Hotel del Luna (Korean: 호텔 델루나; RR: Hotel delluna) is a 2019 South Korean television series, starring Lee Ji-eun and Yeo Jin-goo as the owner and manager, respectively, of the eponymous hotel that caters only to ghosts. Produced by GT:st, written by the Hong sisters and directed by Oh Choong-hwan, it aired on tvN from July 13 to September 1, 2019.[1][2][3]
It had an estimated budget of 16-20 billion won.[4] It was the most viewed tvN drama of 2019, making it one of the highest-rated Korean drama in cable television history.[5]
Synopsis[edit]
Hotel Del Luna (previously known as guest house of the moon) is not like any other hotel. A supernatural place, the hotel is not visible in its true form during the daytime as humans can only come across the hotel under special circumstances. Its staff and clients are all souls/ghosts coming to terms with unfinished business in their former lives before they pass on to the afterlife and cycle of reincarnation;[6] the staff in particular have been there for decades and even centuries as they have not settled their grudges. The exception to this is the hotel general manager, which has been filled by a succession of human “passersby” since they need to interact normally with the real world in instances like paying bills or fulfilling ghosts’ requests with still-living relatives/friends. Some of the more powerful or long-lasting ghosts can make themselves present among humans but they have to abide by the guidelines of the deities Mago and Grim Reaper; for instance killing a human being will usually result in the soul being destroyed without going on to the afterlife.[7] Ghosts can see other ghosts and humans, however only a select few humans such as the Guest House of the Moon manager can see ghosts.[8]
Jang Man-wol (Lee Ji-eun) is the owner of this hotel, which is located in Myeong-dong, Seoul. Due to a huge sin committed a millennium ago, the hotel catering to the dead has been bound to her soul. As a result of manipulation by the deity Mago (Yi-suk Seo), she meets Gu Chan-sung’s father and makes a deal for his son to work for her after 20 years in return for his life and money. With his new found fortune and life, his father takes Gu Chan-sung (Yeo Jin-goo) abroad where the young man grows up as a sincere perfectionist who is level-headed but also has a soft heart. He comes back to South Korea after his father’s death to be an assistant manager at a multinational hotel corporation, only to face Jang Man-wol, after which he ends up fulfilling the agreement and becomes the manager of Hotel Del Luna.[9]
Through Gu Chan-sung, the audience is introduced to the mysteries and the secrets behind the Hotel and its owner.
Cast[edit]
Main[edit]
Lee Ji-eun and Yeo Jin-goo during an interview for Hotel del Luna
- Lee Ji-eun (IU) as Jang Man-wol[10]
- Kim Gyu-ri as young Man-wol
- The beautiful but moody owner of Hotel del Luna (Guest House of the Moon) for 1,300 years. Initially condemned to be the owner of the hotel to atone for killing many people, her character gradually softens after she meets Gu Chan-sung. After the accidental death of her parents in the wilderness, Man-wol was found unconscious by a merchant and his son. Later she was taken in by Yeon-woo’s mother and raised alongside him. After the death of Yeon-woo’s mother, the pair remained close as siblings, and grew up to found a clan of bandits that join one of the Goguryeo revival movements against Later Silla. Upon reaching adulthood, Man-wol was initially warm, smart, and brave, but also sarcastic and ruthless. After a series of events she was eventually betrayed by her first love. She ended up killing many people in order to take revenge and searched for the guest house of moon for the dead to atone for her sins. Once she found it, she became cursed to run the guest house until her heart, now personified by an ancient tree, finally changed. Alternating between being cold/aloof and bad-tempered, she holds grudges as the centuries passed until she meets Gu Chan-sung and changed for the better. She is known for her love of gaudy and elaborate outfits (over 100 in the series), and frequently drinking champagne. She seems to love expensive and luxurious cars, as seen in some episodes when cars built by manufacturers Land Rover and Jaguar appear.[11][12]
- Yeo Jin-goo as Gu Chan-sung[13]
- Kim Kang-hoon as young Chan-sung
- The new general manager of Hotel del Luna, succeeding the previous manager, Noh Joon-suk. He is a handsome Harvard MBA graduate, who is hired as an assistant manager at one of Korea’s top hotels. However, due to a deal his father made with Jang Man-wol twenty-one years before, Chan-sung is forced to become the general manager for the Hotel del Luna and overcome his fears in coping with the unseen world of ghosts. Being stoic and rational puts him at odds with Man-wol, particularly curbing her spendthrift and extortionist tendencies. Once he settles in at Hotel del Luna his compassion emerges, with a customer focus tailored to each of the ghost clients, then eagerly learning Man-wol’s backstory and protecting her from committing further sins.[14]
Supporting[edit]
At the Hotel del Luna[edit]
- Jung Dong-hwan as No Joon-suk
- The hotel’s general manager for 30 years who is retiring; Chan-sung’s predecessor.
- Shin Jung-geun as Kim Seon-bi (formerly Kim Shi-ik)
- The longest employee of the hotel and the Sky Bar’s bartender. He lived during the Joseon dynasty as the scholar Kim Shi-ik, who committed suicide after being removed from his position for writing stories about the lives of commoners. He waited for 500 years to clear his name.
- Bae Hae-sun as Choi Seo-hee
- The housekeeper and room service provider with an extrovert personality. She also lived during the Joseon era as a nobleman’s wife. When she gave birth to a girl instead of a boy, the family took her child away to starve the baby whereas her husband slept with another woman to have a baby boy, in order to carry on the family name. She was driven to insanity after her daughter’s death and was killed by her husband’s men. She vowed to see the family tree die out and wishes to take the last heir of the family with her to the afterlife.
- Pyo Ji-hoon as Ji Hyun-joong
- The hotel receptionist. He is nice and polite but does not like his job. He was a student (at Soo-jung / Yoo-na’s school) who was accidentally killed by his friend during the height of the Korean War, who assumes his identity. He cares very deeply for his younger sister, waiting for 70 years to able to leave for the afterlife together. He starts dating Jung Soo-jung / Kim Yoo-na but ultimately had to break up with her because he left to the afterlife.
- Kang Mi-na as spirit of Jung Soo-jung / Kim Yoo-na (residing inside Kim Yoo-na’s body)[15]
- A rich and arrogant student, whose physical body ends up being inhabited by the spirit of Jung Soo-jung, a schoolmate whom Yoo-na bullied and murdered by pushing her off a bridge. Yoo-na’s spirit is obliterated by her parents, so Soo-jung decides to remain inside Yoo-na’s body and assume her identity to be able to live. Due to her being a spirit living in someone’s body, she also can see ghosts. Eventually she is hired as an intern.
People around Jang Man-wol[edit]
- Lee Do-hyun as Go Chung-myung
- A Later Silla royal guard captain who fell in love with Man-wol. He was forced to marry Princess Song-hwa and to capture the rebels and kill them to rid the king of suspicions and protect his clan as well as to spare Man-wol from punishment. Just after his marriage to Song-hwa, he intentionally allowed himself be killed by Man-wol out of his unwavering love and guilt towards her. The first guest of the hotel, he too has been repaying his sins and secretly stayed by Man-wol’s side due to a promise he made.
- Lee Tae-sun as Yeon-woo / Officer Park Young-soo
- The co-leader of the bandits with Man-wol, he acts as a surrogate brother to her. They raided Princess Song-hwa’s caravan that was guarded by Go Chung-myung. He was captured and killed under the lead of Go Chung-myung, which led to Jang Man-wol developing a deep grudge against the latter. He is reincarnated as police detective Park Young-soo, who becomes Lee Mi-ra’s boyfriend (reincarnation of Princess Song-hwa).
People around Gu Chan-sung[edit]
- Jo Hyun-chul as Sanchez[16]
- Chan-sung’s best friend when they were studying at Harvard. He is the son of a wealthy pizza franchise operator, running the restaurant in Seoul. He opens up his house to Chan-sung and Lee Mi-ra. He eventually learns the truth about the Hotel del Luna after his girlfriend’s death.
- Park Yoo-na as Princess Song-hwa / Lee Mi-ra
- A Later Silla princess who was attracted to Chung-myung and later married him. She oversaw the destruction of Man-wol and Yeon-woo’s clan of bandits, and during her wedding night was slain by Man-wol in revenge. After spending several lifetimes atoning for her sins, she is reincarnated as Lee Mi-ra, a doctor and Chan-sung’s squandering ex-girlfriend. She returns to Korea hoping to rekindle the romance with Chan-sung but later becomes Park Young-soo’s girlfriend.[17]
- Lee David as Seol Ji-won
- A rich young man who was Chan-sung and Sanchez’s schoolmate at Harvard. He had defamed Sanchez but was thwarted by Chan-sung, which resulted in him becoming Sanchez and Chan-sung’s nemesis. He later commits suicide after being outed for committing a series of heinous crimes and becomes a vengeful spirit who aims to haunt Chan-sung and his acquaintances for revenge.
Others[edit]
- Seo Yi-sook as Mago
- A goddess who controls the life and death of people passing through the hotel and appears in many forms.
- Kang Hong-seok as Grim Reaper
- He guides the souls staying at the hotel to the afterlife and often makes deals with Jang Man-wol to capture wandering evil spirits.
Special appearances[edit]
- Oh Ji-ho as Chan-sung’s father (Ep. 1 & 16)[18]
- Kim Won-hae as the mayor (Ep. 1)
- Lee Chae-kyung as hotel CEO (Ep. 1, 2 & 10)
- Nam Kyoung-eub as Chairman Wang (Ep. 2, 9 & 10)
- Lee Joon-gi as priest (Ep. 3)[19]
- Lee Si-eon as astronaut (Ep. 3)[19]
- Jo Hyun-sik as hotel guest (Ep. 3)
- Lee Yi-kyung as actor Yu Oh (Ep. 6)[20]
- Pyo Ye-jin as actress (Ep. 6)[21]
- Kim Jun-hyun as himself (Ep. 6)[20]
- Park Jin-joo as Gyeong Ah (Ep. 8)[22]
- Nam Da-reum as Spirit of the Well (Ep. 9–10)[23]
- Sulli as Jung Ji-eun (Ep. 10)[24]
- Choi Yoo-song as spirit of Chan-sung’s mother (Ep. 10)
- Seo Eun-soo as Veronica (Ep. 11)[25]
- Hwang Young-hee as Hwang Moon-sook (Ep. 11)
- Lee Seung-joon as doctor (Ep. 12)[26]
- So Hee-jung as doctor’s wife (Ep. 12)[26]
- Kim Seung-han as doctor’s son (Ep. 12)
- Lee Min-young as ghost (Ep. 13)
- Kim Soo-hyun as new owner of the Guest House of the Moon, renaming it Hotel Blue Moon (Ep. 16)[27]
Original soundtrack[edit]
| Hotel del Luna OST | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by
Various artists
|
|
| Recorded | 2019 |
| Genre | Soundtrack |
| Language |
|
| Label |
|
show
Chart performance[edit]
| Title | Year | Peak positions |
Remarks | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR | ||||||||
| “Another Day” (Monday Kiz and Punch) | 2019 | 20 | Part 1 | [40] | ||||
| “Lean On My Shoulders” (나의 어깨에 기대어요) (10cm) | 13 | Part 2 | [40] | |||||
| “All About You”(그대라는 시) (Taeyeon) | 1 | Part 3 | [41] | |||||
| “Only You” (너만 너만 너만) (Yang Da-il) | 33 | Part 4 | [42] | |||||
| “Can You See My Heart” (내 맘을 볼 수 있나요) (Heize) | 2 | Part 5 | [42] | |||||
| “At the End” (그 끝에 그대) (Chungha) | 18 | Part 6 | [43] | |||||
| “Remember Me” (기억해줘요 내 모든 날과 그때를) (Gummy) | 1 | Part 7 | [43] | |||||
| “See the Stars” (어떤 별보다) (Red Velvet) | 50 | Part 8 | [44] | |||||
| “Can You Hear My Voice” (내 목소리 들리니) (Ben) | 3 | Part 9 | [43] | |||||
| “So Long” (안녕) (Paul Kim) | 1 | Part 10 | [43] | |||||
| “Say Goodbye” (Song Ha-ye) | 22 | Part 11 | [40] | |||||
| “Done for Me” (Punch) | 1 | Part 12 | [40] | |||||
| “Love Del Luna” (러브 델루나) (Taeyong & Punch) | 46 | Part 13 | [45] | |||||
| “—” denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region. | ||||||||
Viewership[edit]
This series aired on tvN, a cable channel/pay TV which normally has a relatively smaller audience compared to free-to-air TV/public broadcasters (KBS, SBS, MBC and EBS). It was the most viewed tvN drama of 2019, and it is the twelfth-highest-rated Korean drama in cable television history.[5]
Hotel del Luna : South Korea viewers per episode (millions)
| Season | Episode number | Average | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |||
| 1 | 2.037 | 2.258 | 2.349 | 2.288 | 2.063 | 2.664 | 2.372 | 2.926 | 2.679 | 3.034 | 2.645 | 3.340 | 2.519 | 3.101 | 3.014 | 3.674 | 2.685 | |
Source: Audience measurement performed nationwide by Nielsen Media Research.[46]
| Ep. | Original broadcast date | Average audience share (AGB Nielsen)[47] |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | Seoul | ||||
| 1 | July 13, 2019 | 7.327% | 7.749% | ||
| 2 | July 14, 2019 | 7.633% | 8.857% | ||
| 3 | July 20, 2019 | 8.281% | 9.478% | ||
| 4 | July 21, 2019 | 7.736% | 9.024% | ||
| 5 | July 27, 2019 | 7.023% | 7.883% | ||
| 6 | July 28, 2019 | 8.701% | 9.949% | ||
| 7 | August 3, 2019 | 8.052% | 8.772% | ||
| 8 | August 4, 2019 | 9.131% | 10.469% | ||
| 9 | August 10, 2019 | 8.349% | 10.266% | ||
| 10 | August 11, 2019 | 10.009% | 11.779% | ||
| 11 | August 17, 2019 | 8.590% | 9.746% | ||
| 12 | August 18, 2019 | 10.407% | 12.178% | ||
| 13 | August 24, 2019 | 8.750% | 9.892% | ||
| 14 | August 25, 2019 | 9.995% | 11.986% | ||
| 15 | August 31, 2019 | 9.892% | 11.255% | ||
| 16 | September 1, 2019 | 12.001% | 13.875% | ||
| Average | 8.867% | 10.197% | |||
|
|||||
Adaptations[edit]
US remake[edit]
On June 24, 2020, Studio Dragon announced that it would co-produce an American remake of Hotel del Luna with Skydance. Alison Schapker will be in charge of developing and producing the series. She will be working with Miky Lee, Jinnie Choi and Hyun Park of Studio Dragon, and David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Bill Bost of Skydance Television.[48][49]
Philippine remake[edit]
An upcoming Philippine adaptation will be produced by IBC 13 and Viva Entertainment on 2022.[citation needed]
Korean musical[edit]
On January 27, 2021, the theater company Showplay announced that Hotel del Luna would be adapted into a stage musical scheduled to premiere in 2022.[50]
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 12th Korea Drama Awards | Best Original Soundtrack | “All About You” (Taeyeon) | Nominated | [51] |
| Lifetime Achievement Award | Jung Dong-hwan | Won | [52] | ||
| 21st Mnet Asian Music Awards | Best OST | “Remember Me” (Gummy) | Won | [53] | |
| “So Long” (Paul Kim) | Nominated | ||||
| 2nd Asian Academy Creative Awards | Best Drama Series | Hotel del Luna | Nominated | [54] | |
| 11th Melon Music Awards | Best OST | “Remember Me” (Gummy) | Won | [55] | |
| 8th Korea First Brand Awards | Best Actress | IU | Won | [56] | |
| 2020 | 34th Golden Disc Awards | Best OST | “Remember Me” (Gummy) | Won | [57] |
| 29th Seoul Music Awards | OST Award | “All About You” (Taeyeon) | Won | [58] | |
| “Lean on Me” (10cm) | Nominated | ||||
| “Can You See My Heart?” (Heize) | Nominated | ||||
| “Remember Me” (Gummy) | Nominated | ||||
| “So Long” (Paul Kim) | Nominated | ||||
| 56th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actress (TV) | IU | Nominated | [59] |