Grand Shining Hotel (2024) K Drama Episode 1

Mar 3, 2024

Episode 1 of the Grand Shining Hotel begins with a mysterious hooded figure walking down the rain-drenched streets to a shop number B-1004. The figure has half a piece of a puzzle which they trade with a mysterious shop for a shining metal briefcase. We do not know what’s inside the briefcase or who the figure is yet.

The scene changes to a bright and lively fan-meeting event. A popular web novel writer Rebecca is finally disclosing her identity and fans throng at the fan meeting event. However, Rebecca is unreachable and the event has to be cancelled. We meet Yoo A-Young, an employee at a web-novel publishing company, who is enamoured by her colleague, Song Woo-Bin. Woo-bin is Rebecca’s manager and is worried about her sudden disappearance. Watching Woo-bin troubled, A-young tries to persuade him to accompany her for a couple drinks at a new restaurant but the plan falls through due to another colleague of theirs joining in.

As the three enjoy their drinks, we discover that A-young was an aspiring screen-writer and has been an assistant writer for 3 years before taking up her current job. As she discusses her failures, Woo-bin supports her in offering to help her with her writing project should she decide to re-start writing.

The third colleague and A-young’s junior, Lee Tae-Min show the pair the mysterious case of disappearing people. Apart from a high-profile serial murder case, there have been videos of common people disappearing in thin air. A-young brushes off his theory of alien invasion and experimentation of human subject, reiterating that it’s a hoax.

A-young goes home drunk and is completely consumed by the thoughts of Song Woo-Bin. The next day, Woo-bin is on his way to meet Rebecca. A-young has an interview for an assistant writer position but is turned down due to her lack of skills and age. Dejected, she comes back home and works on her original screenplay.

The next day, at the company, Woo-bin is out of reach. Bae Han-sung, the team leader, asks A-young to go to find Rebecca since the company is in turmoil due to her absence. She tries to call Woo-bin but to no avail. We learn that A-young has a history with the place that Rebecca lives in. It is her hometown and due to some past experiences, she wasn’t very interested to go there again.

As she is parked at a no-parking zone, a police officer knocks on her door and asks for her driver’s licence. He soon recognises her and they seem to know each other. After the officer, Moon Myung-Hwan, leaves, A -young receives a call from Woo-bin’s number but there’s a woman on the other end. It’s the restaurant owner who asks her to pay for Woo-bin’s meal and collect his belongings. A-young arrives at the restaurant and from CCTV recording, she finds that Woo-bin has also disappeared into thin air in the middle of his meal, just like in the viral videos.

She checks his mobile and reads a message from Rebecca which says that they will never meet again. She suspects that the two might be dating but quickly disregards the thought. A-young relays the turn of events and is told to go to Rebecca nonetheless. Tae-Min talks about his alien invasion theory with the rest of the colleagues.

Through a montage we see an unknown figure writing on a mysterious laptop. They build a character around the culprit of the serial murders. As the news channel talk about how she managed to kill many men without revealing the exact procedure, the woman is remorseless as she gazes outside the prison bus, smiling. As the writer builds her character, a seductress killer, the culprit smoothly disappears from the prison bus.

The Episode Review

Grand Shining Hotel has begin quite interestingly. Although on the surface it seems like another isekai trope but the execution and the fast tempo gives it a mysterious aura and builds viewers’ curiosity. A-young is our naïve, lovestruck heroine who is on a journey that she didn’t ask for. She also seems to have a history which would be interesting to watch.

The show seems promising and has certain moments where it impresses the viewer, for instance the smooth disappearance of our serial killer which gave it an unsettling vibe. There is still much to be unravelled and so, we’ll see you in the next episode recap! What are your first impressions of the show?