung, but in my defence this was early in his career and I'd not watched the series for like a year and a half. Throughout the series we're made to believe that he used and abused Man Wol's feelings for him to ambush and kill the people around her and ultimately marrying Princess Song Hwa, Man Wol takes her revenge by murdering both them and those around them, but we learn that all was not as it seems.
I loved Lee Tae Sun as Yeon Woo/Officer Park Young Soo, he was adorable and you could see that in his previous life he adored Man Wol, they seemed to treat each other as brother and sister, I loved the fact that even though when he is now Park Young Soo, when he catches a glimpse of her, she stops him in his tracks as she feels so familiar to him.
Like with Kang Mina I think Park Yoona did amazing as Princess Song Hwa/Lee Mira, as she also played roles with 2 different personalities, Princess Song Hwa seems to be cold and calculating as well and will do anything to get what she wants, where as Lee Mira really cares for her friends and is there for them when they need her. Things come to head though when Man Wol and Lee Mira comes face to face and Man Wol's desire to get revenge on her reappear.
I highly recommend Hotel del Luna, I thought it was such a unique series and the cast and story were amazing, even though I had an idea how it would end, it definitely kept me on my toes and it was nice to see each of the characters grow and change.
It's series that keeps you on the edge of your seat, laughing and then crying, I think it has everything that everyone can enjoy.
Have you watched Hotel del Luna?
Were you a fan of the cast?
Did you enjoy the script and plot?
Let me know in the comments below.
See you soon!
안녕
(Annyeong)
さようなら
(Sayonara)
再见
(ZaiJian)
Bye
