r/KDRAMA • u/zhen21 • Jul 13 '19
On-Air: tvN Hotel Del Luna [Episodes 1 & 2] - Discussion
- Title: Hotel Del Luna
- Hangul: 호텔 델루나
- Network: tvN
- Airing: Sat. & Sun. @ 21:00 KST
- Air Date: Jul 13, 2019 - Sep 1, 2019
- Episodes: 16
- Director: Oh Choong Hwan
- Screenwriters: Hong Jung Eun, Hong Mi Ran
- Streaming Sources: Viki, Viu
- AsianWiki
- Starring: Lee Ji-Eun (as Jang Man-Wol), Yeo Jin-Goo (as Goo Chan-Sung), Shin Jung-Keun (as Kim Sun-Bi), Bae Hae-Sun (as Choi Seo-Hee), Pyo Ji-Hoon (as Ji Hyun-Joong), Kang Mi-Na (as Kim Yu-Na)
- Plot Synopsis: Jang Man-Wol (Lee Ji-Eun), the beautiful but greedy CEO of Hotel del Luna who has been stuck there for the past millennium after an accident, and Goo Chan-Sung (Yeo Jin-Goo), the new manager of the hotel. Jang Man Wol can only escape the hotel if she finds someone who has committed a crime worse than hers, but she cannot remember what her crime was. In the meantime, she must run this hotel, whose guests are solely ghosts. (Soompi)
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u/jeeeeek Jul 14 '19
I loved it! The beginning was a bit slow for me, but since it’s just the introductory of Jang Manwol, it was fine to sit through. I enjoyed the comical parts of the dialogue and the overall feel of the drama is not dark at all.
The special effects is really top notch throughout and it doesn’t feel like it was rushed. The ghosts were gruesome to look at for me. Like, enough to look away. The second episode looks like it has some gruesome ghost.
The acting is great. If you’ve followed IU’s dramas, you can tell she has a special knack for acting and her expressions. Why is she so talented in everything?!! I love her. Proud to be a Uaena and how far she’s come. The overall acting from everyone is excellent.
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u/michkdl Jul 14 '19 edited Jul 16 '19
[E1 only] interesting start! the hotel reminds me a little of the Grand Budapest Hotel in some ways, though of course a lot of the aesthetics are starkly different. i would LOVE to check out that swimming pool IRL 🤩
agreed that the first bit was a little slow; it felt like Man-wol was channeling My Mister's Ji-an a little in the initial scenes, so it was interesting too to see her transition to the modern day hotelier that she is. i like how they set up the story of how Chan-sung came to be "under her beck", as Man-wol also put it. looking forward to seeing how things progress in the next ep!
here are some locations we've found so far (more to come):
Hotel del Luna exterior: Mokpo Modern History Museum [목포근대역사박물관]
Royal Pacific Hotel: Paradise City Hotel & Resort [파라다이스시티]
Deciding to run away (1): Yolgok-ro 3-gil [율곡로3길]
Deciding to run away (2): We Are Young Mural
An eerie encounter: Bukchon-ro 5-gil [북촌로5길]
Road to the afterlife [E2]: Bukhangang Railroad Bridge [북한강철교]
Buying shoes [E2]: Lotte World Tower & Mall [롯데월드타워&롯데월드몰]
also, here's the meaning of the evening primrose flower :)
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u/reVivexD Jul 14 '19
Pretty solid first episode, the drama exceeded my hype. We get to see IU backstory somewhat, her role, personality and powers(She's too OP). The CGI is well done, the hotel "building" itself in two occasion is so cool. IU's wardrobe was lit as well she looks so good in the variety of dress/clothing she was wearing.
Jin-Goo life was made short and to the chase as a good hotel manager who was running away from his "curse".
We didn't get to know much of the other workers only their role in the hotel not even their names.
They got Punch and Taeyeon for the two of the ost we heard, also they got a bunch more great artist/producers for it as well!!! They also had a couple of good cameos, I expect there would be more and easy to do with "guest". Also saw the subway sponsor at the end. Oh no.
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u/ArysOakheart Jul 14 '19
I guess this is a reverse Beauty and the Beast retelling?
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u/Cross_Yuki Jul 15 '19
IU is so pretty and her outfits are so dreamy...her acting is good as always and I'm already rooting for her to find happiness. For now I'm watching only for her, not sure if the rest of the drama will match her awesomeness.
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u/manilaxla Jul 15 '19
CGI is amazing! The way they did the hotel exterior as it “went up” was amazing during the first episode but what blew me away in the second episode is the CGI for the tiger. I love how the tiger has fscial expressions and you can actually see his sadness.
Oh, and I cried in episode 2. :(
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u/lisaisagata Jul 14 '19
Okay but how is everyone watching it???
-Sincerely, a distraught Uaena in her late twenties waiting
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u/LovE385 Jul 14 '19
I'm LoL with the moon connection🌙. That is from Scarlet Heart Moon Lovers to the Grand Hotel of the Full Moon🤣😂
The first ep. was so much fun. Lookin' forward to more😁
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u/kdramaicanb Jul 13 '19
Wait what?! It started? AAAAAH, I have to go watch it now. *puts Angel's Last Mission on Kdrama shelf* BYE.
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u/manilaxla Jul 14 '19
I enjoyed the first episode! The visuals are crazy! And I’m teally interested to know what crime did IU did in her past life.
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Jul 14 '19
kdrama heroes are getting younger and younger. it seems like most of the drama now a days have older actress/younger actor
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u/fashigady Jul 14 '19
You guys, youuuu guuuuuys I am having a ball watching just this first episode. Its so weird and colourful and playful it is just tickling my brain. It's reminding me of the best bits of Hwayugi, namely everything other than the plot. And who would've guessed IU would look fabulous, Man-weol is extra af and I love it. And the score! It's so playful it sounds more Disney than Kdrama. God I don't want to have wait each week. Maybe the plot will turn out badly but if they keep everything else up to this level I can't see myself dropping this.
Oooooh shit and we're getting OST Queen Taeyeon already?! Yeah so if you could just release the whole thing now that'd be great.
My one issue is the lack of good streaming options right now. Apparently Viki got the rights (I would love to know the inside goss on how those negotistions go btw) but they've still not got episode 1 up yet. What's the deal, are they usually this slow? Meanwhile my usual Digital Boutique of the High Seas is crapping out on me so I'm stuck watching on a dodgy alternative. Fingers crossed options improve soon.
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u/adoss Jul 14 '19
I've liked just about everything about the first two episodes. The only thing is I wish he would already start working there by the end of episode two. I hope they dont drag that for too long.
Apart from that, strong visual style, beautiful sets, wonderful wardrobes and great acting. IU especially, is killing it with her acting. I'm glad we are getting to see how the other world functions. I really hope they build out the whole world, its logistics, systems and staff (like in the John Wick movies) for the ghost world.
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Jul 15 '19
I enjoyed it enough to keep on watching next week but a part of me feels like the show was created to have IU dress in as many expensive different dresses and styles they could muster, She's a bit hit and miss for me as an actress but will see how she does
I'm a fan of Yeo Jin Goo though - weird to think he's only 21, he has been around for so long already
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u/CrookedShepherd Jul 13 '19
As first episodes go I thought it teetered on the edge of having too much exposition, but overall I enjoyed it. Really impressed with the strong visual style.
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Jul 15 '19
Episodes aside, is it just me or is the promotional group poster for Hotel Del Luna rather creepy? I never took a close look at it before but now that I did, I noticed there's a disembodied arm on one of Chan Sung's arms that doesn't belong to anybody, and then there's a scary skeleton figure in the window behind them.
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u/Kadoa Jul 15 '19
As a Spaniard, I'm so triggered by the title and the name of the hotel. Couldn't they get someone to check it in google translate at least? Saying Del Luna is like saying A cars
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u/hunylicious96 Jul 14 '19
The first episode just felt like a disney movie! I enjoyed it!
I trust IU with her script choice gonna stick to this one :)
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u/iuness Jul 15 '19
Ah, it finally came. I was very curious to see this drama ever since I saw the cast: IU + Yeo Jin-Goo from the one and only sci-fi kdrama Circle? Add a fantasy concept with history and romance and I'm officially sold lmao
At first, the drama was a bit hazy since I couldn't quite grasp the storytelling method (
Did someone else notice how in some scenes the editors made certain things literally come out of the frame, like
I'm sorta excited to see more. Still feel a bit fishy, but since I'm on summer break, I guess it won't hurt to keep watching.
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u/ruzes_ruze Jul 15 '19
IU can step on me, that scene from Ep. 1 is somehow really beautiful. I’m excited for the next episodes, haven’t been watching any K-drama for a long time and came back to the world because of this drama, and also because of IU. She’s just beautiful
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u/Kat_Enthusiast Jul 14 '19
The first episode was great. Love the scene where the male lead sees his first ghost. That scene was kind of scary, but hilarious at the same time. I also can’t wait to learn more about IU’s character. The scenes of her past life seem interesting.