O Rei do Hotel (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.

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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.

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