contributed by Judy (email: judyhii@hotmail.com)

I am sure all of us have a story behind the reason why and how we got so attached to Hotelier. I would like to share mine.

In the beginning, it was the story. I was attracted to the storyline when it was first introduced on TV. So I tuned in to watch the first episode. Wasn’t too interesting at first. In the second episode, something happened. I saw Frank Shin. I told myself, this guy could act. He doesn’t say much but he expresses himself very well through body language and those eyes. Who can forget those eyes? And I have not seen something like that on TV for a long, long time. By the end of the show (Saturday), I was hooked. After the show on TV, I went out and bought the VCD. By Sunday afternoon, I had finished the whole show. On Monday I was watching it again for a 2^nd time. (I have since watched it a zillion times. I now watched the show on TV in Korean — and I can remember all the conversation) I was totally mesmerized by the story, the actors/actresses, the script and the film direction. But most of all, I was attracted/infatuated/falling in love with Frank Shin. I haven’t had this feeling since secondary school.

My husband asked me what is so good about the show. It’s just like any other show on TV. I asked myself that too to justify my spending so many hours on TV. I believed it’s the conversations between Dong Xian and Zhen Yin. I think ever since I started reading that first fairy tale back when I was a little child, I always fantasize about Prince Charming. As time goes by, things/expectations changed. Soon after you find yourself married with children. And life becomes boring. Suddenly a character like Dong Xian appeared saying all those wonderful things you always wanted to hear.

Nowadays, woman is supposed to be stronger. We can take care of ourselves. When we go out dating, it’s going Dutch. We have been told that we don’t need the man to open the door for us, to protect us, etc. etc. etc. Today man are also confused by all these feministic views. They don’t know what they need to do and how they should do it. Soon they don’t do anything. It’s very difficult to find a man like Dong Xian. Very confident of himself, knows what he wants and go all out to get it. Who can forget about all those one-liner? Don’t you agree that it’s very difficult (near impossible) to find an assertive and yet romantic man?

I know I am a sucker for all those one-liners. But one can fantasize right? Realistically speaking, I have to tell myself that all these are not real. After Dong Xian and Zhen Yin get married, they will be living a life of normalcy, just like everyone else right? They have to go to work, learn to live with each other, learn to tolerate each other … all those things that married people do. Will Dong Xian be so romantic after marriage? Is a romantic man better than a realistic, down-to-earth man?

Anyway, thanks for listening. This is therapeutic for me as it helps me to get out of this obsession with Frank Shin and get on with my life. I am also grateful to TT and Haze for setting this website to satisfied my "hotelier hunger". By the way, don’t get me wrong. I am a happily married woman. Still very much in love with my husband. Just hoping that sometimes he will say something as romantic as Dong Xian.