Hotelier

An incident in the past causes Ogata Kouhei (Tanabe Seiichi) to resign his position and leave the country in shame. Now, at the hotel's 30th anniversary, the hotel is facing a crisis; the president has just been submitted to the hospital, and the hotel is facing a potential takeover. Under his request, assistant manager Odagiri Kyoko (Ueto Aya) goes to Korea in order to convince Kouhei to return. Kyoko is caught up in an incident when her purse is stolen when she meets Mizusawa Keigo (Oikawa Mitsuhiro), who tries to help her. Ultimately, Kyoko comes back to Japan unsuccessful. However, under the advice from Korean hotel manager Shin Dong Hyuk (Bae Yong Jun), Kouhei returns to Tokyo Ocean Hotel as the position of the new general manager. Upon his return however, Kyoko once again meets Mizusawa Keigo. Little does Kyoko know, not only does Keigo want to take over the Tokyo Ocean Hotel, but he also carries affections for her.

Directed by Kang Eun-kyung, Hotelier leans on a strong ensemble — Aya Ueto, Naomi Nishida, Seiichi Tanabe — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2007.