Fortunately, for fans of compelling, emotional (and binge-watching) watches, there are plenty of K-dramas to enjoy, especially on streaming services. Netflix offers a huge selection of historical fiction, romantic comedies, supernatural action-adventures, and more. And, like this addictive show, some shows have all of these qualities.
Whether you’ve just finished watching your last Korean drama and don’t know what to try next, or you’re new to the genre and looking for an engaging watch to dig deeper into, there’s nothing like Spooky, Funny, and Fashion” is more suitable for you. Hotel Del Luna.
“Hotel Del Luna” is a fusion of many different styles
When the soul leaves this world, it needs a place to rest before moving on to the next part of the cycle. That place is the Hotel del Luna, or the Moon Hotel. It appears to ghosts (sometimes humans, but only in special cases) in the form of a modern hotel.
When a man strays into the Moon Hotel one night, due to his own selfishness and manipulation by a higher power, he meets the hotel owner, the stylish and moody Full Moon (IU) – and then he sold his son Chan-sung’s (Yeo Jin Goo) to leave in the future to save his own life. A deal has been reached: 20 years later, Wan Yue will capture Chansung in the future. When that day came, Centrient had no choice but to close the deal and become the manager of the Hotel de Luna.
Through Chansung’s lens, we encounter spirits of all shapes and sizes, and everything in between. The hotel staff all harbor unresolved vendettas and must put every dead guest first. Chansung soon finds himself in a dangerous world where the ghost’s resentment transcends even reincarnation. Yet, amidst all the strange events and deadly adventures, Chansung comes to understand Full Moon, how she became the owner of the Moon Hotel, and why they are so attracted to each other.
Hotel Del Luna As a drama, it has many strengths, but one of the biggest strengths is its creativity. One example is the show’s seamless mixing and matching of genres. At its core, Hotel Del Luna It’s a love story, but it also relies heavily on supernatural action, sprinkled with a little horror, and contains plenty of funny moments to offset the scares and emotional beats. Some historical fiction fit perfectly with the idea of a lunar hotel, which has existed for hundreds of years, with human owners cycling through it.
Some episodes are darker and more serious than others, but they all tackle ghost issues with thoughtful and impactful solutions, especially when it comes to core characters and how they interact with the paranormal.
“Hotel Del Luna” Mixes supernatural shenanigans with well-rounded characters
Guests at the Hotel de Luna range from the terrifying ghost of Room 13 (with a suitably sad backstory) to a dead bride who just wants her groom. Chan-sung and Wan-yue face many spooky battles, but they mostly use wit and cunning to overcome obstacles. Whether they’re up against the seemingly innocent reincarnation of Full Moon’s greatest enemy or just a tiger homesick for home, the supernatural shenanigans vary in severity but never stop entertaining.
partly because Hotel Del LunaAt the heart of the story are the relationships between the characters, which are strong enough to highlight the well-rounded development of the main cast. Chan-sung is a kind-hearted hotel manager who uses what he learned in the human world to help him access the spiritual world in new and interesting ways. His connection to the human and spiritual planes of being is reflected in his ability to understand and empathize with particularly complex ghosts, as well as Full Moon’s painful past.
At first, he was scared and wary of the full moon, and who could blame him? In her first scene, she strides confidently into an awards ceremony in a stylish purple outfit and shoots the killer with the same bullet he used to commit the crime. However, as time went on, Man-wol couldn’t help but open up to Chan-sung, sharing not only her responsibilities at the Hotel de Luna, but also her love of food and her luxurious lifestyle (which soon Just beyond her financial means) ). Chansung gradually discovers more about her past and how her soul is bound to the hotel. Gradually, they learn from each other and grow together.
Chan Sung and Wan Yue are fun together and have fantastic romantic chemistry, and they’re not the only heart-wrenching couple in the show. A recently deceased student inhabits the body of a bully so she can live a life of deprivation and befriends the health bellboy at the Hotel de Luna for an adorable couple.
Every employee at the hotel has their moment to shine, and even some of the supporting characters feel like they’re living lives to the fullest (although some, if not most of them, are dead). Margo (Xu Yishu), the many-faced god who manipulates the events of the story behind the scenes but cannot predict everything, and Death himself (Kang Hongxi) watching every soul go down the tunnel, and even old friends and enemies resurface in new ways, makes it hard to separate the past life from the present, especially with a full moon.
The show has many, many well-rounded characters who live fulfilling lives, and nearly all of them are explored in varying degrees of depth.
“Hotel del Luna has an unrivaled sense of style
The Moon Hotel has a very specific aesthetic. Seen from the outside at night, the hotel soars into the sky with the moon behind it, a truly iconic view to start your stay with. The lobby inside is spacious and bright, and every employee wears the uniform of the Hotel de Luna, which is impeccable. Full Moon herself appears in a variety of stylish outfits and always looks stunning, even in dangerous and stressful situations. Locations like the Moon Tree, the tunnels, and the Bukhan River Railway Bridge leading to the afterlife seem very mysterious, shrouded in a layer of beauty and mystery.
Starting with the opening subtitles, Hotel Del LunaThe style and aesthetic are beautifully presented. The sequence at the beginning of each episode introduces its characters, uses eerie imagery to foreshadow future ghosts, and captures the magic behind the story through a perfect mix of color and mystery.
But the style of “Hotel Del Luna” is not limited to set and costume design. The cinematography in the show uses interesting shots like slow motion, Dutch tilt and roll to match the tone of the scene to great effect. The show’s use of camera roll is especially eeriely inventive.
The soundtrack fits the tone of the show perfectly, from the perfect romantic moment to the creepiest ghost encounter. The show’s soundtrack (OST) hits a wide range of emotions and is an ideal accompaniment to each scene (“Done For Me” is especially effective.)
“Hotel Del Luna” is unforgettable
A perfect blend of genres, satisfying arcs, iconic images and scenes, great opening titles, a beautiful soundtrack, and an unrivaled sense of style, Hotel Del Luna If it’s not already on your watchlist, it should be. Not only is this drama a must-see for fans of K-dramas, but fans of action-packed supernatural romances as well as some historical fiction.
You’ll laugh, cry and cheer for the Moon Hotel staff and guests as the characters learn more about each other, love and forgiveness, and the passage of time.
