Hotel Del Luna

Welcome back to *Hallyu Reviews!* We hope you enjoyed Shamra’s C-drama review of **“Dating in the Kitchen”** last week. If you missed it, be sure to go back and have a read!

This week we take a look at “Hotel Del Luna.”
**SPOILERS AHEAD!!**

Synopsis

In “Hotel Del Luna” (“Del Luna”), a single father makes a deal with the owner of a mysterious hotel, Jang Man Wol (Lee Ji Eun – known by her stage name of IU), to spare his life in exchange for his son. About 20 years later, Man Wol invites the son, Gu Chan Seong (Yeo Jin Goo) to fulfill his father’s promise and come to work as the human General Manager of Hotel Del Luna, a hotel which serves only spirits. At first, Gu Chan Seong resists, and Man Wol “gifts” him with the vision to see spirits, a necessary ability in order to be the General Manager of Hotel Del Luna. He eventually changes his mind because he is intrigued, both by the hotel and its CEO. As the General Manager and only human employee of Hotel Del Luna, it is Gu Chan Seong’s job to see to the tasks that only a human can perform. But he also takes upon himself the responsibility of helping the spirits resolve their issues and grudges before leaving for the afterlife. This includes the hotels employees and the CEO herself, who is neither spirit nor human. When Gu Chan Sung starts to tear down Man Wol’s cold exterior, she runs away, hiding both Hotel Del Luna and herself from him. But he finds them both. When the possibility arises that Gu Chan Seong may be the reincarnated Go Cheong Myeong (Lee Do Hyun), the man whom Man Wol has hated for over 1,000 years, Man Wol is torn between her hatred and the love she has begun to feel for Gu Chan Seong. She gives an object of great power to a vengeful spirit so that she can passively carry out her grudge, but in doing so, she will disappear from existence. With the help of the hotel staff and the Grim Reaper (Kang Hong Seok), Gu Chan Seong retrieves the object and saves Man Wol. Gu Chan Seong then convinces her to listen to the story of Cheong Myeong. She finally listens and learns the truth, able to finally release her grudge and escort his spirit to the afterlife, completing her punishment on earth. Gu Cheong Seong and the staff of the Hotel Del Luna are devastated when all the flowers disappear from the Moon Spirit Tree, the power of Hotel Del Luna and the embodiment of Man Wol’s spirit, fearing that she may have finally died and crossed over into the afterlife. But because Ma Go Sin (Seo Yi Sook), the God-like character in “Del Luna,” put the flower that dreams of the moon in Gu Cheong Seong’s heart, part of Man Wol’s spirit remains and she is able to return to him. Before the power of the Moon Spirit Tree is completely gone, Man Wol and Gu Chan Seong help bring resolution for the 3 spirits who make up the core staff of Hotel Del Luna. The final guest of Hotel Del Luna is Man Wol, whom Gu Chan Seong sees off after they promise to reunite in their next lives. The K-drama ends with a glimpse into their reincarnated lives together.

Hotel Del Luna

No discussion of “Del Luna” could begin without talking about the hotel itself. Originally known as The Inn of the Moon, the hotel is imbued with the spirit of its current owner and changes over time. It has stood for thousands of years and caters only to spirits as they wait to either board a bus or a personal limo to the afterlife. Dead souls check in until they move on. Some move on soon after checking-in, but others stay on at the hotel floating aimlessly. It is a place for unsettled spirits “to rest and resolve issues they could not resolve while they were alive.” This is called “healing,” and is a necessary step for ghosts to pass on, Man Wol tells Gu Chang Seong. Hotel Del Luna exists in the human world, but it does not appear before most humans. “Every so often on rainy days, or in front of people with a special sense,” however, “it appears.” What is inside the hotel is not within the real world. “It’s a different time and space” and therefore it can have such amazing things as an indoor amusement park and private oceanside beach.

Warrior

Jang Man Wol means “full moon,” and her hotel is most impressive on the night of a full moon. The hotel’s CEO is cursed for a sin and a grudge nearly 1,000 years ago. Her people were nomads from Goguryeo, the kingdom in the north and central Korea around 37-668 CE, who originated from China. In a flashback, Man Wol is asked if she is thinking of joining the nomads’ revolt. She replies “we’re going to repair a broken nation.” She is a fierce warrior, a skilled swordsman, and a worthy leader of her people. Her sword is inscribed with “Full Moon” and she deftly wields that sword to kill many men, including Cheong Myeong, for whom she holds a deep grudge for ordering the murder of her people, including her dearest friend, Yeon Wu (Lee Tae Sun). Because of this sin, Ma Go Sin binds Man Wol to the hotel as a punishment. She is stuck in the place between the living and the dead - having never died and never disappeared.

Tree

The Moon Spirit Tree contains Man Wol’s spirit and is the source of power for the Hotel Del Luna. Man Wol has always admired trees because, unlike her and her people, they do not wander but have roots. For the past 999 years, the tree has been barren, but with the arrival of Gu Chan Seong at Hotel Del Luna, the tree begins to change, symbolizing that time has, once again, begun to flow for Man Wol. When Gu Chan Seong touches the tree, it bares leaves for the first time in Man Wol’s lifetime. At first, Man Wol thinks the green leaves that appear are ugly and gaudy, but when she asks Gu Chan Seong to stay by her side despite the risk to his life, he embraces her, and the flowers on the tree blossom beautifully. Man Wol begins to wonder if she will become as “pretty and colorful” as the tree, having hope for the first time since her punishment began. When she feels fear, because Chan Seong is in danger, the flowers begin to whither. And when she crosses over the bridge to escort Go Cheong Myeong to the afterlife, the tree is once again bare, coming full circle to how it began. Gu Chang Seong and the staff fear that the bare tree symbolizes Man Wol’s death, but rather, it represents the conclusion to her punishment and her ability to move on to the afterlife, no longer bound by the Moon Spirit Tree.

Heart

While the story of “Del Luna” centers around Man Wol and her journey, Gu Chan Seong stands solidly as heart and moral compass. Gu Chan Seong, once the youngest assistant manager to ever work at a multinational hotel corporation, is forced to work as General Manager for the Hotel Del Luna because of a deal his father made. The hotel requires a human General Manager to handle things which only humans can do, such as register sales and pay taxes. But while Man Wol is strong, Gu Chan Seong is repeatedly referred to as weak. He is empathetic and warm and wants to help others. He worries about Man Wol’s spirit when she exploits ghosts and extorts their families for money. He tells her she must live honestly and save so that she can move on and be reincarnated into a better life. Gu Chan Seong also worries about the Hotel Del Luna’s employees, who are spirits who have not moved on due to grudges that they hold from their time alive. He learns that spirits who stay on earth when they should go to the afterlife eventually cease to exist, and he resolves to help them move on.

Ma Go Sin(s)

Ma Go Sin is a God-like character in “Del Luna.” She is multiple women and personalities, each making up the characteristics of God. One harvests the flowers grown at the hotel from the energy they receive by helping the spirits heal and distributes them to those who are going to the afterlife. She focuses on fortune and destiny. The one in pink focuses on love and fate, always working to connect people. The one who makes the medicines focuses on choices, saying that it is not God who decides a human’s future, but the human. The one in the uniform focuses on punishing evil deeds. The one driving the expensive car focuses on life’s riches. And the one Gu Chan Seong meets when he goes back in time focuses on bad habits.

Ma Go Sin connects Man Wol and Gu Chan Seong by placing a flower from the Moon Spirit Tree in Gu Chan Seong’s heart. Gu Chan Seong begins to dream of Man Wol. He sees her past and realizes that Ma Go Sin connected them so that he could help Man Wol to resolve her past grudges and move on.

Strength

Man Wol and Gu Chan Seong flip the script on gender roles and strength, and I love it. Man Wol is portrayed from the beginning as being strong and powerful, while Gu Chan Seong frequently says he is not afraid because he knows Man Wol will protect him. She is the warrior with the knowledge and good instincts; He is the empath with a warm, and soft heart. But therein lies Gu Chan Seong’s strength. While Man Wol uses her strength to save Gu Chan Seong from many deadly situations, Gu Chan Seong uses his strength to help her, as well. We learn that Gu Chan Seong was put by Man Wol’s side by Ma Go Sin to protect her, as well. After killing Cheong Myeong, Man Wol was crazy with revenge. Because of this, her sins are heavy and her resentment is deep. For almost 1,000 years, she has wanted to drag him down to the bottom and then disappear herself. But Gu Chan Seong will not allow it. It is his job to prevent Man Wol from giving into her grudge and becoming an evil spirit. “I can’t turn your painful memories into something that didn’t happen,” he tells her, “But I want to bring your up from the bottom.” It is the strength of Gu Chan Seong’s love and support that convince Man Wol to listen to what Cheong Myeong has to say, allowing her to release her grudge and free herself from Hotel Del Luna and the Moon Spirit Tree.

Another example of strength is the strength of letting go of those we love. While assisting a spirit with a soul wedding early in the series, Ma Go Sin tells the spirit, “You need a stronger will to let go than to hold on.” This foreshadows the Lead Couple’s situation, and those exact words are repeated to Gu Chan Seong later in the series. Their farewell scene is nothing short of gut-wrenching, as they vow to meet again in the next life, tears streaming down their faces. They say their final farewells and she disappears into the tunnel as he dutifully sends off his last guest at the Hotel Del Luna.

Spirits

The core staff of the hotel is made up of 3 spirits - Scholar Kim, Mrs. Choi, and Hyeon Joong. Scholar Kim (Shin Jeong Geun) has been at the hotel the longest of the 3 spirits, having died 500 years ago. He was a scholar during who placed first place on the National Civil Service Exam, but died when his name and reputation were discredited after it was discovered that he was the author of many books for commoners, which was considered scandalous, at the time. He works as the Hotel Del Luna’s bartender. Mrs. Choi (Bae Hae Sun) died 200 years ago. She was the eldest daughter-in-law of a noble family, but was killed by a relative when she was unable to give birth to a son and heir. She is the Room Manager at Hotel Del Luna and is the head of housekeeping. Ji Hyeon Jeong (Pyo Ji Hoon – better known by his stage name, P.O) is the youngest of the 3 hotel employees, having died 70 years ago during the Korean War. Hyeon Jeong was a student who was accidentally shot by a friend who then assumed his life. He works at the front desk of the Hotel Del Luna, receiving and directing guests upon their arrival.

Scholar Kim, Mrs. Choi, and Hyeon Jeong love their boss, banning together to instruct the Grim Reaper fetch Man Wol from the afterlife when she fails to return after escorting a guest to the afterlife. The scene when she returns is adorable as all 3 spirits follow a running Gu Chan Seong to tearfully and happily embrace Man Wol upon her return. And, despite a rocky beginning, the 3 spirits come to love their human manager, too. One of my favorite moments is when the 3 spirits come to Gu Chan Seong’s rescue when he is attempting to retrieve Man Wol’s hairpin from an evil spirit. The trio arrives as silhouettes in the dark night, with flashes of light, flowing cloaks, and very angry faces. Mild-mannered as hotel employees, their ages represent 777 years, and the vengeful spirit is “just like a puppy” to this formidable trio.

Humans

Equally important to the story of “Del Luna” are the human characters. Lee Mi Ra (Park Yoo Na) and Detective Park (Lee Tae Sun) are reincarnated people from Man Wol’s past. Mi Ra was Man Wol’s enemy, Lady Song Ah, and Detective Park was the person Man Wol cherished the most, Yeon Wu. When the two begin dating as Mi Ra and Detective Park, Gu Chan Seong helps Man Wol realize that while the past she remembers is still a part of her current life, they were merely past lives for Mi Ra and Detective Park.

Kim Yu Na (Kang Mi Na) – or 4th Choice, as she is referred to by some of the spirits – is the intern at the hotel. When we first see her, she is a ghost named Jeong Su Jeong who has just been wrongfully killed by the real Kim Yu Na. She takes over Kim Yu Na’s body and with Man Wol’s assistance, is able to take possession of the body.

But the human story that has the most relevance to the story of “Del Luna” is that of Gu Chan Seong’s best friend, Sanchez (Cho Hyun Chul). Sanchez and Gu Chang Seong live together and he owns a pizza restaurant. The truth of Hotel Del Luna is revealed to him when his fiancé, Veronica, dies in a car accident and Gu Chan Seong takes him to say goodbye at the hotel. This scene foreshadows Man Wol and Gu Chan Seong’s inevitable parting. “I was very happy because of you,” Veronica tells Sanchez, words that could be spoken by Man Wol to Gu Chan Seong. It is also through Sanchez’s loss of Veronica that we see Man Wol’s and Gu Chan Seong’s fears about losing each other. Man Wol does not want Gu Chan Seong to mourn her, but to move on, but Gu Chan Seong does not know how he will do that. Man Wol needs him to be okay, so she can be okay, and Gu Chan Seong realizes that this is the price he is going to have to pay by being by her side. Then, when Sanchez is attending Veronica’s funeral in Italy, Mi Ra and Gu Chan Seong are discussing death, and Gu Chan Seong assures her that “death isn’t the end,” the overall message of “Del Luna” and a foreshadow of how Gu Chan Seong will be able to survive after Man Wol leaves for the afterlife.

Final verdict: MUST WATCH

“Hotel Del Luna” is an excellent K-drama that addresses the issue of death, and ultimately concludes that while we all must say goodbye, goodbye is not forever. The storyline weaves together the pasts of the main cast, as they each come to terms with their lives and move on, free of grudges. While the flashbacks can be confusing, at times, and sometimes make it difficult to keep the various timelines straight, every story is captivating and well-acted, leading toward a beautiful overall story about forgiveness and love. The fashion in “Del Luna” is amazing, with costuming from various eras. But Man Wol’s outfits are the clear standouts, as she matches up her outfits to the situation, whether she is eating Gondure Bap (Korean thistle rice), reading a book, or capturing an evil spirit. Man Wol’s “Breakfast at Sworski’s” outfit is a perfect homage to Audrey Hepburn’s outfit in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” My biggest disappointment is that this K-drama is woefully lacking in kisses. Only three kisses occur between the Lead Couple – while none occur between any of the other couples – and in fact, the first kiss is not even a “real” kiss, but an attempt by Man Wol to protect Gu Chan Seong from an evil spirit. The journey of the Lead Couple is enjoyable, but it can be sometimes be a struggle to see a clear path of love develop. A lot of screen time is devoted to Man Wol’s relationship with Cheong Myeong, which can take away from the Lead Couple’s story. Respect is love, and Man Wol and Gu Chang Seong most definitely come to respect each other, but some well-placed moments of physical intimacy could have made this amazing K-drama even better. That being said, “Hotel” is definitely one to watch! Overall, the acting of the ensemble cast is amazing, the costuming is next level, and the message that we will all be reunited someday is beautiful, securing “Hotel Del Luna” a spot on our MUST WATCH list.

So there it is, our review of “Hotel Del Luna.” What did you think?! Thank you for joining us on this journey.

Have a favorite K-drama you think we should review, comment down below!! We look forward to seeing you back again next time!

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