Hotel De Luna (original)

 Episodes: 20 

Series: 1 (possibly 2)

Streamer: Netflix

The Plot

A young 23 year old male manager (Gyu Chan) is summoned by a mysterious Hotel Owner to become the new manager of her hotel which is for the recently deceased. Obviously he refuses but then she reminds him that he has no choice: It is his destiny.

The Characters

Man wol is the Owner of the Hotel De Luna who is cursed due to her overwhelming grudge for the crime she committed but also for the vast amount of blood she spilled whilst trying to find a way to clear her crime. This was over 900 years ago and as she is cursed she has a long life that is not exactly worth living - irregardless of her love for extravagance and drink and the fact she is dead but can not move on across the bridge. This of course means she is selfish but selfless as she has to put her guests first in order to make sure the hotel is running. 

Chan Sung is the new manager of the Hotel due to his father making a deal with Man Wol to not kill him by making his son her personal servant later in his life. His work entails to make sure that the guests are taken care of and he can see ghosts. He also helps the ghosts with any lingering grudges on the living. His relationship with Man Wol starts out respectably but then they start to like each other and eventually fall for each other. Through out this time he tries to pin together her life story through dreams.

Seon Bi was a Joseon Scholar but then became the Hotel Bartender. His death was committing suicide due to a crime.The crime itself was not exactly a crime that by today's standards were treasonous but due to social hierarchy it was. His crime was writing stories of the every day common people. It was later discovered that the stories had become famous through the ages and he is known as the anonymous author. He did leave the Hotel after he found this information out (i think I can not be sure) five hundred years later.

Seo- Hee is the Head Housekeeper and comes from the same era as Seon Bi (albeit one hundred or two hundred years apart.) She was murdered as she had given birth to a girl and not a boy as her rich husband had wanted. The child was killed via Starvation by her husbands servants. After her death (or before which would not be out of the question) the husband remarried a woman who produced an male heir. And so to move on to the next life Seo-Hee vowed to go over the bridge with the last person who inherited that name so the name is erased from history. However she did go over without doing so after she had a talk with the heavily pregnant girlfriend of the last male heir. It is still unknown what the natural sex the child is but hey its 2020+ and being trans gendered is not a problem. (Unknown of the LGBT laws of Korea at this moment and that is my own personal opinion)

Ji Hyun Joong is the Bell boy/receptionist of the hotel. he has a romance with Soo-Jung/Kim Yoona (possessed girl from here on out.) During the Korean war (WWII era. they are still in a ceasefire to this day from 1953) he was accidentally killed by his best friend who was a soldier (Ji Hyun was a civilian) his best friend took his identity and Ji Hyung's sister who was blinded by a bomb that took their parents lives.  Ji Hyung came to the hotel when it was a hostel and declared he will go over with his little sister. (And yes I cried. That was a very tearful episode.) He did leave with his sister though  but he had to break up with possessed girl in doing so. She let him go. She knew it was stupid of her not to. the actor who portrayed this character is an Idol who specializes in rap.

Possessed Girl is the girlfriend of above character. She was killed by the former occupant of her body all over a necklace (stupid reason to kill and bully someone over but then again social indignation comes in to play far to often.) The original occupant obliterated after her parents burnt the evidence (which i was surprised by that the iron star necklace would do that but then again who cares its fiction...but then again i do believe is spirits and entities) she becomes the intern of the hotel as Mol wanted her to replace Chang with her but as Chang did not leave she became the intern. She has a better life now then she did when she was in her original body as she was a poor student and living off welfare.

Interior Design and Fashion

The interior of the hotel was well lit to show off its elegance so the lighting crew did an excellent job especially around the tree that cursed Man Wol. The lobby of the hotel was grand and gave of a Titanic vibe. Think of the ending. Yes. That. The hallways were just as elegant and fit with the ambiance of the hotel. It was not Gothic yet it was understated as a mansion of sorts. (if this makes no sense please comment.) The CGI was fantastic as shown in the first episode of Man Wol's Curse was being drawn and the over looking of the Bridge that the dead walk along to reach the other side which is called Seonggang. (To pass the bridge safely you must travel with a white flower given to you by the eldest entities sister. Once you have received it you can go with the grim reaper who obviously will show you the way) The use of the "Swimming Pool" is well used as it is an actual beach within the hotel. I am aware that this is not Interior focused but it is apart of the hotel non the less. The whole interior shows Mol's true character through out.

Mols fashion sense however is definitely desirable as shown when she is shopping "for" a bride (she wants it for herself) in a jewelry store in full Tiffany. however the outfits that were in the show were over a hundred and the on that stands out is the Purple outfit she wears during a conference of a corrupt mayor. Which is known as the gun scene. The sits that were made for the manager were stylish and shows his professionalism through out the show.

Famous Faces

The mayor was Kim Won Hae. He was in the three of the shows that i have reviewed. It is nice to see him in the drama.

As stated the Receptionist was played by Pyo Ji-Hoon who will be in a drama that i might reveiw. (can't remember it at the moment.)

The grim reaper was played by Kang Hong Seok who will be in a review in the next couple of weeks. (Look out for Dr.Prisoner) His performance was brilliant. Think Loki but Lowkey and goth. Yep.

Kim Jun Hyoon who has a eating show in South Korea was a guest star as himself. It was enjoyable as it was a will he or won't he show up scenario.

Lee Yi-Kyung who was portraying the down-on-his-luck actor in Welcome to Waikiki (On Netflix) was the actor who was struggling with his part that an ghost wanted before dying but he got possessed by the fellow actor ghost and unintentionally helped that ghost move on.

Second Series? 

Will there be an second series? Sadly no. It ended opened ended and that is how the writers wanted to do. However i d o hope that another writing team takes on the mantle and keep the hotel running.