In ‘Motel California’, Lee Se-young and Na In-woo heightened the immersion in the ‘first love fantasy’ with their bold acting transformation.
The MBC Friday-Saturday drama ‘Motel California’ (planned by Jang Jae-hoon / directed by Kim Hyung-min, Lee Jae-jin / written by Lee Seo-yoon / produced by HB Entertainment / hereafter referred to as ‘Motel Cali’) premiered on the 10th, capturing the story of first love couple Ji Kang-hee (played by Lee Se-young) and Cheon Yeon-soo (played by Na In-woo), who have been by each other's side since their innocent childhood at the age of nine, and the ten years of living with their feelings for each other after a heartbreaking breakup.
The viewership rating started off well, recording 4.5% nationwide and 4.5% in the metropolitan area. Notably, during the scene where Kang-hee and Yeon-soo miss each other on a snowy day, the rating peaked at 5.7%. (Nielsen Korea household standard)
The broadcast began in 2013 in Hana-eup, where Kang-hee, who had been bullied as a mixed-race child in the small village, decided to leave her hometown, which had caused her countless wounds, to start anew in Seoul. Her boyfriend Yeon-soo and Kang-hee's father Chun-pil (played by Choi Min-soo) silently prepared to let her go, unable to change Kang-hee's stubbornness.
On the night before the New Year, Kang-hee suddenly called Yeon-soo to inform him of her plan to leave that day, and when Yeon-soo mentioned he had an appointment, she declared, “I’m saying goodbye now. I will never come to Seoul again.”
Surprised by Kang-hee's ultimatum, Yeon-soo rushed to her home, Motel California, where Kang-hee, in the dark motel with the power out, asked him one last time if he had any plans to go to university in Seoul. However, for some reason, Yeon-soo could not leave his hometown and could only say, “I’m sorry.” Trying to hide her disappointment, Kang-hee suddenly asked Yeon-soo, “Do you want to sleep with me?” and confessed to the startled Yeon-soo, “I hope I was your first. It’s not curiosity or rebellion. It’s just that the first is the purest.”
Facing their impending breakup, Kang-hee and Yeon-soo etched the memories of their first experience onto each other's bodies, and afterward, Kang-hee boarded a bus to Seoul, leaving Yeon-soo behind for a heart-wrenching farewell.
Ten years passed, and it became 2023. While Yeon-soo had transformed into a warm and sharp veterinarian, leaving behind his chubby bear-like appearance, Kang-hee, who had left for Seoul and cut off contact, was enduring a tough and harsh life. As an interior designer, Kang-hee found herself blacklisted for reporting unpaid wages at her previous job and was struggling to find decent work, hopping between construction sites for part-time jobs.
In the meantime, Kang-hee caught the eye of Hwang Jeong-gu (played by Woo Mi-hwa), the director of a leading interior company, Moment, who came to the site as a project manager, giving her a chance to interview as an interior designer again. Excited, Kang-hee prepared her portfolio and visited Moment, but was dismissed by Hwang's secretary (played by Oh Seung-ah) as a parachute hire with no educational background or qualifications, leading her to leave in disappointment.
At that moment, Kang-hee thought of Yeon-soo, whom she had left behind in her hometown, and resolved to show him the current Ji Kang-hee without shame. Changing her makeup to a fierce smoky look, she returned to Moment, where she boldly confronted the rudeness of the secretary and successfully met with Director Hwang.
Despite the blatant rejection from the hiring manager, Mok (played by Jo Sang-ki), Kang-hee was able to join Moment as a three-month intern with the support of Director Hwang. One day, having moved beyond menial tasks to attend client meetings, Kang-hee met the somewhat eccentric Seok-gyeong (played by Kim Tae-hyung) for the first time.
Seok-gyeong, who wanted to remodel his newlywed home as a surprise wedding gift for his female friend Esther (played by Seo Ye-hwa), appreciated Kang-hee's philosophy that “it’s not about fitting people to the house, but fitting the house to the people.” Esther, the actual resident, was also pleased with her consultation, and Kang-hee's influence within the project began to grow.
At the same time, Yeon-soo was in Seoul. During this time, he would wander around various places in Seoul on his days off, hoping to run into Kang-hee. While meeting Han-woo (played by Jung Yong-joo), who was working in Seoul, Yeon-soo happened to see Kang-hee coming out to buy coffee with Seok-gyeong and recognized her at a glance. However, having encountered the Kang-hee he had longed for after ten years, Yeon-soo froze like ice and missed the chance to catch her as she left the café.
Meanwhile, although Kang-hee did her best to create design proposals for Esther, Mok dismissed her ideas and even fired her during the project. He could not accept Kang-hee's abilities, given her lack of educational background and connections. At that moment, Kang-hee overheard Mok arguing with Director Hwang, saying, “This is a B-grade design like a cheap rural motel room. Ji Kang-hee is just an unavoidable B-grade country girl,” and retorted, “If I’m B-grade, then you’re F-grade. This isn’t just bullying; it’s malicious.” She stormed out of Moment, reflecting on her decision to come to Seoul, thinking, “I didn’t come to live like this; I didn’t leave you to live this poorly.”
Once again experiencing painful heartbreak, Kang-hee found solace in her memories with Yeon-soo. When they were nine, Yeon-soo had begged her to marry him, and Kang-hee had told him, “If you eat the first snow ten times, your first love will come true.” Since that day, whenever it snowed, Yeon-soo would eat the snow and make wishes with Kang-hee in mind. Now, as they had become separated first loves, they both missed each other while gazing at the falling snow from their respective places, stirring deep emotions.
At the end of the episode, Kang-hee and Yeon-soo unexpectedly met after ten years, igniting a new wave in their complicated feelings. Upon hearing about Yeon-soo's grandfather's passing, Kang-hee returned to Hana-eup, a place she had completely cut ties with for ten years. The news of Kang-hee's arrival caused a stir at Yeon-soo's grandfather's funeral, and as Kang-hee walked through the murmuring townspeople who regarded her as a legendary witch, she gracefully made her way to the funeral.
In that moment, Yeon-soo embraced Kang-hee and let out the tears he had been holding back. When Kang-hee finally saw Yeon-soo's face, she could not hide her surprise at how much he had changed in ten years. The relationship between the ‘first loves’ Kang-hee and Yeon-soo, who had met again in such a different state from their childhood, raises curiosity about how it will evolve in the future.
Meanwhile, ‘Motel Cali’ delivered a fresh and dense first love romance to viewers at home with its warm visual aesthetics and delicate character narratives. Additionally, ‘trustworthy romance goddess’ Lee Se-young showcased a unique visual transformation, embodying the proactive spirit of youth striving to overcome her limits, the loneliness of a wounded stray cat, and the unforgettable aura of first love.
Na In-woo maximized the charm of the harmless and lovable bear-like pure-hearted man through special makeup, successfully stimulating the ‘first love fantasy’ from the very first broadcast. Expectations are rising for the chemistry and synergy that the two actors will create with their bold acting transformations and brilliant performances, enhancing the immersion in the story of Kang-hee and Yeon-soo.
