Overview of Hotel del Luna

A 2019 South Korean television series titled ‘Hotel del Luna’ features Lee Ji-eun (IU) and Yeo Jin-goo as the proprietor and general manager, respectively, of the hotel, ‘Hotel Del Luna’, which exclusively welcomes ghosts. It was created by GT:st, directed by Oh Choong-hwan, written by the Hong sisters, and broadcast on tvN from 13 July to 1 September 2019.

It is one of the highest-rated Korean dramas in cable television history and the most-watched tvN drama of 2019. Lee Ji-eun and Jin-goo play the role of the owner and general manager of the hotel named Hotel del Luna, who only accepts ghosts, respectively, in the 2019 South Korean television series ‘Hotel del Luna’. The Hong sisters wrote the script, Oh Choong-hwan directed, and GT:st created it.

Profile

• Drama: ‘Hotel del Luna’
• Director: Oh Choong-hwan
• Writers: Hong Jung-eun, Hong Mi-ran
• Network: tvN
• Episodes: 16
• Genre: Fantasy, Romance
• Release Date: 13 July – 1 September 2019
• Language: Korean
• Country: South Korea

Cast

• Lee Ji-eun / IU as Jang Man-wol
• Kim Gyu-ri as young Man-wol
• Yeo Jin-goo as Gu Chan-sung
• Kim Kang-hoon as young Chan-sung
• Jung Dong-hwan as Noh Joon-suk
• Shin Jung-geun as Kim Seon-bi (formerly Kim Shi-ik)
• Bae Hae-sun as Choi Seo-hee
• Pyo Ji-hoon as Ji Hyun-joong
• Kang Mi-na as spirit of Jung Soo-jung / Kim Yoo-na

Synopsis

Previously called as ‘Guest House of the Moon’, ‘Hotel del Luna’ is unlike any other hotel. The hotel is at supernatural location that is only accessible to humans in certain circumstances and is not visible in its real form during the day. All of its employees and customers are ghosts who are trying to make peace with unresolved issues from their previous lives before moving on to the afterlife and the cycle of reincarnation; the staff in particular have been there for decades or centuries because they haven’t let go of their resentments.

The hotel’s general manager is an exception to this rule; they have been replaced by a succession of human “passersby” because they occasionally need to connect with the outside world, such as to pay bills or fulfil requests from spirits from living family or friends.

Jang Man-wol (Lee Ji-eun) is the owner of this hotel, which is located in Myeong-dong, Seoul. The hotel that serves the dead has been tied to her soul as a result of a significant sin committed more than a thousand years ago. A pact is struck between Jang Man-wol and Gu Chan-sung’s (Oh Ji-ho) as a consequence of manipulation by the deity Mago (Seo Yi-sook). In exchange for his life, Jang Man-wol’s son would labour for her in 20 years.

The father sends  Gu Chan-sung abroad in an effort to save his kid. The boy develops into a sincere, calm, and compassionate perfectionist. After his father passes away, he returns to South Korea to work as an assistant manager for a multinational hotel organisation. However, he runs across Jang Man-wol there, and he ultimately fulfils the arrangement and takes over as manager of the hotel.

The mysteries and secrets surrounding the hotel and its owner are made known by Gu Chan-sung.

The Ending of ‘Hotel del Luna’ Explained

Hotel del Luna is a guest home for ghosts and spirits that have unfinished business or must atone for previous transgressions before passing away. Man-wol has been doomed to operate the hotel for more than a millennium, ever since she committed a terrible sin until her heart eventually transforms.

Then, there is Gu Chan-sung, played by Jin-goo, a human whose father struck a contract with Man-wol that led to Chan-sung managing the hotel and assisting all of the spirits there in resolving their concerns and transitioning to the afterlife. Man-wol and Chan-sung become closer as they spend more time together, with Man-wol changing for the better as a result of her love for the new boss.

One season and 16 episodes of the well-liked K-drama ‘Hotel del Luna’ tell the entire tale of Man-wol and Chan-sung’s journey together. At the end of the season, Man-wol must choose between going on as Chan-owner sung’s and sharing the rest of his life with him or eventually dying and entering the afterlife.

What choice does she make? Here is an explanation of ‘Hotel del Luna’s’ conclusion.

Chan-sung Sends Man-wol Off to the Afterlife

Chan-sung offers Man-wol the chance to stay at the hotel with him if she drinks moon flower wine she agrees. All the ghosts, including Man-wol, must be led to the afterlife by Chan-sung because he is the only employee of the hotel who is human. The two spend their final night together in a melancholy night after deciding she won’t stay at the motel. Man-wol doesn’t even know if she will enter heaven, but she hopes that she has done and learnt enough to atone for her previous transgressions.

Man-wol declines Chan-sung’s offer to let her remain at the hotel with him in exchange for a glass of moon flower wine, but she does so after learning of his condition. As the sole employee of the Hotel del Luna who is human, Chan-sung must guide every ghost, including Man-wol to the afterlife. After she makes the decision she won’t stay at the hotel, the two spend their final night together in a depressing setting. Man-wol has no idea whether she will make it to Heaven, but she hopes that she has done and learned enough to make up for her earlier sins.

A New Manager Takes Over the Hotel

The Hotel requires a new management now that Man-wol is no longer in charge. Fortunately, someone steps in right away, and longtime viewers of K-dramas will recognise him. Kim Soo-hyun, who plays the nameless new manager, makes a significant cameo appearance in the final episode of ‘Hotel del Luna’. Soo-hyun, one of the most well-liked performers in Korea, has acted in the drama ‘The Producers’ and co-starred with Lee Ji-eun. Soo-hyun went on to star in the Netflix Original Korean drama ‘It’s Okay to Not Be Okay’ after his appearance in ‘Hotel del Luna’.

The deity Mago chooses Soo-hyun’s figure in the hotel to succeed Man-wol, and he renames the place Hotel Blue Moon. Like Man-wol, he probably has unfinished work on Earth, but the conclusion says nothing more about the character’s conceivable history. You can decide whether Chan-sung and the new manager connect since it can be presumed that Chan-sung leaves the hotel once Man-wol leaves, even though he retains his ability to see and communicate with ghosts.

Many viewers of the show had hoped that Soo-hyun would be the showrunner for a second season when the finale aired, but sadly, it doesn’t appear that this will be happening, at least not anytime soon.

Do Man-wol and Chan-sung Find Each Other Again?

The final scene of the drama features Chan-sung and Man-wol reconciling in a park, but it’s unclear whether this is just his hallucination or a true memory from their afterlife. The Hong sisters, who wrote ‘Hotel del Luna’, briefly discussed what the concluding scenes symbolise, albeit it is left up for interpretation. Man-wol leaving Chan-sung behind was always the plan, but that doesn’t always imply that their relationship is over.

The writers indicated that they believe Chan-sung is anticipating the best possible future in the scene where Man-wol and Chan-sung reunite.

Awards

• 29th Seoul Music Awards 2020
  OST Award – “All About You” (Taeyeon) (2020)
• 2th Korea Drama Awards 2019
  Lifetime Achievement Award – Jung Dong-hwan (2019)
• 21st Mnet Asian Music Awards 2019
  Best OST – “Remember Me” (Gummy) (2019)
• 11th Melon Music Awards 2019
  Best OST – “Remember Me” (Gummy) (2019)
• 2020 34th Golden Disc Awards
  Best OST – “Remember Me” (Gummy)

Interesting Facts about ‘Hotel del Luna’

1. This drama was Hong Jung Eun and Hong Mi Ran’s 12th written story. The Hong Sisters are popular for hit dramas such as My Girl, You’re Beautiful, My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, and Greatest Love.
2. The cast and crew of drama enjoyed their reward vacation in Bangkok.
3. The drama, with a 12 percent audience rating, is the most watched drama in 2019.
4. When actor Kim Soo-hyun appeared in the final episode, TvN rejected the rumours of a second season.

FAQs

1. How many episodes are there in ‘Hotel del Luna’?
   There are 16 episodes.
2. In which year was ‘Hotel del Luna’ released?
   It was released in 2019.
3. On which platform was ‘Hotel del Luna’ released?
   It was released on tvN.
4. What is the Instagram handle of the main lead IU?
   The Instagram handle of IU is ‘@dlwlrma‘.