contributed by syachum (email: sya_chum@yahoo.com)

My Attitude on TV Dramas
I am not really keen on dramas. I can say that I am more of a movie enthusiast than a TV series fanatic. In fact, the first piece of Korean work I saw was "Life of Hollywood Kid", during a film exhibition participated by Korea and some other Asia-Pacific countries . I simply got tired of watching similar characters in cheesy plots everyday. Sometimes, I think: can't the writers rack their brains to think of a different story; characters with more depth; plots that make you reflect on certain issues? It is always the usual love story - man and woman falling in love, overcoming obstacles that come their way or rich guy-poor girl plots that are too melodramatic to be believable, you would roll your eyes and laughed at the incredibility. I hate it especially when the series dragged or writers stretch the story till it became illogical or not in touch with reality. I believe writers do have talent to come up with something better. Maybe, they are afraid of experimenting so they just present "formula" scripts that audiences lap up (or "adore"?). It is not that I do not watch TV series at all. Sure, I do. But, I do not look forward to it. It is just something to do when there's nothing better to watch on TV or a way to past time.

"The Matchmaker"
On the other hand, Coco is my opposite. She is more enthusiastic on watching TV series than films.
My "love affair with Hotelier" actually started in one of my conversations with Coco. She is the "matchmaker" between this series and me. I got acquainted with Hotelier one day when we had our usual chat and she just cannot keep herself from sharing her latest discovery with me.

She began by talking about the characters of Hotelier - Frank Shin, Zhen Yin and Tai Jun. Then, night after night, she would update me on the latest events in the series she has just seen - about the 300 roses restaurant where Frank Shin first laid his eyes on Zhen Yin, Frank Shin's first gift to Zhen Yin, a scarf because her old one was spilled on in 300 roses restaurant, the financial difficulty Seoul Hotel is going through, Frank Shin accepting the job of acquiring Seoul Hotel all because of Zhen Yin, the 300 roses given to Zhen Yin, Zhen Yin caught between Frank Shin and Tai Jun etc. She has never been this enthusiastic about a series before. I respect Coco's opinion for I know she is not easy to please. As her friend, I know she would not gush about a lame story. There must be something in Hotelier that got her hooked on it. I was intrigued, indeed.

Our Bedtime Story
Unfortunately, I cannot watch the series anymore when I want to because the run has ended. Coco got a copy of the series because she was not able to see its beginning. Thus, almost every night, Coco would let me in on every scene's detail. The people of Hotelier would come alive through her storytelling. It has become our bedtime story. She'd tell me what kind of persons Frank Shin and Zhen Yin is.

Despite being successful in his work, Frank Shin lead a life of pain, struggling with the fact that he was given up for adoption to an American family. Because of his background, Frank or Dong Xian never became really close to anyone and afraid to share his innermost feelings with another person. Being a hunter, Dong Xian is a go-getter. You could say he is a cold person, a Machiavellian businessman. He does not care how he achieves his goal as long as he gets what he desires. The only person close to him is Leo, his assistant. Zhen Yin and Tai Jun are the complete opposite of Frank. Zhen Yin is a simple woman. Dedicated to her profession, retaining her child-like heart, spontaneous, she also has a positive perspective about life and people. While, Tai Jun, as hotel's general manager, is well-loved by his subordinates because of his compassion towards people and concern for their welfare. My! Almost all the female characters in the series are enamored with him! -Zhen Yin, Yoon Hee, Mouth-keeping girl and a female guest that caused him to resign and go to America.

In Korea, while doing business, Dong Xian has to reconcile with his painful past by finding his roots. Along the way, his heart and his view of the world and people slowly changed as he gets to know Zhen Yin. Her optimism, warmth and simplicity melted his cold heart. Dong Xian knows that Zhen Yin is his hope to a brighter future. He has found the lamp to his dark night and he will do all he can to conquer her heart. This is when Zhen Yin found herself caught in between Frank and Tai Jun. Who will she choose? An old flame or a new one? Frank Shin's strength is Tai Jun's weakness. As a hunter, Frank Shin surely has the passion that Tai Jun doesn't. Unafraid to show and reveal his feelings to Zhen Yin, she is overwhelmed by the passion of this man which she has not seen in Tai Jun. Though, Tai Jun also loves Zhen Yin, he does not have the guts to express it to her. You'd want to advise, "You're not making your moves, Tai Jun! How can you possibly win Zhen Yin?" On the other hand, Tai Jun is really a good friend to her. She feels comfortable and secure with him, after knowing him for a longer time. Yet, Zhen Yin feels that she is willing to love and care for Frank Shin. She knows she is the only one Frank Shin's got. Her nurturing spirit is awakened by Frank Shin. She feels she wants to protect him. She finds meaning and fullfillment in loving Frank Shin. Of course, Hotelier fans know the ending to the story.

My interest in Hotelier is bolstered by our daily reflections on the characters Frank, Zhen Yin, Tai Jun and their turning point. We would analyze their characters, debate on choosing Frank or Tai Jun, considering the merits and demerits of each choice. Since, I am not able to catch the series, Coco referred this site to me. I clicked on the first few pages where I could read how Frank Shin, Zhen Yin and Tai Jun thinks and feels. Reading through the thoughts of Frank Shin and Zhen Yin when they first met in 300 roses restaurant; when she treated him to a meal of Korean noodles in an ordinary eating place and in other encounters gave me a feeling of actually making a connection with them, as if being intimate with them. I begin to understand them better, look from their point of view and emphatize with them.

Finally, I decided to get my own copy of the series. I must say that I am not disappointed. Though, I was not able to see the noodle scene but only the cotton candy part that I was anticipating the whole time I was watching it. I found it to be a cute scene. I thought I just missed it! Sigh! Coco said in the versions that we got, that noodle scene was omitted.

Coco was surprised that I was able to finished it in two or three days! Well, if you cannot put a good book down without finishing it, it's the same with Hotelier.

Hence, we were discussing again for a few more days. It's like being reunited with your old friends. You reminisce about the special moments you shared.

Dissecting Hotelier
Although, the story of Hotelier is really simple, there is more to it than just a love triangle plot. It's a TV series without much weeping in it that you see in other dramas. It made Coco and I reflect on wanting to be like Zhen Yin's character because she radiates a positive aura and exudes her contentment with life. We emphatize with Frank Shin struggling to live with his pains. The mouth-keeping girl also teaches you the value of friendship. You do not expect her to support Zhen Yin. She would constantly annoy and argue with Zhen Yin because she sees Zhen Yin as a competitor for Tai Jun's love, yet, she stood by her when Zhen Yin was at her low point. You see Tai Jun and Zhen Yin's dedication to their work as professionals. You realize the importance of touching another's life and making a difference.

Another reason why I like Hotelier is the fact that all characters in the drama are well-thought. There are no stereotypes nor antagonists here which are present in other tv series that I have seen. Not one character is made to look so evil just to make the audience like or relate with the lead character. Each has their own strengths and flaws. The characters are just so realistically human. They are people we meet everyday at work, in our communities or in the streets. The emotions and the conflicts they go through, whether in their personal life or profession are also what we experience. Though, some may disagree, I think the role of Song Hae Gyo is essential to the script. Her role is necessary to let the audience see how compassionate Tai Jun can be. We will see a gradual change in her, similar to what Zhen Yin achieved with Frank. Being given a chance by Tai Jun to work in the hotel, Yoon Hee healed her soul. Like Jenny, she finally found direction in the short time that she worked with the people of Hotelier. She has seen the special bond formed among the hotel employees that she considers them to be her second family. She witnessed their dedication to keep Hotel Seoul alive. Thus, she became inspired and determined to go to the States and be a hotelier after graduation. Though, Yoon Hee is often at odds with her father, she wants him to be proud of her someday. Yoon Hee's father at the end, is finally convinced that his daughter can be more than what he expects of her and respects her views. The changes in the personalities of the characters caused by their interaction with each other were not achieved overnight, but, gradually. You almost do not notice the dramatic change in them - in Frank, Jenny, Yoon Hee and her father.

Many followers of Hotelier will agree, that part of the reason why they like to see it is because they enjoy watching the handsome BYJ. And, although I will surely get a howl from his legions of fans, I must say what I think. I believe I am being objective when I say that KSW as Tai Jun is the better actor, at least, in the series. Tai Jun acts so naturally in all of the scenes that he will make you forget that he is acting out his role. As what Li Mu Bai taught Jen in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, "Real skill is without effort". Coco and I agree that the best measure of how well an actor has performed is if you begin to think that he is really the character he is playing and you begin to forget that he is an actor like in what I have also noticed in the actor who played Frank's father. Although he held a small role in Hotelier, he has made an impact. BYJ, having worked shortly in the acting profession, when compared to KSW, is convincing as an accomplished intellectual. I am surprised to learn that BYJ did not finish his degree. But, there were some scenes where you could feel BYJ exerting much effort in playing his role. If I am not mistaken, BYJ also said this in one of the articles.

New Script
I learned also that the script was originally written for Tai Jun and Zhen Yin to end up together. But, because of the audience's clamoring, the ending was changed. Coco laughed that the fans of Hotelier would stage a protest if Zhen Yin chose Tai Jun, instead.

Frankly, when I watched it from the beginning, I knew Frank and Zhen Yin would be together. I got this hint when Zhen Yin was in Las Vegas following Tai Jun on his way to work in a restaurant, hoping to convince him to go back to Korea. Seeing his condition of keeping a blue-collar job in America, and Tai Jun's stubborn refusal, Zhen Yin felt sad thinking about him while "Time to Say Goodbye" was being played in the background. But, of course, I already knew the ending even before seeing it. On the other hand, the song "The Day We Met" conveys what Frank is trying to tell Zhen Yin. He learned to really love another person for the first time. His world changed because of this love.
Aside from listening to the song, there are other reasons why I know it would be Frank and Zhen Yin. It's not just because of being biased towards BYJ like most people. Even if other actors play their roles, I would still think the same. For one, Frank and Zhen Yin's relationship has more spice to it which can sustain the interest of the audience. Whereas, with Tai Jun, it would be flat. The scriptwriters can tackle a lot of issues with the teamup of Frank and Zhen Yin. There are more potential conflicts in their relationship that can be considered- the difference of their worlds, their upbringing-one being adopted felt a hole in his life and the other having felt the love of her true family, Zhen Yin being caught in between Frank and her work, the animosity her colleauges feel towards Frank, the sincerity of Frank's offer of love despite being the hotel's destroyer, and of course, the change in Frank caused by Zhen Yin. Whereas, with Tai Jun, it would be bland since the two would just continue from where they have started from way back. It would be hard to stretch the story of Tai Jun and Zhen Yin's relationship while keeping the audience glued to the tube unless one is very creative. The Frank Shin-Zhen Yin teamup is like that of Rhett Butler-Scarlett o Hara's in Gone with the wind. It's like riding a rollercoaster. You cannot help but hold your breath while anticipating their next move. While, the Tai Jun-Zhen Yin togetherness is like travelling on train.

Hotelier Phenomenon
I see there is a cult following of Hotelier even after its run. A book was even written on it. Since most fans of Hotelier are women, much of its success can be attributed to the character of Frank Shin. Wouldn't a woman love to have a Frank Shin in her life? A man who is passionate whether in work or in love, and has the courage to go after what his heart desires. Despite being immersed in his business, he still considers you to be the priority in his life. Doesnt it touch your heart to have someone who is willing to risk everything for you? This is why women adore Frank Shin besides the fact that BYJ is good looking. As for the men who followed the series, they can definitely get some tips from Frank Shin to win the love of their life.

At first, I didn't like Frank Shin in the beginniing because he can be heartless at times. But, knowing where he is coming from and understanding his feelings from his thoughts written by TT and Haze, I see him in a new light in the latter episodes. Come to think of it, if we have the means to get into and really understand the soul of each person, we would be more tolerant of their weaknesses and feel some compassion towards them.

The Korean Touch
I am glad to hear from Coco that Korean dramas tackle not only love stories. They combine love stories with other plots like the life of an architect, a writer, or a model. In fact, the first Korean series I saw was about the life of a cop, his family and a woman bringing up a daughter with special needs. I was not able to follow it part by part and I do not even remember the title but I enjoyed watching it besides from looking at the handsome lead actor.

New Attitude
On my attitude towards TV dramas, I am a Frank Shin who is quite cynical about them and Hotelier is my Zhen Yin who changed my view. There are TV series that are worth watching after all. And, it's all because of Coco, the matchmaker.