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[Drama 2019] Hotel Del Luna, 호텔 델루나


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3 hours ago, vangsweetie637 said:

BUT to use “burdensome” makes it seem like they wanted to but just chose not do it or could not.

I think what they meant to say is that it would be too much of a burden for CS if he got too attached. But he was as emotionally attached as one can get anyways, so if they were really consistent they should have followed through with the physical part.

 

I personally felt that this decision undermines the message of the story -- which was to live well and to cherish the little time you are given together, so you can contently move on.  So to me the excuses provided by the Hong sisters seemed disingenuous. More likely, after the casting, someone decided that showing too much skinship might negatively affect one or both of the actors' image (either IU being seen as a cradle robber, or it interfering with YJG's nation's kid image, or some such nonsense). I have no stats on how the Korean audience responded to their initial kiss, but a bad reaction to that could also explain the followup... In the interest of the story it was for sure not.

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1 hour ago, charlieblue17 said:

 

I personally felt that this decision undermines the message of the story -- which was to live well and to cherish the little time you are given together, so you can contently move on.  So to me the excuses provided by the Hong sisters seemed disingenuous.

 

I think I really am the target market of this drama because to me it makes sense :)

First, I was already not bothered by the lack of intimacy. What I was curious was why instead of sweeping it under the rug, they were calling attention to it, but I just brushed it off as for comedic purpose.

Reading the Hong Sisters explanation plugged the hole for me. CS really is carrying too much on his shoulders. MW is like a terminally ill bed ridden person, and CS was the loved one who would be left all alone but was still running around making sure MW would feel comfortable, would not harm her self, would fulfill her unfinished responsibilities and would be sent off well, when he gets back to her side, he is exhausted, still, he has to keep showing a strong face. Every meeting is not a happy one, but a sort of relief that the person that he loves is still there. I feel that the mere act of kissing would simply break him down and leave him a sobbing mess, and then, MW would not have peace in her passing :tears:

Also, I can agree with you, that they would want to make the most of their time together, but for me, their intimacy (and love making) would be too much even for cable tv to handle. It would be desperate, hard and very passionate, with lots of crying all throughout. If this was a movie, I think the director would give us that.

 

This makes me wonder if the reason we could not feel the burden is because CS' desperation was not shown enough. I love Jin Goo, but there is one scene that I felt he was lacking in. In Ep 12, when he left abruptly after MW took care of his bruises and he went to wallow in the hotel lobby, (because of lack of time because of so many storylines in this drama) that would have been the scene to showcase his desperation about losing her, but I could not make much of his expressions. I dont like solo dramatic scenes, but I kinda wish they did more of that to drive home the point.

Also, this is just my impression, I think Jin Goo kinda lured the writers and director away from the original personality of CS. He played another character too well, they left him in the driver seat, without changing the motivations in the script. I love the sweet, controlled, logical CS that we got (currently my top male drama lead), but from the dialogues, it seems to me that he should be more cocky. MW is always complaining about him bragging about Harvard, but as an audience, I felt that he was not bragging at all, he walks all his talks. I think Jin Goo played CS a little to perfectly, the character is basically flawless. The script seem to suggest that he should be the arrogant, I can handle everything, I am not afraid of anything type but then suddenly, he turns out to be afraid of ghosts, which should be a source of shame. However, we got a really smart, aptly confident guy who is rationally afraid of ghosts. And that carries over, he is very methodical and logical, he gets everything done, so the impression that he left for me is he can handle all the troubles, and that he is alright. As an onlooker, I know the burden is heavy, but CS is very strong so he can carry it well. He did break down in the bus stop, but for me, he got himself together right after and started thinking straight again. The script seem to call for a more gradual breakdown. Someone very sure of himself (lucky and the best all his life) suddenly finds himself a problem he cannot solve and being totally wrecked by it, and pulling away from intimacy because he is afraid he would show his weakness to the person he loves who needs him to be very strong. That would have probably not necessitated that Hong Sisters interview for the audience to piece the puzzle together.

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2 hours ago, vangsweetie637 said:

I am a bit disturbed by the fact the Hong sisters used the word “burdensome” to describe the lack of romance and skinships between ManChan. Yes, i know their situation was not the best in terms of a human relationship. But they were so in love. It was so easy to forget that it was a ghost-human love.

 

I was perfectly fine with the skinship and romance they expressed throughout their gestures and moments. Yes. I saw the missed opportunities and at some points, little moments of romance and skinship could be added to touch up even more on their love. But i accepted it since it was not given entirely.

 

BUT to use “burdensome” makes it seem like they wanted to but just chose not do it or could not. Like, why not? You are the authors. The writers. You can twist your story to how you want it. Add some here. Add some there. Take some out. It shouldn’t be a burden to do it. <_< It shouldn’t be referred to as burdensome. 

 

This word makes me feel like ManChan deserved more but didn’t get it because it was a burden to do so :unamused:

 

 

Yeah, I agree that using the word burdensome was sort of strong.

 

1 hour ago, charlieblue17 said:

I think what they meant to say is that it would be too much of a burden for CS if he got too attached. But he was as emotionally attached as one can get anyways, so if they were really consistent they should have followed through with the physical part.

 

I personally felt that this decision undermines the message of the story -- which was to live well and to cherish the little time you are given together, so you can contently move on.  So to me the excuses provided by the Hong sisters seemed disingenuous. More likely, after the casting, someone decided that showing too much skinship might negatively affect one or both of the actor's image (either IU being seen as a cradle robber, or it interfering with YJG's nation's kid image, or some such nonsense). I have no stats on how the Korean audience responded to their initial kiss, but a bad reaction to that could also explain the followup... In the interest of the story it was for sure not.

 

I have similar thoughts about the image issue :mellow:  But I think a Soompier had mentioned that IU may have shed some of her idol image with her last work Persona...that she probably would have been able to do a more intimate scene.

 

Also, I don't think a steamy bed scene would need to have been done.  There are many ways in which they could have done a tasteful scene that implied that something did happen between them.  A simple scene of him picking her up and them looking at each other as he enters her bed room and the door closes.  Enough said.  Or a cute morning after scene where he wakes up in her bed and she's not there but later comes in with a breakfast trolley and there could be a funny scene of him attempting to eat scrambled eggs she made but it taste horrible and he makes fun of her cooking skills.

 

But in some ways I also understand why the Hong Sisters' did what they did.  CS would have had a harder time letting go if they had "crossed that line"  I mean some of us still have it in our minds that CS is going to be alone living his life thinking back at those memories.  Can you image if a bed scene had happened?  People be like poor CS now he really cannot have another relationship because who can compare to MW in bed :lol: :P  

 

I like to think of it this way.  CS and MW this life time didn't get to do all they could have.  They have some unfinished business :rolleyes: so you know their paths have to cross again for them to finish that unfinished business :phew:  And if you really think about it, CS has saved MW 2 times so you know she has to come back in another lifetime to pay that back to CS :wub:

 

I didn't think I would be coming back to this thread but I keep checking to see if anyone else has left finale comments and last articles and news about the show.

 

@annamchoi I feel the same way as you about episode 16.  I don't think I will be able to re-watch that for some time.  I was feeling pretty heavy last couple of days.  Didn't think this drama would affect me so. 

 

Watching some of the bts of the show and seeing them joke around and have fun has help ease the sting.

 

There is the Youtube channel (SGHeartIU) that has the English sub of the bts for those of you who haven't seen the bts for the show.   I highly recommend it.  It's cool seeing how they filmed certain scenes.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxEin_L2hav25rvqbjpzdOQ

 

This is such a cute interview of Jieun (IU) and Jin Goo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyA5A_WtbGk

 

 

Now, all I can hope for is 1.) IU and YJG get to act in another project together 2.) they get to make a cameo appearance as a CS and MW type couple in another Hong Sisters drama

 

 

 

 

 

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On 7/29/2019 at 9:20 PM, Blizzardistkaputt said:

 

I remembered it as a children's song, My Grandfather's Clock. I was humming along...Amazing,I hadn't sang this in decades but I remembered the lyrics, not the songwriter,  Henry Clay Work. And decades later the music is re-arranged again to a lovely tempo.Thank you for sharing.

My grandfather's clock was too large for the shelf,
So it stood ninety years on the floor;
It was taller by half than the old man himself,
Though it weighed not a pennyweight more.
It was bought on the morn of the day that he was born,
And was always his treasure and pride;
But it stopped short — never to go again —
When the old man died.

chorus:

Ninety years without slumbering 
(tick, tock, tick, tock),

His life's seconds numbering,
(tick, tock, tick, tock),

It stopped short never to go again when the old man died

Sorry for the very very very late reply  but is this it

 

Spoiler

 

 

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17 hours ago, RiceGirl1212 said:

Also, I don't think a steamy bed scene would need to have been done. 

I did not need them to actually show anything sexy either. I would have been perfectly fine for instance if MW's 'to the bedroom' scene would have finished with him twirling her around and walking towards the bed. But the explicit and played-out-for-laughs refusal of her natural need for physical contact felt wrong to me.

 

As they left it, CS remains too pitiful. He was always a bit of a loner, with no family of his own and when he finally manages to build some family relationships everyone leaves. He only has his memories to sustain him, so they should at least have made as many memories as possible. Isn't it the point that "to have loved and lost is better than not to love at all"? then why enforce such unnatural boundaries between them? Maybe it's a cultural difference thing, but I just don't get it.

 

In the end, the gods (and writers) did not seem to like CS at all. His fate was by far the worst of the lot.

 

17 hours ago, aria26 said:

This makes me wonder if the reason we could not feel the burden is because CS' desperation was not shown enough.

Love the way you've articulated this point. Yes - towards the end CS got a bit too perfect. We started off with a character that refused to walk the given path and instead tried to find creative solutions for the best possible resolution, only to end up an all-accepting self-sacrificing saint. He was always one to internalize hurt, which is why the bus scene had so much of an impact. But after MW returned, he stopped showing any of his negative feelings, not only in front of her (which is understandable) but also in front of the audience. And that was narratively the wrong thing to do, imo... (maybe this was the HS's way of hiding most of the bitter part of their bittersweet ending, but again it felt disingenuous).

 

PS: after carefully going through the Hong sisters interview it was made apparent that in their head CS was some sort of a monk who was there just to dutifully send MW off. They put zero thought in his feeling or his fate after MW's departure. And it was down to the director to add a sliver of hope in the ending: if it were up to them there would be no hope of a future together. Just a clean cutting of ties. Job done. Go back to the monastery.

 

Also, reading that interview finally convinced me that their bad endings are not some unnatural fluke, but rather an actual character fault. I was expecting too much from the writers all along -- they don't have it in them (cleverness, sophistication, sensitivity, understanding of human emotion, you name it) to do any better. They can come up with clever setups, write funny banter, and infuse the dialogue with layers of meta, but they simply cannot write complete meaningful stories. When their shows do succeed, it is down to the actors and the director who take largely subpar material and make it work. So all the kudos goes to the HdL team who made this a memorable experience despite their blunders.

 

The Hong sisters  are officially black listed in my books. Might have taken me 12 tries, but I have finally learned my lesson.

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@aria26 some interesting observations on how YJG acted out CS.  I can see where you are coming from. 

 

It was subtly acted at the farewell scene where CS couldn't say anything to MW when she held his cheek.  He held her hand in desperation cracking into a sob before straightening himself up again but unable to muster the strength to say anything in agreement to them meeting again.  He could only nod his head.

 

If the director or writers had pushed for that slow break down of CS I think it really would have made the last 4 episodes even sadder and harder to watch.  The impact of their goodbye in 16 would have been even more heartbreaking than it already was. 

 

I personally then would have left out the open ending type dream in front of the painting and given the reincarnation scene :sweatingbullets: to make it a little bit happier.

 

Now that you mention if Hotel Del Luna had been a movie they could have shown a passionate bed scene.  My :naughty: mind can see something like CS and MW head to bed together with some passionate kissing and fade out to imply the deed.  Then CS waking up in the middle of the night with the soft moonlight peering into the bedroom.  He sits up in bed shirtless and glances to his right to see MW gently sleeping.  Flashes of their intimate night together play through his mind and he begins to silently cry knowing that all of this would soon become but a bittersweet memory.  As he folds his hands together and hides has head in them we see MW wake up and sense the situation.  She tenderly places her hand on his shoulder making him lift his head up and turn towards her.  She wipes away his tears and coaxes him to lay back down.  She then cradles him placing a kiss on his head while she fights back her own tears.

 

Cue to next morning where we put the breakfast trolley scene I mentioned in my previous post to lighten up the mood.  Oh how I wished we had a scene where MW tries to cook something :lol: and CS makes fun of how bad of a cook she is.

 

Ahhh, here I go again with my fanfiction mind -_- :sweatingbullets: :lol:

 

@angelbeast90  Thank you for finding the music pieces and sharing it with us.  The melody is so sweet yet sad.  Beautiful piece of music.

 

@lightbringer06 that's horrible how people are just following him around like that.  He's just trying to go to school to learn and earn his major.  Sadly, he's probably not the only celebrity who has had people following them around taking pictures while they are in school.

 

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43 minutes ago, RiceGirl1212 said:

Now that you mention if Hotel Del Luna had been a movie they could have shown a passionate bed scene.  My :naughty: mind can see something like CS and MW head to bed together with some passionate kissing and fade out to imply the deed.  Then CS waking up in the middle of the night with the soft moonlight peering into the bedroom.  He sits up in bed shirtless and glances to his right to see MW gently sleeping.  Flashes of their intimate night together play through his mind and he begins to silently cry knowing that all of this would soon become but a bittersweet memory.  As he folds his hands together and hides has head in them we see MW wake up and sense the situation.  She tenderly places her hand on his shoulder making him lift his head up and turn towards her.  She wipes away his tears and coaxes him to lay back down.  She then cradles him placing a kiss on his head while she fights back her own tears.

 

Cue to next morning where we put the breakfast trolley scene I mentioned in my previous post to lighten up the mood.  Oh how I wished we had a scene where MW tries to cook something :lol: and CS makes fun of how bad of a cook she is.

 

Dear @RiceGirl1212 if this was a movie, you would see the whole thing, you would even beg them to stop, haha. In my version, there would be clawing and pounding and it would look like it would hurt :) (to reflect how frustrated they are). But I love CS crying in the middle of the night follow-up. I am not sure how MW would react though, to me, this is one thing she cannot protect him from, she just lets him sob because she herself does not have enough strength to comfort him. Then morning comes, and they do the cute trolley scene, pretending to be fine again :)

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@lightbringer06... thanks for the IG links!!...

 

Man, how can YJG study in peace with girls hounding him like that? See, no wonder celebrities cant be long in uni or school because of things like this... they cant study in peace and enjoy uni life... imagine, having a phone, or rather several phones (coz people want to take videos/pictures) stuck in your face, everywhere u go... its like a mobile CCTV, and lots of it, observing your every move.... aigooo....

 

Is it even necessary celebrities to have a degree in Korea? Hmmm...

 

-----'

Thanks for c drama, will check out the reviews before embarking on one... im just out kdrama to watch after the end of designated survivor and HDL... sigh

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42 minutes ago, aria26 said:

 

Dear @RiceGirl1212 if this was a movie, you would see the whole thing, you would even beg them to stop, haha. In my version, there would be clawing and pounding and it would look like it would hurt :) (to reflect how frustrated they are). But I love CS crying in the middle of the night follow-up. I am not sure how MW would react though, to me, this is one thing she cannot protect him from, she just lets him sob because she herself does not have enough strength to comfort him. Then morning comes, and they do the cute trolley scene, pretending to be fine again :)

 

I wonder if YJG's ears could survive such scenes.  They would be beet red :lol:

 

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THANK YOU @vangsweetie637, @aria26, @charlieblue17, and @RiceGirl1212 for your recent posts. They're truly insightful and in some way, helped me understand what I have been feeling about this series since the beginning and even after it ended. 

 

It was easy to accept Hong sisters' explanation because the series is done and there's no space for hoping this or that may happen. But thank you for discussing some issues about the series we found lacking. I now feel less alone somewhat. :heart:

 

 

6 hours ago, vangsweetie637 said:

Yes, i know their situation was not the best in terms of a human relationship. But they were so in love.

 

5 hours ago, charlieblue17 said:

But he was as emotionally attached as one can get anyways, so if they were really consistent they should have followed through with the physical part.

YES! It makes me wonder if the Hong sisters have ever been deeply in love. Yes they're the writers of the show but it's just that the distance or boundary in terms of physical romance between two people who are deeply in love, ghost or human or in between, is unrealistic for me. 

 

5 hours ago, charlieblue17 said:

I personally felt that this decision undermines the message of the story -- which was to live well and to cherish the little time you are given together, so you can contently move on.  So to me the excuses provided by the Hong sisters seemed disingenuous. More likely, after the casting, someone decided that showing too much skinship might negatively affect one or both of the actors' image (either IU being seen as a cradle robber, or it interfering with YJG's nation's kid image, or some such nonsense). I have no stats on how the Korean audience responded to their initial kiss, but a bad reaction to that could also explain the followup... In the interest of the story it was for sure not.

"Disingenuous." Thanks for saying this. Also, it may have been their image, but I don't think it is because IU played a daring role in Persona and YJG also had some steamy kissing scenes in his previous projects. I think I'd only accept this "image" reason if it's an excuse to cover up IU and YJG falling in love and agreeing privately that to not raise attention to their relationship, they show less intimate scenes. :lol: I'm kidding but if it were true, I also wouldn't complain. 

 

4 hours ago, aria26 said:

What I was curious was why instead of sweeping it under the rug, they were calling attention to it, but I just brushed it off as for comedic purpose.

YES! I'm glad someone said it. They keep teasing us you'd think something will happen that it makes you think if the failure to realize what they've been building up to reflects the conflict between the writing, the direction and as you also said the acting/portrayal of the actors. I don't know what happened for sure but I feel like the teasing and sexual tension is partly a directional choice and openness on IU's portrayal of MW, while the opposition to that is the limitations of the script since the writers didn't want happy romance and in YJG's portrayal of CS as you said. 

 

4 hours ago, aria26 said:

This makes me wonder if the reason we could not feel the burden is because CS' desperation was not shown enough. I love Jin Goo, but there is one scene that I felt he was lacking in. In Ep 12, when he left abruptly after MW took care of his bruises and he went to wallow in the hotel lobby, (because of lack of time because of so many storylines in this drama) that would have been the scene to showcase his desperation about losing her, but I could not make much of his expressions. I dont like solo dramatic scenes, but I kinda wish they did more of that to drive home the point.

Exactly, and you know what desperation makes people do right? Hold on to things they would have to let go until they're not able to hold on any longer, and this could have been shown in CS's desire to feel and show the love they have for each other until time runs out. 

 

4 hours ago, aria26 said:

And that carries over, he is very methodical and logical, he gets everything done, so the impression that he left for me is he can handle all the troubles, and that he is alright. As an onlooker, I know the burden is heavy, but CS is very strong so he can carry it well. He did break down in the bus stop, but for me, he got himself together right after and started thinking straight again. The script seem to call for a more gradual breakdown. Someone very sure of himself (lucky and the best all his life) suddenly finds himself a problem he cannot solve and being totally wrecked by it, and pulling away from intimacy because he is afraid he would show his weakness to the person he loves who needs him to be very strong. That would have probably not necessitated that Hong Sisters interview for the audience to piece the puzzle together.

I also feel that CS is strong, and he knows he is strong so he could have decided to go all the way with MW, to spend all their remaining time together, to do the stuff they want to together, even if MW has to leave because love is stronger than any fear or pain, and CS would be able to deal with it as long as there's no regrets on his part, nothing left unsaid or undone between them. 

 

So glad you talked about what happened after the bus stop scene because I was expecting them to show more of it - YJG and Sanchez consoling each other, for instance, or as I've said before, YJG feeling the loss, always dreaming about her, until finally MW shows up. But instead, what we got is CS still consoling the remaining ghosts, which is in character since he's our responsible, dependable Harvard MBA hotelier, but then it fails to show CS's pain and desperation as a man in love.

 

Do you mean to tell me that he cried like that in the bus stop and then hugged her tight when she came back, only to remai strong until she left? What's the point of showing he waited for her and cried for her, when there's no crossing boundaries or taking one step further after MW came back from the bridge? 

 

3 hours ago, RiceGirl1212 said:

Also, I don't think a steamy bed scene would need to have been done.  There are many ways in which they could have done a tasteful scene that implied that something did happen between them. 

YES! We weren't asking for much.

 

3 hours ago, RiceGirl1212 said:

I like to think of it this way.  CS and MW this life time didn't get to do all they could have.  They have some unfinished business :rolleyes: so you know their paths have to cross again for them to finish that unfinished business :phew:  And if you really think about it, CS has saved MW 2 times so you know she has to come back in another lifetime to pay that back to CS :wub:

 

@annamchoi I feel the same way as you about episode 16.  I don't think I will be able to re-watch that for some time.  I was feeling pretty heavy last couple of days.  Didn't think this drama would affect me so. 

I feel the same in that I could conjure stories in my head of how their love continues when they meet again in their next lives. But it's just so unsatisfying to keep on filling the blanks if only to console myself when they could have had done it themselves to show a better story. It could be the limited time since they shot until the day of the final episode, but since they already shot KSH's cameo, couldn't they have added a scene where his guests are reincarnated CS and MW finding the hotel and going into 404?  

 

And about Episode 16, I watched it thrice and I cried thrice, especially during the farewell scene. I think I'd feel the same even if I revisit this series in the future. :tears:

 

3 hours ago, RiceGirl1212 said:

Now, all I can hope for is 1.) IU and YJG get to act in another project together 

I hope to see them as lovers in a contemporary, realistic, slice of life series or film! Or do a restaurant/hospitality reality show. 

 

2 hours ago, charlieblue17 said:

But the explicit and played-out-for-laughs refusal of her natural need for physical contact felt wrong to me.

 

As they left it, CS remains too pitiful. He was always a bit of a loner, with no family of his own and when he finally manages to build some family relationships everyone leaves. He only has his memories to sustain him, so they should at least have made as many memories as possible. Isn't it the point that "to have loved and lost is better than not to love at all"? then why enforce such unnatural boundaries between them? Maybe it's a cultural thing, but I just don't get it.

 

In the end, the gods (and writers) did not seem to like CS at all. His fate was by far the worst of the lot.

EXACTLY! I can really feel her frustration when she threw the pillow after CS just dropped her on the couch like that. I was like, "What was that even?" I don't know why they couldn't have made it so CS drops her on the bed, runs and slides to grab the suitcase real quick to return it, and jump on the bed to play with her or even just cuddle. The woman WHOM CS LOVES AND FEELS SAD FOR HAVING TO LEAVE AND IS TRYING TO COMFORT IS SIMPLY ASKING FOR AFFECTION AND ATTENTION, BUT THE STORY AND THE DIRECTION DIDN'T ALLOW HIM TO DO THAT FOR HER. IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. 

 

As for what you said about the gods, I hope at least they gave him a choice to stay in the real world or to accompany MW into the afterlife. What if that was a choice he could make? What if that was the favor he could ask love Mago instead of winter? Would the strong, responsible Harvard MBA have made that choice to leave with MW and just reincarnate again at the same time? It's interesting to know, isn't it? 

 

1 hour ago, RiceGirl1212 said:

It was subtly acted at the farewell scene where CS couldn't say anything to MW when she held his cheek.  He held her hand in desperation cracking into a sob before straightening himself up again but unable to muster the strength to say anything in agreement to them meeting again.  He could only nod his head.

 

If the director or writers had pushed for that slow break down of CS I think it really would have made the last 4 episodes even sadder and harder to watch.  The impact of their goodbye in 16 would have been even more heartbreaking than it already was. 

 

I found it kind of sad that CS's response was only to nod his head and to tell her "Goodbye Jang Manwol-ssi." 

 

And yes, having them get closer to one another in the final 4 episodes would have been more painful but I'll welcome that pain. In fact, I wanted it to be more painful, and it would have been if they showed them dating and being a real couple not only through the things they said or left unsaid, the things they did, but also the physical romance. 

 

 

1 hour ago, RiceGirl1212 said:

that's horrible how people are just following him around like that.  He's just trying to go to school to learn and earn his major.  Sadly, he's probably not the only celebrity who has had people following them around taking pictures while they are in school.

Same. It's a different story when actors are at uni I think in that you know they're there to study, not for work, so doing that to him and other actors is a little sad. 

 

AGAIN, thank you for discussing these things further. I expected that most of you will leave this forum but it's good to see closing discussions like this. :star:

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25 minutes ago, realistic2280a said:

 

Is it even necessary celebrities to have a degree in Korea? Hmmm...

 

For image, yes. Lee Seung Gi has two Master's Degrees, not in acting, but in business, making him "Nation's umchina" (highly admired) and "Nation's Son-in-law" (all mom's want him for their daughters).

Learning things on the go is great, but going to school also provides formal training for Jin Goo to hone his craft. He is taking theater? which is probably very different from acting in front of  a camera? Also, I think, diligently going to classes and doing projects develops discipline, and will also allow Jin Goo to network with peers (hopefully, the good ones). And better for Jin Goo to not have free time, so he won't get involved with bad people and scandals plaguing SoKor now. I feel like his mom looking over his future now.

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24 minutes ago, lollyminx said:

Also, it may have been their image, but I don't think it is because IU played a daring role in Persona and YJG also had some steamy kissing scenes in his previous projects.

I was specifically thinking about the age difference between them, not about their individual willingness to film more steamy romantic scenes... if I remember correctly IU had a recent scandal about sexifying a kid song/story(?); plus most Korean viewers still struggle to see YJG as a proper adult, so I was imagining a potential issue with putting the two of them together in a steamy scene. But I could very well be wrong about it.

 

24 minutes ago, lollyminx said:

Do you mean to tell me that he cried like that in the bus stop and then hugged her tight when she came back, only to remain strong until she left? What's the point of showing he waited for her and cried for her, when there's no crossing boundaries or taking one step further after MW came back from the bridge? 

indeed. they went back to a happy pretend, both willfully ignoring the elephant in the room by unspoken agreement. Not sure how I feel about that... i get it in some sense, but i also don't... it's really the same issue as the physical contact one - underneath it all it still boils down to building conscious boundaries between them

 

24 minutes ago, lollyminx said:

Or do a restaurant/hospitality reality show.

they can just competitively eat things and laugh their heads off - i'd totally watch that

she can finally teach him to do proper selcas too ;-)

 

24 minutes ago, lollyminx said:

AGAIN, thank you for discussing these things further. I expected that most of you will leave this forum but it's good to see closing discussions like this. :star:

not quite ready to let go yet -- happy to have people to talk to about it. So thanks straight back.

 

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“Hotel Del Luna” Writers Share Thoughts On Drama’s Conclusion, Possibility Of Season 2, And More

 

Following the recent conclusion of hit tvN drama “Hotel Del Luna,” writers Hong Jung Eun and Hong Mi Ran, also known as the Hong Sisters, sat down for an interview.

 

“Hotel Del Luna” revolves around a hotel made solely for ghosts, run by hot-tempered CEO Jang Man Wol (IU). She is accompanied by elite hotelier Goo Chan Sung (Yeo Jin Goo), bartender Kim Seon Bi (Shin Jung Geun), cleaning lady Choi Seo Hee (Bae Hae Sun), and frontman Ji Hyun Joong (Block B’s P.O). The drama regularly topped its own ratings records and has become tvN’s most viewed drama of 2019.

 

Regarding the origin of the “Hotel Del Luna” universe, the writers revealed that the storyline comes from their 2009 drama, “My Girlfriend Is A Gumiho.” Hong Mi Ran shared, “A gumiho with nine tails falls in love with a regular man, and as her tail slowly disappears, she must die. From that fantasy, we moved to ‘Hotel Del Luna.'” They also referenced “Master’s Sun,” in which one of the settings was a hotel. “Hotel Del Luna,” on the other hand, was about a hotel meant solely for ghosts.

Spoiler

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Many viewers expressed confusion as to whether the conclusion of the drama was open for interpretation or was meant to be a sad ending. Hong Mi Ran shared, “Jang Man Wol and Goo Chan Sung met knowing that Man Wol would eventually have to leave and that Chan Sung’s goal was to eventually send her off. Their relationship is that much more sad because they grew to love one another, even though they met with their parting in mind. Since we needed CGI effects for the scenes with the bridge and hotel, the script for the finale had already come out a month prior.”

 

Hong Jung Eun commented, “The goal of Del Luna is to be a space where ghosts can rest before they are sent off to the afterlife. Since the initial creation of this hotel, the end was always meant to be Jang Man Wol’s departure, in which she is seen off by Goo Chan Sung. Since their chemistry was so good, many viewers must have hoped they would end up together, but knew in their hearts that Jang Man Wol would leave. Since Jang Man Wol is dead and Goo Chan Sung is alive, it was impossible for them to be together in that lifetime, unless unnecessarily forced.”

 

As Kim Seon Bi, Choi Seo Hee, and Ji Hyun Joong were glad to cross the bridge, Hong Jung Eun explained, “It’s the happiness from washing away all the hurt from this lifetime and moving on to the next. Successfully crossing the bridge and properly sending Jang Man Wol off were the most fitting endings for both Jang Man Wol and Goo Chan Sung. Rather than a forced happy ending, this was the ending that was most fitting for Del Luna. What Goo Chan Sung ponders while looking at the painting of the mountains is what viewers want to see. [The scene] shows that though [Chan Sung] may not know how much later it is, or what lifetime they are in, he hopes for all of the ghosts to be reborn so they can meet and love one another all over again.”

 

However, the writers do not describe it as a sad or open-ended conclusion. Hong Mi Ran commented, “We think our story has a happy ending. Kim Seon Bi, Ji Hyun Joong, and Choi Seo Hee were all people who were supposed to leave. With Jang Man Wol’s final farewell, the story concludes well.”

 

Regarding Kim Soo Hyun’s surprise cameo in the epilogue, they shared, “It’s not that we have concrete plans for a second season. It was to showcase that there was still a space, now called ‘Hotel Blue Moon,’ for ghosts to come and rest.” But they did not completely shut down the possibility of season two, adding, “As ‘Hotel Del Luna’ has had a female owner until now, we thought that it would be fun to switch to a male owner.”

 

While the drama was popular for many reasons, the chemistry between IU and Yeo Jin Goo was a key point. Hong Mi Ran complimented the actors, saying, “They were both so good, and, despite their young age, were able to express emotions better than we expected them to. Their emotions were so vivid even when they were just gazing at one another.” Hong Jung Eun added, “The reason for their good chemistry is that IU and Yeo Jin Goo are both kind, thoughtful people who look after and cheer on one another.”

Although IU was the perfect Jang Man Wol, the Hong Sisters shared that they did not necessarily write the script with her in mind. However, they agreed that she was the perfect fit, and revealed, “When casting, there were no alternatives for Jang Man Wol other than IU, and we even thought to stop and rethink the project if we couldn’t cast her.”

 

The sisters also had endless praise for Yeo Jin Goo, with Hong Jung Eun stating, “Yeo Jin Goo’s image in itself matches Goo Chan Sung. Since he had recently concluded a drama, we were unsure he would be available, but were so happy when he agreed. IU, who was cast first, was also very happy, and we thought that the drama was already halfway to success with the combination of IU and Yeo Jin Goo. Although Yeo Jin Goo may still have the image of a child actor, we were completely surprised at his ability to break out of that and act so emotionally.”

 

source: https://www.soompi.com/article/1350004wpp/hotel-del-luna-writers-share-thoughts-on-dramas-conclusion-possibility-of-season-2-and-more

 

 

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7 hours ago, aria26 said:

 

For image, yes. Lee Seung Gi has two Master's Degrees, not in acting, but in business, making him "Nation's umchina" (highly admired) and "Nation's Son-in-law" (all mom's want him for their daughters).

Learning things on the go is great, but going to school also provides formal training for Jin Goo to hone his craft. He is taking theater? which is probably very different from acting in front of  a camera? Also, I think, diligently going to classes and doing projects develops discipline, and will also allow Jin Goo to network with peers (hopefully, the good ones). And better for Jin Goo to not have free time, so he won't get involved with bad people and scandals plaguing SoKor now. I feel like his mom looking over his future now.

 

Ah.. thanks for brining up sueng-gi up... one of my fav k-entertainment actor :) .... i didnt even know he has 2 Masters degree, haha... 

 

In a way, i know its about image,  hence the CN Blue scandal about receiving degrees without attending... but is it really necessary now, hmmmm? Culturally i think it is signification, as education is highly valued in Confucion society, which im all for... but to see the actors in stress due to the attention....sigh.... the uni should tell everyone to stop filming him in uni, just like Angelina Joline's son recently.... all the best YGJ! 

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46 minutes ago, aria26 said:

And better for Jin Goo to not have free time, so he won't get involved with bad people and scandals plaguing SoKor now. I feel like his mom looking over his future now.

YES! Every time I see a Korean actor I like such as YJG, I strongly hope they're not involved in any of those scandals because I'd feel icky about supporting someone problematic.

 

35 minutes ago, charlieblue17 said:

if I remember correctly IU had a recent scandal about sexifying a kid song/story(?)

:lol: Oh, never read that before. Really? On the one hand, sometimes you shake your head about some of the things that become a big deal, but on the other hand, maybe it's also a good thing because it's not something serious. 

 

42 minutes ago, charlieblue17 said:

they can just competitively eat things and laugh their heads off - i'd totally watch that

she can finally teach him to do proper selcas too ;-)

Oh yes! I can watch them do mukbang. That would be okay. From what I've seen in YJG's 4 Wheeled Restaurant and IU's guesting in a variety show, they both eat well. I hope they also do an interview together post-HDL, and that YJG guest in IU's concert. OMG world, just give us something with these two interacting with one another. :lol:

 

 

So they're both going to the reward vacation. Nice! I hope they and the staff post photos together. :wub:

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41 minutes ago, lollyminx said:

So they're both going to the reward vacation. Nice! I hope they and the staff post photos together. :wub:

 

Going to Thailand! YJG can teach them Thai phrases... for selling food, and buying groceries... Tangmo Paaaaaaan!!!! And he can take them to rooftop bars, and he may finally get the girlfriend he has been dreaming of haha

I hope they all hang out together. Age-wise, IU is closer to the boys (mostly in their 26s?) while YJG is closer to the girls.

 

I'm so sad about @lollyminx calling it the final BTS. We really have to let go now.

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8 minutes ago, aria26 said:

Tangmo Paaaaaaan!!!!

Hahaha Tangmo Paaaan! :lol: Lurking on IG and Twitter and Soompi for photos and videos of their reward vacation starts this afternoon/evening KST. :lol:

 

Even in the BTS, there's none showing the sleeping on the bed scene. I feel so cheated as a viewer. :lol:  But they showed their good chemistry in the clips. So sad about IU crying really hard, even covering her face, but also laughed out loud when YJG wasn't able to carry her.

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