It looked like a fantasy and was the 10th highest rated Korean TV series in cable TV history, and, importantly, I wanted to see some of the actors in action!
“Narrator: Feeling sad and disappointed is only natural when witnessing disappearances. When a flower withers away, just like it dreams of a new blossom, you’ll live, meet, and love again.”
The Rundown
Behind the name: Previously, "Guest House of the Moon"
Country: South Korea, 2019
Genre: Fantasy, Drama
Network: tvN
Director: Oh Choong-hwan
Cast: IU (as Jang Man Wol), Yeo Jin Goo (as Goo Chang Sung), Shin Jung Geun (as scholar Kim Shi Ik), Bae Hae Sun (as Choi Seo Hee), P.O (as Ji Hyun Joong), Kang Mi Na (as Kim Yoo Na, the high school student), Lee Do Hyun (as Ko Chung Myung), Lee Tae Sun (as Yun Woo/Detective Park), Young Soo (Park Yoo Na as Princess Song Hwa), Kim Kyu Ri (as child Man Wol), Kim Kang Hoon (as child Chang Sung)
Compare to: Hotel Blue Moon
Hate it or Love it? Enjoy it!
Synopsis in a Sentence: A young and promising hotel manager is forced to take his first job out of college working for a paranormal hotel — a hotel for ghosts and spirits in transition to the afterlife — where he meets characters that make him solve cases between the physical and spiritual worlds.
On Writing: The Plot
It’s a story about death, and the afterlife, and overall, the purpose of life, love and the lessons we learn along the way.
It’s a series of short stories from different perspectives; young and old, rich and poor, and in between. Perhaps the best feature of the plot is that it is nuanced and quite deep, yet entertaining. It neatly and perhaps expertly wraps up drama, comedy, fantasy, issues like good versus evil, right versus wrong, life versus death in a way that is magically un-didactic and un-preachy. And this alone is a massive feat!
But the plot goes beyond these overall themes to tell stories of sacrifice, suicide and spirituality that are very well written and executed, enabling us to think of a greater purpose, of life and death and everything in between! All wrapped up, of course, in a couple of love stories. Overall, a plot well done!
(4.5/5)
On Acting: The Cast
The characters the actors portray are round characters-- good and bad, layered and yet sometimes predictable--but the execution of these fairly complex characters tells of the great talent of the men and women and children that give these fictional people life. And the award, really, should go to the entire cast! But to mention a few…
IU proves she’s quite the talented actress through these series, as she portrays the (somewhat) threatening yet soft sureness of hotelier, Jang Man Wol in this series. She conjures up believable tears as well as laughter, transitioning seamlessly in the same scene, and really relays a believable character. Guess Korea’s little sister has quite grown into the actress!
Yeo Jin Goo plays Goo Chang Sung, the male lead, and is quite the lead everyone expects. Perhaps his character may be the most one-dimensional of all, but that’s alright, people also like predictability and his character gives the characters a sense of stability.
Really, the entire cast is a great collection of people to watch. And special shout out to the child actors that bring the past to life!
A great cast!
(4/5)
On Production: The Creativity
The production is a fantasy! It might be the star of the whole thing! Despite the layered plot and the talented cast… well perhaps. But really, the creativity of the production is evident throughout the story, for where the plot may seem to drag out, the gorgeous production comes in to save the day, with marvelous hues and dreamy scenes that transport you back into the fairytale.
Since the series tells different stories, you get to experience the greed, danger, hatred, yet hope, joy, and mystery of life, and that’s all thanks to the marvelous production!
(4.5/5)
On Resolution: The Conclusion
With a plot so well written and a cast so convincingly skilled, and the production so riveting, can the conclusion measure up? Well, yes, really. It wraps the entire story up with no loose ends, and in quite a perfect way, that with all the mystery the world gives us, in life and death and everything in between, it offers us solace in sorrow, assurance in adversity, and gladness in the grief that life can offer us. A job well done!
And then we get a hint at a sequel! With a famous actor! Hoot!
(4/5)
The Verdict: A collection of fairy-tale-like stories that offers analysis and entertainment and hope that is deeper than we think.
Overall Score = 17/20
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