A cliche kdrama but it's exactly what you need ;)

I'm a fan of the "enemies to lovers" trope no matter how cliche it is so keep in mind the underlying bias my review has. Honestly, after having watched so many intense, thrilling ,and gripping kdramas that gave me anxiety and high blood pressure every episode, this is exactly what I needed and so much more. So absolutely give it a try if you've been just like me and need a rest from the unpredictable twists & turns and tragical plotlines that kdramas have been offering lately.

This kdrama reminded me that all of us need some cliches once in a while so that life isn't always a crazy rollercoaster. Sometimes, you just need to sit back and relax, knowing it's all going to end well and that itself might be the greatest comfort at times in life. This aspect the drama delivered exceptionally as it employs the "enemies to lovers" trope.

Also, can we talk about how amazing the chemistry between Choi Tae Joon (Who Joon) and Choi Sooyoung (Lee Geunyoung) is!! They make us feel so single pringle while reminding us of how amazing and strengthening love is and I'm not complaining. I also adore the comedic elements & tactics employed in this drama, most of which is basically the director indirectly telling you through his direction, "Yes, I know it's cringy as well so let's all laugh and cringe together."

Anything more and I will be subtly moving into spoiling this series so before I do that, I want to tell those who have second doubts about watching this kdrama to throw those hesitations aside and get straight to watching the episodes. I promise it'll be an enjoyable yet unforgettable ride with the cast & crew who've worked relentlessly on this series. Soon you'll find yourself clinging onto it and not wanting to say goodbye when it all ends because at the end of the day, we humans will never decline a predictable time in life.

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Ok before we start, I need to tell you how much I really loved this. I watched Hotel Del Luna prior to this and thought that no other drama could top it because of the amazing visual effects, storyline, cast and OST but oh my I was proven wrong. Sky Castle is that one drama you should watch especially if you are Asian because it debunks sooo many misconceptions and myths held within the Asian society and I could highly relate.

Sky Castle was such a thrilling ride throughout the 20 episodes. Maybe the 20th episode got a little boring because it was wrapping up all the drama that had happened in the past 19 episodes but it was tolerable and understandable. I personally thought the ending could have been slightly better as Woo Joo completely dropping out of high school was a bit extreme to me. I thought it would have been better if he took a gap year instead because he is a talented and smart kid who is capable of doing so much and not having his high school diploma is a bit of undervaluing himself? Because let's all face it, we need at least a high school diploma to do something in life afterward. So I thought that decision of his was a little extreme and misguiding. I mean totally go explore yourself / backpacking around Europe but maybe do it after graduating from high school and taking a gap year? I think that's really the best time for any individual to take a break and think about what he wants to do in the next phase of life with college and work. Besides Woo Joo's a little extreme decision, I thought that the ending neatly tied up everything. So my rating remains a 10.

I especially loved how Yeh Suh's family changed towards the end and finally realized that grades really don't matter as much as the Asian society makes it to be. Doing your best and being happy is way more important in life because we all live once so we might as well live our lives to the fullest. I also loved Seung Hye's role like can a mother get any better? She is so brave and willing to protect her kids from her own husband when she sees that his views for his children's education are not really in her son's best interests. I aspire to be like her - to stand up for what I believe in be it whoever I need to stand against.

I could go on writing about each character's importance in the drama and especially when it comes to the flaws in not just Korea's but Asia's competitive society but that would essentially mean the next 10 hours for me and juicing out the whole drama for those who intend to watch it and leaving none left to anticipate. Therefore, I will stop here. I really hope those who are reading this will try to watch this drama. It is just so much more than just a drama. Finally, hats off to the cast!

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A brilliant creation, a must-watch for anyone

I cannot express my love for this drama enough. I just completed it today and omg what a ride this drama has brought us through. If some of your read my review from earlier on, I would like to say just one thing: I did not appreciate the OSTs enough back then as I do now. Now that I have been through a whopping 16 episodes with the amazing cast of Hotel Del Luna, everything about is to admire; the original storyline, amazing cast, the talented screenwriters (Hong Sisters thank you!) and the crew who have worked behind the scenes, you have made this drama into a masterpiece and one that I know will forever stay fond in my memories. I personally loved the storyline of Man Wol's past as it does a great job in telling us why Man Wol is the person she is today. And Chan Seong, I love you but Chan Myung stole my heart. The love story between him and Man Wol is the most bittersweet thing ever (kind of like Romeo and Juliet but not). The whole drama with the exception of the last two episodes is basically a build up to episode 14, the most critical and best episode of the drama.

With that being said, I felt that episode 15 and 16 were rather boring but still essential to ensuring that we come a full circle in terms of the plot line. Episodes 15 and 16, I personally thought, focused more on wrapping up the supporting characters' lives but episode 16 was much needed as we bade farewell to the hoteliers and CEO Jang Man Wol herself. As Man Wol left, I understood what she had been through those 1300 years and as she turned around on the bridge and smiled with the white flower in her hands, I almost cried. At the same time, I LOVED how they wrapped everything up. Episode 14 brought important closure to no one other than our main character, Man Wol, and the man she had been waiting for all these years, only to know that he's been with her all along. THAT WAS SO SWEET. Also the fact that she finally comes to realize why Chan Myung had done what he had - sacrificed himself to save her - OMG I could not hold back my tears. In that moment, all that vengeance and hatred she had for him completely dissipates and it was really nice to see them part with good feelings (the scene under the Moon Spirit Tree where they both hold back tears in their eyes while looking at each other and Chan Myung's smile oMg nothing else could have ached my heart more). One last thing I should mention is the symbolism. GOSH the symbolism - it's EVERYWHERE.

Overall, this drama is a brilliant creation; a must-watch for anyone and everyone :)) !!

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