Hotel King (2014)

If I could only use 2 words to review Hotel King those words would be EPIC DAEBAK! (yes, in all caps!) I honestly loved this drama. If you are looking for a romantic story about an ambitious hotel manager who falls in love with an heiress, you've picked the wrong show. If you are looking for an over the top, borderline campy, drama filled with secrets, betrayals, tragedy, passion, murder, revenge, star-crossed lovers, super villains, and some witty banter for balance, that just happens to take place in a hotel, then this drama is perfect for you!

What I loved most about this drama is that the story just kept getting more and more extreme as it went on, and I just kept getting more and more sucked in! For 32 episodes I couldn't wait to see what crazy thing would happen next so, unlike other viewers, I was never really bored. I also liked that all of the major characters had a dark side, or were flawed, which made them a lot more interesting.

Lee Dong Wook's Jae Wan was a fun character to watch unfold, even though he was damn near robotic. This drama is basically his tragic story, and it's a doozy! At first I was turned off by how cold he was, but I liked him more and more as more of his story was revealed. Eventually his need to keep his composure seemed haunting.

Lee Da Hae as Ah Mo Nae was extremely annoying, even as she started to mature, but I thinks she was a great character. Kudos to the actress for making me want to smack her through the screen several times. I also really loved the forbidden romance between Jae Wan and Ah Mo Nae, especially early on when it was technically "very" forbidden. I think they had great chemistry, although they do much more crying than flirting.

Lee Duk Hwa as Lee Joong Goo had not a single ounce of redeeming quality in him, so It was fun to watch where his extreme evil would lead. Just when I thought he couldn't get more cutthroat he would surpass his last action tenfold. I thought he was excellent.

My favorite character by far was Kim Hae Sook as Baek Mi Nyeo. It took a lot of range to pull that character off. She was manipulative, mentoring, backstabbing, sympathetic, ruthless... she'd make me drop my jaw one minute and boo-hoo cry the next. Very few actresses can pull off a role that crazy, but she definitely did. It's not the most realistic character, but again, that's why this drama was so much fun.

There is nothing subtle about this drama, it is melodrama at it's finest. I loved the cast. I loved the music. The writing may not be perfect, but considering all this story tried to take on, I was impressed.

32 episodes is a huge commitment, but I didn't mind because I didn't want it to end. I would also watch all 32 episodes again, which should tell you how much I enjoyed it the first time. I definitely recommend this to any one who likes their dramas to be filled with DRAMA in ALL CAPS.

Lire davantage

Let's keep it simple. This is a drama that had a lot of potential due to its amazing cast, solid story, and incredible production. It had all the makings of a 10/10, but therein lies the issue. For some reason, Dramaland loves to stretch out any drama that has such potential; "why have 16 episodes when we can have 32?" they must say amongst themselves, "of course the fans will want more of the same!" This way of thinking has ruined or subtly damaged several dramas for me, Hotel King amongst them.

The two leads - favourites of mine since My Girl (2005) - were good, don't get me wrong. They are two very attractive people with acting ability?---but after watching Lee Dong Wook repeat the same crazed or sobbing face a million times over, ANY expression of strong emotion got boring. It no longer evoked any sense of compassion, just "this again?"

Which leads us to the plot. This is a good 'un: a delicate, emotional plot about the bonds and power of blood. The twists are foreseeable, ESPECIALLY for a seasoned drama-watcher, but the true strength of this drama is more how these twists are delivered. Alas, over time these twists are exhausted and there is so much surface back-and-forth that the drama doesn't really progress and spends a LOT of time just floundering and filling time. I feel like I've spent 32 episodes watching Lee Dong Wook and Lee Da Hae repeat the same conversations about the same issues, which unfortunately cheapens every breakup that happens and ruins every reunion because you doubt - either way - it will last.

Overall, the experience was undeniably a good one---if mediocre despite its outstanding potential. I'm glad I've watched it and I'm sure it will influence dramas to come, but I will not be watching it again.

Lire davantage

My hotel king love you and miss you ,WHY?
There is no need for a reasons to like a drama but hotel king has many good stuff to be liked for.
The cast Lee dong wool was amazing he has multifascial expression that I wondered what would he do in his next projects same goes for Lee duo hwa , Kim has sook, Lee dae hae during her character development she has portrayed 3different characters . Even jin take hyun I bet he was a surprise even for the directors.supporting cast was perfect swell I never get bored of any character
The music was awesome and the lyrics fits the story very well and my favorite < waiting , hurt, because it s you , saying I love you
The writing , you will never see cliche triangle love , typical jealousy and stuff or bad ones repent at the end .in terms of character development was marvelous ,I noticed how hard the writer works on every single detail of each character ( main cast I mean ), and how fond she was about parallel scenes that I felt it is like a circle I wished I could explain by examples but NoSPOILER warning , anyway you may noticed that certain scene has repeated differently the story was nice and the suspense at the first 20 keeps me at edge even when the episode has nothing to show I never felt bored I enjoyed the cast performance instead and I wished it lasts for ever but technically to tell the truth it should be less episodes , let's say 30 is enough ;)
What no one can denied the chemistry bet. leads was hilarious
Things I haven`t seen in any other drama the chemistry between leads and the impressive fascial expression Lee dong wook has
I already now watching my favouirte episodes and I will watch it again all as many things gets clear now after we know what it was about.
I won't deny it has its flaws in writing and directing but overall it was good
Hopefully everyone gives it a try and enjoy it as I did .

Lire davantage

There were comments that this drama is worst, and that the male lead is very stiff and has no expression, or the female lead is annoying, the story is dragging and long, boring, etc. But honestly, i find this drama more than perfect, its daebakk!! I can't possibly count how many times i cried especially with the male lead, how many times i laughed, and how many times i got hurt whenever bad things happen, or how many times i felt butterflies in my stomach for every love scenes..This drama was really perfect. I've actually watched more than 3 times already and i bet when i got bored, i'll be watching it again sometime.. The plot and the story for me was very interesting. I can't help but be on my toes whenever its the end of every episode, it made me crave for more and look forward for what may happen next. The actors and actresses, for both the main leads and the supporting characters, were awesome. They played the role well and i really feel what they feel.

I don't really know the cast of this drama at all at first until i happened to accidentally crossed way to this drama currently airing at that time, and since i was bored i gave it a try, and it never disappoints me. The male lead was promising for me, i literally cried with him. His character was the saddest yet strongest character ever in kdrama land. Now i became his fan because of this drama. Lee Dong Wook is a best actor! Even the villain is a best actor. The mother was also daebak! She's just an amazing actress for me. Hands down to the actress Kim Hae Sook! And i also like the female lead. Overall, the cast , the plot, the music..all were amazing. I basically will recommend it to anybody! It's a must watch!

Lire davantage

Story: This is my first makjang and the first drama I've completed with >20 episodes so I was cautious at first. Although the story does get draggy, the director makes it such that each episode ends off with a cliffhanger keeping you eager to find out what happens next. Since it is a makjang it never gets boring and you can expect all the exaggerated drama plots in a usual makjang. However I would say the story line is overall smooth and easy to follow.

Acting/Cast: The cast was amazing.
Lee Dong Wook: For a character like Jaewan's, LDW managed to appropriately show the many sides of his character: from trauma to shock to sadness to disbelief to love, you name it. You can really see it in his eyes.

Lee Da Hae: LDH's character did not require as much as compared to LDW's but she portrayed Mone nicely. Also one important factor that made this show easy to watch was the two lead's chemistry.

For those who've watched My Girl, it's hard to believe but they're chemistry could still get better :>

Im Seulong/Wang Ji Hye: To be honest, I didn't really see anything worth noting for these 2 actors but that's also partly because of the characters they had to portray. ISL constantly had to portray the poor second lead who never gets the girl but constantly helps her anyway and likewise WJH the girl who constantly looks towards Jaewan but knows she can't get him anyway. But one thing I like about the 2 is that they didn't really pose a threat to OTP but instead helped them along the way.

Jin Tae Hyun: Oh lomannnn.. Like Jaewan, Loman also had a dark past and hence has a lot of emotions within him. JTH, like LDW also managed to portray Loman's emotions very well making me feel pity for his character all the time, understanding him all the time (even if he may be doing something one may perceive as "wrong") It's easy to like his character.

Lee Deok Hwa/Kim Hae Sook: These 2 really prove that they are veterans in the acting industry. From their actions to their emotions, they've got it all. Nothing else needs to be said.

F4/Alex Chu, Gong Hyun Joo, Go Yoon, Kim Sun Hyuk: I liked F4 it just made the whole hotel concept seem cooler with them helping out Mr GM. I especially liked Gong Hyun Joo as Cha Soo Ahn always helping OTP and always being kind.

Music: I guess OST was okay for a drama but not anything I'd listen to on my mp3.

Rewatch value: For me this drama was overly draggy and since it was a whole 32 episode long it would be tiring to watch it a second time, as it takes a lot to watch the makjang with all the roller coaster rides it brings you on.

Overall: I would say this is drama worth watching, especially for all you OTP shippers out there and also those who would love a makjang to watch.

Lire davantage

This drama might be too long, too intense, and too melodramatic for some but it suited my drama watching taste perfectly. First of all, we have a wonderful dramaland reunion between Lee Dong Wook and Lee Da Hae. They were both precious in My Girl, but since then both of them have really matured as actors and their chemistry in Hotel King is undeniable. There's this naturalness to how they interact. Although the drama can be very serious, they have some lighthearted moments which balance the drama.

I have to mention veteran actors Kim Hae Sook and Lee Deok Hwa who were excellent casting in this drama. I already liked them both, but they really blew me away in this drama. Their roles are very important to the story and they both knocked it out of the park. Kim Hae Sook in particular left me in awe. I have so much respect for her as an actress.

Now, it is a long drama and it seems there is always something big happening, so unless you crave ridiculous plot twists that melodramas give us, it's probably not the best fit for you. I felt they did a really good job at keeping the drama interesting and it made me want to watch on episode after the other.

The story was really good. In the first few episodes some of the acting seemed overly intense and I felt a little taken aback a times, but it leveled out and the acting became very natural. LDW had a very challenging role with his heartbreaking past. I thought he played is robotic like character well and showed us a lot of depth and growth as the episodes progressed. LDH is the queen of eccentricity but also managed to show us so much heart.

Since the drama is so long, I don't know if I would rewatch it from start to finish, but there are so many scenes that are worth rewatching and dwelling upon.

Lire davantage

To tell the truth I don't understand why this drama has such a relatively low rating. I mean, yes, I know that it is dragged on, some secondary comic characters are simply weird but the hell, the story of the main characters, full of tension, drama, shadowy passions and the incredible charm of Lee Dong Wook and Lee Da Hae, is something really refreshing aesthetically. Also, I have to say that there're very few dramas I like with Lee Dong Wook but, however, because of his acting in Hotel King and Goblin, he became one of my favorite Korean actors. I must say that him suit so well intense emotions, that later I was enormously surprised by seeing him in Goblin: so good in a comic role (even more interesting then the lead there).
Talking about the story of Hotel King, it's not original but it's well acted and well showed, without all these awkward kisses and superfluous dramas of a girl (Lee Dae Hae is really capable of creating a bright and powerful role), although yes, some final episodes were dragged by the dramatic behavior of the main lead. However, the chemistry and charm of Lee Dong Wook and Lee Dae Hae (now much more mature then in My Girl and in a much more developed context), is really worth of seeing (just skip the secondary comic storyline) ;)

Lire davantage

For starters, I usually don't want dramas that are currently airing because waiting is torture for me, but because of all the hype, I watched it. I was disappointed. It was dragged on for a whole 32 episodes! The actors and actresses were cast very well, but Jesus, Mo Nae cried.

The supporting characters were a joy to watch. The secondary relationships were hilarious, but the main one wanted to make me pull my hair out. The romance between Cha Jae Wan and Mo Nae was actually very adorable, but their roller coaster made me want to throw up. Plot twists and villains are required, but there were just so many. Also, the extra plot-twist at the end just gave me a headache. It felt like they didn't want it to end, so something else happened.

Finally, the synopsis that's given is somewhat like the first season of the drama, and the extra add-ins made up the second season. Overall, it was a good drama. There was just too much.

Lire davantage

The story is good, but it is dragged out too much. They could have wrapped this up in fewer episodes and the ending could have been a little better. I don't understand why they extend dramas and then kind of rush the ending. The story drags the male lead through the ringer. His character is traumatized to the point that it is amazing to watch him care for people. You would think it would turn him to hate, but it doesn't. In the end I think this drama is a little less about revenge and more watching Cha Jae Wan's character development. I know I was more interested in seeing how he would handle what was thrown at him. What I liked about Mo Nae is that her character matured, but she didn't lose herself. Sometimes I so wish I could post spoilers. Anyway, there is a good story, character development, and directing.

I love Lee Dong Wook. He is an excellent actor and he doesn't disappoint as Cha Jae Won. If it weren't for him this drama would not have been as good. He knows how to show his emotions and it is fun to watch. I'm not a huge fan of Lee Da Hae, but she was surprisingly good. I enjoyed her character a lot. Kim Hae Sook as Shin Bong Hyang was amazing. The other actors are good also.

The music is good.

I might rewatch this, but I doubt it.

If you like melodramas, then I think this is a good one to try.

Lire davantage

This is my first review so please bear with me. (for wrong grammar)

I created this review 1 hour after i've finished the drama so my opinion is freshly based from what i just watched.

STORY

On the first 10 episodes of the drama, i was hooked. I saw the potential of the next episodes and how it will end. I feel the emotions overflow, the hatred and contempt. But as the show goes by, i felt bored. There's a lot of unnecessary events and useless characters. If they just focus on the main story and didn't used a lot of time for useless scenes, this may be finished at 20 episodes and i will feel satisfied.

ACTING/CAST

I couldn't say more. TWO THUMBS UP! it's as if they're doing a real life dramas. They will make the audience feel so attached. the amount of emotions that every characters show out are enough. No more no less. Most of all the veteran actors, the parents hatred, greed and rage on each other fills my mind and heart as if im also a part of this drama. ^^ The main characters, LDH and LDW, again, after so many years, (my gir), never failed to make me fell in love on their chemistry again. They are just wow, what a great love team!

MUSIC

Well, except from the preview song and the song when mo ne and hyun woo are hugging and kissing or fighting and breaking up scene, i cant remember a song that stays on my mind. They lack on this part.

REWATCH VALUE

I'm a total rewatcher. I have many collections of dvd korean dramas. I love to rewatch because that's my own way of relieving stress from school. And for me, This drama is not worth rewatching. I don't think i will watch it again in the future. I love lee dong wook but, i didn't like the flow of this story soo...

OVERALL

I can't give higher than 8. Im sorry for the fans of this. But, 7.5 is a decent score for me to give for this show. But i enjoyed watching it. Well, there's a boring part part im not a type of person who skips an episode or even a scene. But im serious, this drama might be better if it isnt exceed 20 episodes. Such a waste of time. ^^

Lire davantage

Story: As the synopsis suggests, it's a Romance cum Revenge drama. Whilst there were many Revenge-Romance drama I'd watched in the past, this one failed to hit the 'WOW!' factor. The story started out interesting but somewhere towards the middle, it started to bore as the direction of the story becomes obvious. Towards the end, it's just delaying scenes one after another when the whole drama can be wrapped up comfortably around 20-22 episodes. In fact the final episode is just a whole write-off and absolutely unnecessary - just another episode to keep the money spinning.

Acting/Cast: Biggest brownie point goes to......the main antagonist: Mr. Lee Joong Goo, played by veteran actor Mr. Lee Deok Hwa! This is not Lee Dong Wook's best drama and I find his acting rather stiff with limited range of emotions. To be fair, Lee Dong Wok is not the most expressive actors out there. He's better known for his heavy-lidded eyes, plush lips, height and impressive body than for his acting skills. I am sensing daggers being thrown towards me by his fans now. I will cease to criticise his acting skills. Perhaps it is how the main male character was written:- stoic, misguidedly determined and a tragic hero. There wasn't much to say about Lee Da Hae's acting except that her character was an interesting blend of comedy and personal growth.

Music: Nothing that sticks to mind. Slow and suited to the moods of the drama.

Re-watch value: I would not re-watch this. If it was not because of the lack of good dramas around the time this one was aired, I would not have filled my free time with it. Sometimes, I let the episodes run a while before catching up with it in fast-forwarding mode.

Overall: A fair story that failed to excite. Fans of Lee Dong Wok will probably watch this just for the opportunity to see him in yet another romance drama, but I maintain - this is not his best drama to date. I will not recommend this drama but I will not frown either if you decide to pick it up. The choice is yours.

Lire davantage