User reviews

Wow. Loveble characters and brilliant chemistry? Check. Comedy? Check. Romance and freindship? Check! Cool fantasy? Hell yes. If you've seen Korean odessy- it's got the same vibe. If you haven't seen it- do it now. In terms of visuals: Hotel del luna has got one of the most highest production value I've ever seen. The effects are top notch, the scenery and costumes are amazing- they've really spared no expense and you feel it in almost every shot. Story wise: This was a very beautiful very moving story with lovely methaphors, but for those of you like me who like to know in advance whether this is a tear jerking heart wrenching drama that we'll leave you broken for a while I will say the last episode was sad, but beautiful sad, and the road leading up to it makes it totally worth it. They managed to create a beautiful world with solid rules that feels natural. The only downside to this series are the first two episodes when they set up the world and it's rules- something about the pacing and the tone just doesn't really work there but I'm sooo glad that I continued to watch. I gave it a -9 just because of the beginning- but please please watch it- you won't regret it.

Ji-eun Lee has run the Hotel De Luna for over 1000 years, the customers are troubled ghosts who need to resolve their issues from life before they can pass over. Jin-gu Yeo is an ambitious manager at a top hotel but due to a promise his father has made has to work for Ji-eun. The story is well directed and the flashback scenes about how Ji-eun is being punished for her past deeds are paced perfectly. She looks stunning in every shot and a lot of thought has gone into her costume and jewellery. She starts as a shallow ruthless character but due to her interaction with her new manager starts to soften. The ghosts are sometimes quite scary and the side story of those and also the backgrounds of the other staff fill the episodes. The main story is still the relationship of the Manager and Owner of Hotel De Luna and will the end be happy or sad. Very enjoyable with excellent performances by the cast.

I've seen probably 50 or 60 K-Dramas, and this ranks as second only to Goblin on my list. So many are good, but this is something special. I cried about 30 different times while watching. The emotions are deep and strong and real. I will definitely be watching it more than once. The two leads are beautiful and their relationship fraught with uncertainties. It covers a thousand years and so many good-byes and bittersweet reunions. It transcends death itself. Don't miss this jewel.

Absolutely fabulous fantasy, romance drama! Yeo Jin Goo and UI were exceptional in their performance as Chan Sung and Man Wol! Couple that with the most brilliant cinematography, and you have one of the most beautiful stories ever made! Loved it!

Yes, I'm here to praise this excellent show, though you can probably work that out from the ten stars. I must, however, admit to some general pessimism before I started. Why ? I'd recently begun to watch a newish show ( let's not mention the title in case you love it ) and gave up by episode two. It had yet another rich, handsome, arrogant A-hole thrown together with a pretty young woman with much less money etc and so on. What a VERY original storyline ! I'm so sick of these formula plots ! And it wasn't even well written, which would've been something. I've also been underwhelmed recently by boring new shows from established actresses, so I began HDL hoping really hard that it'd be good. True, the VIKI rating is 9.8, which is helpful, and now I'm done. Relief. That's the word best suited to my overall impression ( "pleasure" is obviously close behind ! ). Relief to have found a quality series for a change, and such a relief to have a WOMAN as the lead character instead of some self-absorbed chaebol MAN. And what a fascinating character to watch. The absence of the standard K Drama clichés is also refreshing. Ms Jang ( played by singer IU ) is the owner of the titular hotel, a place for the dead to rest and sort their affairs before the Grim Reaper sends them on the road to the Afterlife. I won't bore you with a lengthy story description because you can get that from VIKI or IMDB. What's crucial is the quality of the writing ( thank you Hong sisters ) and all the characters benefit. Everyone has a substantial back story and each of the ghosts passing through has an interesting tale to tell. The supernatural clearly plays a major part in the story ( especially re-incarnation ) and you'll discover the difference between a vengeful ghost and an evil one. As with all the best K dramas, there's a satisfying mix of drama, humour and tears here, as well as a goodly dose of the scary. Even the Reaper gets a cutely comical scene towards the end, and especially in the last third, a number of scenes surprise and delight with their creativity. And of course you'll cry a lot at the final episode ! Back to Ms Jang, and what a role this is. I'm sure every young actress in South Korea would've been chasing it because there's so many layers to the character. Being around for more than a thousand years enhances the scope, so we see her as a tough thief with a gang in olden times. That's where her bitterness arose, and a sword is wielded as well as a sharp tongue. In modern times, a rather jaded Ms Jang has become cynical and sarcastic and doesn't suffer fools gladly. She's also a dedicated materialist, lusting after yachts, paintings and expensive cars. There is, naturally, a good heart beneath the frosty exterior, just waiting for the right person to help it blossom. Good writing needs a good cast to do it justice, and Yeo Jin Goo as the fresh-faced human manager Mr Gu is the perfect foil to the caustic Ms Jang. His natural affability was an asset in the recent "Absolute Boyfriend" ( which, by the way, was remarkable for confirming that Japan, Taiwan and also Korea couldn't quite get it right ) and his youth gives their interplay a bit of a cradle-snatching angle since she's about four years older in reality. The romance angle is possibly not what we might have expected, yet is nevertheless moving and heartfelt. K Popper P.O. is sweet as the bellboy, Bae Hae Sun is enjoyably maternal as the Room Manager and Shin Jung Geun is avuncular as the crusty barman. Also making a strong impression is Kang Mina ( another K Popper, from the group Gugudan ) as the managerial intern. This quintet are the central "family" of the hotel, and their backstories are extremely affecting. A group of other actors do good work in supporting roles, while Seo Yi Sook is excellent playing a variety of gods who seem to be related. Of the various cameos, the most obviously poignant is that of IU's friend Sulli, who tragically committed suicide recently. The role and it's outcome acquires a sad extra dimension with that in mind. And so to IU. Ms Jang dominates the show as the planet around which everyone else revolves and the singer/actress pulls off all the many moods and emotions with convincing assurance. Whether it's the ferocity of a warrior in a fight or a girlish giggle or a moving speech full of emotion, this woman can do it all. It's also interesting for such a small and slightly built person to play such an alpha personality. The icing on the cake here is the outfits : IU is a beautiful young woman in her physical prime and the dazzling array of clothes she has to wear present a true combo treat for the eyes. And she looks particularly stunning during a scene set in olden times wearing a light blue costume with her hair coiled at the sides of her head. HDL is almost a demo reel for IU, as if she's saying to the world : here I am, and this is what I can do. The phrase "A Star Is Born" definitely comes to mind. Movies must surely be the next step; I was watching the excellent "Parasite" again and she could have easily managed the part of the poor family's daughter. As to the arty mini-series "Persona" she did this year for Netflix, it hints at a pleasing desire to take chances. Director Oh Choong Hwan should be applauded for the smooth flow/pacing on display, and the show looks beautiful thanks to the DP. Not quite in the same esteemed league as the lustrous "Mr Sunshine" but lovely nonetheless and ditto for the production design of a hotel which is like a character in the story. And a nod to the music which is very good too. Gripes ? Well, just a personal preference : since the camera is usually using a long lens in close ups or mid shots, the background is fuzzed out and so the gorgeous hotel and its décor are lost. Yes, I know this tactic ( the so-called "vanity shot" ) is designed to keep the performers front/centre and avoid distractions, but it's a waste here in my view. And.....who or what was in room 404 ? Hmm ? All Mr Gu had to do towards the end is open the door, peek in and say "oh, it's you", then laugh. Or peek, scream and run like hell; an explicit explanation isn't vital. Some closure would've been nice, or did they just forget ? Anyway, do watch HDL. Put simply, it provides what we all look for : a good story well told. Actually, make that "very" well told.

This series for me was really weird. And creepy. I will definitely continue to stream this on my phone but it was a nice change of pace.

The first episode was so mysterious and engaging that I just had to keep on watching. For me, the first four episodes of a k drama you must watch before judging it.

I am still following that rule. IU reminds of Nanno ("Girl From Nowhere) when she plays her role. Just a thought.

Overall though, the romance and effects do play out. Now if I can only get those ads out of the way and look at the drama in peace....

I gave this series a try because of the hype and good reviews but I found the plot is painfully slow for me. There are some series that make you eager to watch the next episodes but not this one. I could simply stop watching it in the middle and continue it 2-3 days later.

Extraordinary !! From story to the cast. One of the best series of 2019. Well done!!

As another reviewer suggested, this show definitely had a similar vibe to Goblin (which was the reason I decided to watch it tbh), although it wasn't nearly as good. That being said, it was definitely a lovely show, full of symbology and poignant, tear-jerking moments. Wonderful acting accompanied by a fabulous soundtrack definitely made this show shine. The overall story was a little slow, and I think this was one of those shows you watch for the atmosphere rather than an addicting story-line.

Very few series change a person's mood from sadness to utterly joyful and this is one of those

I enjoyed the series but found it uneven and sometimes messy in plot. IU is of course gorgeous, but also super talented and charming. She owns this one.

No Korean drama made me so emotional ever, until i found this online. I especially love the soundtrack for this drama, because it suits the theme to the drama. For me personally i think this drama is mixed with every drama genre and i love the cast. I've never been so excited waiting for an episode, suggesting that this is one of the best dramas i've seen.

Well i must say that this drama has really touched my heart, i usually don't sad while watching k-drama but this drama or this type of dramas really made me sad (Good kind of sadness). The End was really a new way of journey after a short cameo of Kim Soo-Hyun. All the characters have played their roles very well. Sometimes you laugh sometimes you sad, this is what a good drama must be. Thumbs up to the main characters - IU and Yeo Jin-goo. Sulli's role was also good. This must be the best k-drama of 2019!

Love the storyline. Main actor and actress are well played in their roles. Highly recommended!!

After seeing Goblin I hesitated to find something of the genre that I liked the same but without a doubt this made me doubt a lot, I loved it too much, it is fun but very emotional, visually it is even more beautiful and I fell in love with Yeo Jin-Goo so they bought me .

Without any spoilers... I would have given this series more stars if it had offered a more imaginative and better ending. That was the major flaw of this otherwise well-done series. As it was, they lose stars in this review just for the sloppy ending.

Koreans seem to really know how to tell a story. The characters in this are definitely not 2 dimensional cliche; each offers a major plot element in the story, with several unexpected plot twists. They did really well at keeping the viewer surprised.

Be prepared for some gore-- this is after all a hotel for the dead. Also be aware there are a LOT of Korean spiritual elements in this, including ghosts, eternal souls, and reincarnation. I wouldn't recommend this for children, on several counts. (For one thing, some scenes will likely scare the blazes out of them and give them nightmares.)

This series gets the viewer emotionally involved and holds attention throughout. It's too bad they just left viewers hanging in the last episode. It doesn't exactly make sense and doesn't provide an ending promised by otherwise excellent plot twists. I can think of about half a dozen ways to have ended this-- all better that what they slopped out in the last 10 minutes. (Viewer reviews had the same complaint with Memories of the Alhambra-- a riveting tale that just sort of dropped the ending in the viewer's laps).

I am reminded of the TV series LOST; some people just loved the ending, but the vast majority of viewers hated it. Writers and directors really should work to do a better job of sinking that final putt. If they're going to go to the trouble of making a series this interesting, at least tie up the package properly.

And by "end" I mean the last two episodes. I've watched enough KDramas and KFantasy to know these genres' audience love to see stories wrapped up neat and friendly.

But what amounts to a two-episode send-off epilogue? Come on now! Talk about excessive!

This wasn't a series that ran for a decade, and had hundreds of episodes....or even 50. It was a 16 episode run, 14 if you count the last two throw-away episodes. To spend so much time on each main character's farewell when they were only around for 14 episodes is mind boggling. I know they're supposed to be tear-jerker episodes, but they go on WAY too long. That time could have been spent solidifying some of the background lore, maybe regarding the hotel itself, or the deities. Or even Sanchez and the rest of the gang.

But it turns into an excessive homage that becomes uninteresting real quick. And don't get me started on the last 2 minutes (before the credits), or the post credits scene. Both are garbage.

Watch the first 14 episodes. Then, in your head, invent how you wish the series to end. And leave it at that. I bet your ideas will be more satisfying than what the producers came up with.

7 Stars - Some fun sub-plots and bite-sized stories along the way. Great lead characters, though the female lead's behavior is a bit too much unpredictable, even knowing her back story. Enough, that if I was the main male lead, I'd be questioning if it was worth it.

IU and Jin-gu Yeo were very attractive actors. The story was not impressive to me.

This is well made and much better than the average silly kd,only complaint is the story has to many timely visits to the past.IU is amazing never seen her before.the music is fantastic in this series