El Amor es como el Cha-Cha-Cha (2021)

refreshing and incredible.. until the later half

overall, this show was really really good. it was mostly light hearted with lots of mature dialogue, deep characters, beautiful cinematography, and more. for the first half, i was convinced this drama would be in my top three along with vincenzo and healer. up until episode 10, I think id give this show a 10/10. somewhere along the second half it seemed to have lost its spark, but none of the issues im going to discuss are reason enough to not watch this show. overall i recommend it.

as an overview, i love thinking about how much progression we saw over the course of 16 episodes. especially within the FL whom I feel was the main vessel of change, i can see a huge difference in her from the first to the last episode. same goes for the other characters, all of them had some kind of realization or moment at least once in the show, and i really appreciated how different people at different stages of life were all given a moment to have feelings and talk about their trauma, because thats real. There also arent any typical vicious drama villains: the second male lead is accepting, the teacher is actually just quietly in love with hwajeong, everyone feels real and not at all like a typical drama caricature. usually dramas forget everyone that isnt the main character, but not this one. i also really liked the vibe of the show itself, it promises and delivers a mature healing drama full of family and friendships and community and all that good stuff. The themes of second chances, the importance of emotional support, this was also so nice to see on screen. the writing was stellar, until the later episodes ( especially ep 15). The characters are all interesting, the cinematography is great, and even the ost is good, its an almost perfect drama if i ignore the later episodes.

im going to discuss stuff i didnt like because when a show is this good, the issues tend to stick out more than usual. Some of these things are very nitpicky, so dont take them as a reflection on the show as a whole.

full review below. SPOILERS

even though this drama covered many important topics such as the hardships women face (with the crazy pervert and the childbirth) and even included a lesbian (!!!), i felt that the way they addressed many of these topics was a little skewed and delivered the wrong message. as for childbirth, i was pleasantly surprised that they were depicting it on screen as well as reinforcing how hard it really is to be a woman. but it was ruined by FL saying how romantic it was when the husband promised to be by the wifes side even though the entire episode talked about how he was a horrible husband that didnt even change his kids diapers and didnt realize that childbirth was difficult. like what ?? and as for the teacher, she just comes and goes throughout the show and i wish she was on screen and talked about herself more (instead of showing up to give yeongguk a motivating speech about apologizing to hwajeong), since lgbtq are not often seen in kdramas. and then i enjoyed how they depicted change with the FL and trauma with ML, but the way his was only delved into in the last episode really sucked since i think that shouldve been a main focus along with FLs personality shift.
It feels like all of the issues I have with this show come down to an unbalance, or a right message gets skewed the wrong way, you’ll see what I mean.


as for the FL, i generally enjoyed her growth. i loved how obvious it was, how realistic it seemed. it was gradual, but there were also specific moments where you can SEE her changes. like in episode 10 where she walks in the rain even though its something she hates, just because she recalls ML saying that she should let herself just exist. i love how open she becomes, with the way she confesses her feelings so openly in ep 10 with no hesitation. when she first came to gongjin she was so artificial, pretending to listen to everyone, smiling and nodding absentmindedly. it was a complete 180 to see her be as genuine and open as she became.

For the ML, his personality was always captivating, and he was an interesting character. here is where my first issue with the show comes in: they shouldve given chief hong more flaws. he doesnt seem to have any besides his trauma, which isnt really a “character flaw”, unlike FL that is judgmental, stubborn, unwilling to change sometimes, etc etc. especially in comparison to the FL, hong is TOO perfect. Plus you’d think someone with that much trauma would seemingly have more issues: maybe trust wise or be cold and angry, but he wasnt any of those things. Up until episode 10 (which I thought were 10 perfect episodes) FL grows as a person thanks to hong which is fantastic character growth and fantastic set up for their relationship, but hong doesn’t change at all. And why would he? He’s kind, helpful, can do everything. They should’ve given him a basic flaw like being stubborn or something so he could change thanks to hyejin as well. But he was the one always calling out her flaws and mistakes while he remained the same, and although he was often justified I was sometimes annoyed at how he wouldn’t mind his own business and tried to change her when it wasnt his place.

The reason I keep saying "up until episode 10" is because after that I feel like the show lost its spark. character wise, the shift between pre-relationship FL and relationship FL was so jarring. She felt like an entirely different person. And yes people are cuter with the person they like of whatever, but they should’ve incorporated some of this into her pre-personality so it wouldn’t come off as so strange when she suddenly started acting this way. I also felt like some of her character development was wiped off after episode 10. in fact, i occasionally felt that the FL was even more unreasonable and unlikeable than in the beginning. In episode 11, she hurt ML physically and emotionally, such as when she asked him to take care of the Second Male Lead, when she has unreasonable requests, when she takes him to see the sunrise at 4 am, when she makes him wear school uniforms to take pictures. especially when she drags him around the mall and he’s clearly saying no to doing things and she pressures him when he constantly says no. And to keep their relationship a secret hyejin hurts dusik throughout the entirety of ep 11. physical violence is never okay, especially not for comedic purposes. the fact that it was done multiple times made me less and less excited to finish that episode. and the fact that her go to reaction when she was surprised was to hurt him really made me dislike her, despite all of the progress that they made on her personality. this also really pushes the narrative that shes full of flaws and he isnt because hes forgiving and understanding.


Back to the ML, he was the one that carried this Big Secret Trauma for a majority of the show which like I said earlier was made out to be his only flaw. we didnt even know what it was until nearly the last two episodes, which I have a few issues with.
i dont appreciate how they approached his trauma as a flaw, because it isnt. everyone has trauma and issues, and not everyone reacts to it the same way. hyejin was hurt by her ex bfs words that caused her to be more materialistic, but she never shares that with ML. yet she expects him to share everything with her? she had a line where she said "im okay with showing you all of me, so why cant you do that for me?" which, just because hes seen you drunk and met your stepmom does not mean he needs to reveal more than hes comfortable with. she pushes him constantly to open up about his trauma (that was much more severe than her ex saying she dresses ugly) and i thought this whole situation and episode were so unreasonable. i understand that she expected more from him and their relationship, she was thinking of their future and he wasnt yet. i empathize, im sure its hard when your S/O isnt where you are and youre feeling anxious about where your relationship is going. but they had only been dating for what, a few weeks at that point? that combined with how much pressure she was putting on someone that was clearly hurting made it hard for me to feel for her.

plus, when SHE decided they need a break, she kept rubbing it in his face saying “we are on break- BUt why arent you saying anything to me? im giving you time- BUT why wont you tell me your secrets?!? we’re on break-BUT-here i am at your house even though i suggested the break!” and then she ends the break when she feels like it- even though initially it was supposed to be FOR him to heal. this was why, despite me being understanding of how hurt she was about ML not being open about his past, i just couldnt be on her side. This was one of the moments where again, I felt that her character development was setback.
the way this led to people blaming hong when he was trying to deal with TRAUMA was just so ?? disgusting to me. no one knows what hes dealing with, but they keep pushing him. It is never anyones place to push someone to speak about their trauma or disclose aspects of their personal life if they are not ready to do so.
And hwajeong tells FL that she should give it time, which had a nice sentiment, but then she told FL to be MLs rock. Again, taking a lovely scene with a good script and turning it into something that isnt necessarily a great message. If someone isn’t in the same place emotionally where you are then you dont need to wait for them. this is another reason i couldnt entirely be on FLs side, if hong isnt where she is and he doesnt want the future she wants, she cant just force him into it. even though i loved them as a couple, they shouldve just had them break up then instead of depicting their relationship how they did. you should never push someone when they arent ready, and you dont need to wait by that person either. if you want a future, and your partner just isnt sure, then you dont need to be with them. The result of this situation was as I mentioned, FL constantly pushing ML and reminding him that she is giving him the HONOR of her patience, while he struggles to deal with his internal conflicts. The way this whole episode was handled was a big no from me.

as for ML’s actual trauma, they dragged it on for SO long. and im not saying it wasnt worth the wait, but I was underwhelmed. Maybe the trauma they gave him would’ve panned out better had they disclosed it earlier and had him work on himself for the remaining episodes, but they chose to build suspense and shove it on us at the very end. Which, okay fine, but this didnt work for me. Despite the big suspense, he wasnt a murderer or anything, he blamed himself for a situation that was unfortunate but not at all his fault. Some people hypothesized that he was in a car accident with his wife and child which i think wouldve been better to fulfill the suspense than what actually happened, which was that he was there for the death of his best friend and dohas father became paralyzed (which had NOTHING to do with hong and was entirely the fault of the father who made a reckless decision). but the show treated him like a murderer which is pointless for several reasons. for one, when doha calls him a murderer, no one in gongjin actually thinks he is one so theres no outer conflict. we are never under the impression that he is either because he has proven over and over again that he is kind and good natured, so its more annoying than anything else that the show treats him this way. that leads into two, we are watching this pan out as an audience. we KNOW none of it is his fault, so watching this poor guy blame himself since childhood for his parents and grandfathers death, and then those related to the adult deaths blame him for those, it just sucked. its just not great to watch someone get beaten down over and over again, especially since this is a made up "healing" story and the writers can do whatever they want with it, and they chose to leave the actual healing for the very last minute. in real life, yeah there are probably people like hong. but this is a drama and watching his internal conflict pan out just doesnt make sense when its entirely in his mind and he didnt actually DO anything wrong. so its just annoying and unsatisfactory when for 15 episodes youve been like WHAT is this trauma and that answer is: another accidental death that has nothing to do with hong and everything to do with everyone else. i guess in a sense its realistic that he might get blamed by those that are hurting, but i just felt like i was watching this perfect guy who has lived a shitty life get blamed over and over again, and even now when he is supposed to be forgiving himself, the wife of his friend refused to apologize and doha tells him he shouldve taken better care of his father. what poor writing, there should be a balance between the tragedy and how much shit this poor guy gets and the healing (not to mention gamri dying in the same episode??). how many times do we need to see him apologize for things out of his control and get hurt? i think his healing shouldve been a main focus, maybe cutting into the time of all of the unnecessary misunderstandings and filler moments or even into FLs personality change. because although her arc was important, we watched her change throughout the entire show and he only got the last episode.


All of this happens in the second half of the show, which like I said lost its spark. The scenes felt a little more childish, with more misunderstandings to brace us for the couples upcoming conflict, and more happy go lucky filler to brace us for the reveal of the Big Trauma. the trauma itself wasnt handled well either. honestly, i kind of lost interest and had a hard time sitting through the episodes, while before id open netflix the second the episode was up and watch it immediately. i still really appreciated the show, but it didnt give me the same feelings as before.

Also in the second half, we see less of the other characters and focus more on the main relationship. I thought this was a big mistake because initially the magic of the show was the family feel and the environment, but that dwindles away to give focus to how the main relationship develops and has misunderstandings. the other characters only seem to come in to give motivational speeches or to make minor commentary (like in ep 15 when hongs trauma is revealed and they sit there for two seconds and take turns saying they are worried about him) or to help add to the drama (like in ep 14 when doha punches hong, everyone in gongjin is there to add to the dramatic feel). I wish we focused more on everyones individual lives ad relationship at that point, instead of making way for silly misunderstandings or filler or the Big Trauma. like the scene with yijoon and his parents getting back together was so heartfelt, and i think we shouldve gotten more of that with each character.Like I said, a solution to this wouldve been disclosing the trauma earlier and gradually working on it, which wouldve given more time for hong to actually get over it (because I can’t believe that in the span of an episode his years long trauma disappears) and the other characters could’ve had more screen time.


i think the shows flaws come down to one thing: an unbalance. an unbalance within flaws, an unbalance with the pacing, an unbalance with the characters personality. There was even an unbalance of storytelling and mood: the whole drama was mature but then we have the childhood connection, really? That didnt even add anything to the story so why was it even in there? plus the way everyone was connected?? PD is related to the wife of hongs best friend and PDs editor is the son of he guy who worked at hongs company and PD went to school with hyejin and they all meet up in this one small town i mean ?? really ?? It felt unfitting for a show that was otherwise serious and realistic. And where was miseon, FLs best friend, for half of the show? In some episodes she just wasnt home, or she just isnt mentioned. She only starts showing up for relationship issues in the later half of the show. I loved their friendship, so I wouldve loved to see more of them. I also wouldve loved to see more interactions between the gongjin citizens and hyejin after her personality shift. these are just little things that could’ve been changed to greatly improve the show.

Of course I dont expect perfection, but some of these flaws were so avoidable. Just taking away the line about hyejin romanticizing the poor relationship between the market owner and the hardware owner or just leaving the line from hwajeong at “ wait for him to open up” instead of saying be his rock, all of this wouldve fixed what I think of as a flaw. Overall, I do think this show was really really good. But because I had such high expectations for it, how some of the scenes were handled really set it back.

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I do not understand the hype

I will cut to the chase. It was not bad, it was a nice series to watch to pass your time but the reviews make is sound like it's a masterpiece. The only unique aspect this series had to offer is the stories of the secondary characters. However, in classic kdrama fashion, they decided to focus on the main characters' romance instead of them. That wouldn't be an issue, if the main storyline was strong or if they managed to smoothly play in the main story but I found their story the least interesting, the only interesting parts of the main male protagonist were almost brushed off and resolved out of nowhere so it felt predictable and rushed. Instead the producers decided to cram in many overused clichés that offered nothing to the story. The 3-4 minute blatant Domino's pizza ad in the middle of the last episode was the cherry on top... you knew at that point the creator didnt really care to make a nice story. Dissapointing, because it could have been so much more.

Both main actors are amazing (and beautiful), great acting but the chemistry was not fully there.
As mentioned previously the stories of the villagers were incredible, they dealt with so many different issues and it left me craving for more.

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Will You ‘ Cha Cha Cha’ into watching this drama?

Aside from its questionable title ‘ Hometown Cha Cha Cha’ is a remake of the rom-com’ Mr. Hong’ (2004) updated and directed by Yoo Je-won, the same director behind dramas such as ‘Oh My Ghostess’ and ‘Tomorrow With You’. The storyline isn’t labyrinthine . Cha-Cha-Cha is a straightforward rom-com ( taken from the original movie) of “ city girl moves back to the sticks and falls in love”. However this boils down to the ultimate question for newcomers thinking of picking the series up; “is ‘ Hometown Cha Cha Cha’ actually worth watching? “

Arguably the drama does a really good job at subverting certain cliches and stereotypes beyond the expectations of viewers . Whilst the villagers are sometimes used for stock comedy , they are often more than just filler characters also. Many of them have their own problems which are revealed as the series progresses. For example Oh Cheon-jae (Jo Han-chul) is a cafe owner and a washed-up one hit wonder who despite often ending up as the butt end of the joke, has a more sensitive side by desperately yearning to return back to his brief glory days. There was something oddly heartfelt about each episode taking a moment away in order to focus upon side characters such as the village grandmas who main heroine Hye Jin (Shin Min Ah ) encounters in this small seaside town.

On the other hand this brings us onto one of the biggest elephants in the room surrounding our main female lead Hye Jin. Actress Shin Min Ah is decent enough here. On the other hand her onscreen persona Hye Jin is trickier to address. Hye-Jin is the epitome of the “ carte blanche female lead”; a character who has some necessary plot-driven angst, sweetness and backstory, but rarely has more definitive depth, emotions and realistic flaws.

Adding to the issue of Hye-Jin’s character arc is that whilst she does have “flaws” they’re never really pointed out by director Je-Won more directly . This is because Je-Won tries too hard to present Hye-Jin as a “ loveable and perfect” female heroine without considering that perfection can often be flawed . Of course our MC does have her sob story and angst-ridden moments later on in the series but these scenes rarely enforced more powerful emotions onto viewers as there was little to make Hye-Jin grow or learn from her past mistakes . This was case and point when others such as male lead and main love interest Du Sik( Kim Seon Ho) pointed out Hye-Jin’s mistakes at times as arrogant or rude, the drama rarely gave her the chance to grow or explain herself without either turning the blame on Du Sik for interfering, making Hye-Jin burst into tears or failing to accept her own mistakes sincerely . The problem with Hye Jin is that her character arc runs on pure plot device steam than actual character writing- we never find out what really drives Hye Jin either through her current flaws addressed, her career and future goals ( rather than mere romance) or for the sake of plot.

This moves us onto main lead Du Sik. Similar to costar Shin Min Ah, Kim Seon Ho was delightful as dexterous “all-round-ace” Du Sik- adding his own sweet charm to a character with a surprising amount of profoundness . He’s an extrovert, incredibly talented at everything and good-natured but also shares his own personal troubles as well. On the other hand whilst later episode scenes relished in tackling Du Sik’s past, this did feel slightly rushed than well-paced. We do see Du Sik’s problems build-up in early scenes and it was surprisingly refreshing to see vulnerability against a seemingly “ strong” character such as Du Sik.

Consequently it felt as though the drama could’ve done more to have built-up dramatic tension around Du Sik’s past and character arc. Whilst it is used to present drama and a spanner in the works with his relationship with Hye Jin, it was evidently used to add some tension and dramatic dilemmas rather than feeling gradually built up or allowing to present the profound connection between our leads more sincerely.

This of course leads us to discussing about the romantic setup between our leads which is (unsurprisingly)a rocky road. On a positive note it was heartwarming to see their feelings blossom . Even from the first episode the route of potential romance between our main characters was obvious. Bland chemistry in early episodes was ignited by more cutesy interactions as episodes progressed as well as fire added to the flames with dramatic tension keeping the ball game going between the two characters.

Similar to his previous works, Yoo Je-Won adds his own personal touch of oozy sweetness to the overall production. Pohang City in the province of North Gyeongsang in South Korea sets the perfect location for the fictional Gongjin village. The blue horizons of clear skies and crystal waters, provided an idealistic escape throughout the series.Vivid cinematography accentuates scenes alongside bright lighting, whilst more slapstick comedy from the original movie is replaced by a few farce scenes in order to focus upon more meaningful scenes between its main characters. The ending offers a more bittersweet note for viewers with an ending that was sweet but admittedly expected.

‘ Hometown Cha Cha Cha’ is the epitome of a rudimentary sweet sugary ice cream treat- cutesy fluff and with its own bittersweet edge at times, but it could easily melt under the pressure of its own plot build-up and dramatic tension. Overall it is really dependent on what you’re looking for in a drama- a quick, easy and back-burner romance setup ( which you’ve probably seen a million times already) in order to pass the time? Then definitely.

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If only it had ended as well as it began!

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha begins with lightning. Somehow, the creators were able to align everything just right for a simple story about a woman dentist hitting a wall in her life. The premise isn't new, and well, one could honestly call it a mid-life crisis series, except they purposely make sure to let us now the characters are just at true adult age (their early to mid 30's) and not yet on that particular journey.

Yoon Hye Jin (Played by the absolutely stunning Shin Min Ah) is a morally steadfast dentist who can no longer take the greedy pressures of the Seoul clinic she works. After a final run-in with the owning dentist, she quits, with enough money to keep herself fed, but not enough to open her own clinic in the expensive city. With her name in the mud with other dentists and unable to find a new position, Hye Jin runs off to a small coastal town she visited as a child that holds the last great memory of her mother. Meant to be only a day trip to celebrate her long deceased mother's birthday, fate intervenes trapping her there money-less, shoe-less, and roofless.

Enter our male lead, Hong Doo Shik known as Chief Hong, a dashing townie (Played winningly with just the right touch of sex appeal by Kim Seon Ho) who does basically every job the town has to offer, and shows up everywhere our female lead is too. As he hands her a single found shoe, Cinderella and her prince end up in tongue sparring match, as Chief Hong finds our destitute Hye Jin snobbish and entitled.

Just suffice it to say, that in this single day and night in the fictitious seaside town of Gongjin, Hye Jin meets every power player the series will deliver, and has a whirlwind of experiences that ultimately make her decide to open up a dental clinic here, where she can actually afford too.

Thus, the fish-out-of-water big city girl in small town life begins, and how enjoyable it is to watch.

Every single side character has a story to tell, and those stories, unlike other series such as Racket Boys, actually intertwine and affect our main journey and main characters. Everyone is, for the most part, believable as real people living their lives in this small town. You learn to love, be annoyed at, or mostly not like everyone in play. This is an utter triumph compared to what is many times delivered by such stories.

The first ten episodes of the series are some of the most heartwarming, funny, romantic, believable, and, I dare say, honest storytelling hours I have seen in a while. The director, and writers, always went right up to the line of over-the-top without actually crossing over into it. The restraint was admirable, and it makes one want to lay back smile, giggle, and press play in the most refreshing sense of enjoyment.

However, episode eleven is where this praise abruptly stops. When the series shifts gears with its main leads, in what should be a great payoff, the audience instead ends up with a saccharin, ridiculous, and trite hour plus episode that could cause whiplash. Whatever restraint the makers had shown instantly dissolves into a story that goes full force into territory seemingly written and executed for teenage schoolgirls.

It takes a few episodes for the series to stabilize, but at this point what existed between our main leads seems to have become a thin anorexic version of what it was previously. The story begins working overtime to create teachable, emotional, and sentimental moments. The natural honest feel good storytelling that earmarked the first ten episodes being replaced with cloying, fake, and melodramatic plot lines.

When the penultimate episode fifteen begins, you find yourself embroiled in an almost entirely different show. We get a long hinted at and hidden backstory that rolls out in the most unbelievable fashion. The events are over-the -top worst case scenarios that string together in a waterfall of tragedy. That our Chief Hong even remotely blames himself for a laundry list of events that are completely and utterly outside of his control is aggravating. Even worse, the self medication, nightmare having, therapy going lead never addressing the elephant in the room brought up episodes ago, in that he feels he causes the deaths of everyone he has ever come to love. This is left unresolved, or in truth most things end up being resolved by just a good long cry. Which is especially frustrating considering after all this exposition and chaos the episode ends with the death of one of the most beloved townspeople. Just to top of more tragedy, not that you won't see this plot point coming.

I will admit, I am short changing this a bit, but not by much. It becomes so heavy-handed at this point, I actually found myself yawning and reaching for my phone. Yes, I can tell you the current CNN headlines. And considering that this show previously had me losing sleep for just one more episode, is a very very mighty fall.

In the end, everything becomes about marriage. Marriage for everyone. Everyone in love. Even children. And to push this moral further you will be subjected to one of the worst and most manipulative scenes I've ever watched on shaming people were get divorced. It even involves a child crying. But, all is good because the townsfolk you have spent any time with at all are making a ridiculous parade down to the beach to take pictures all together in joy!

What started out amazing, ends in a bumbled, frustrating, trite, and unrealistic mess. But the beginning episodes can be watched over and over again until the end of time. And they alone keep this at an 8, B+/A- , 4 stars. If only the ending had stayed as strong.

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A Simple Story with Depth

When you first read the anemic synopsis , you can't help feeling like you've seen this exact plot summary play out multiple times in a plethora of different languages, timelines, and nameless faces . It then becomes difficult to stifle the incoming yawn once you realize that this drama is going to be set in a slow and meandering sea side village, and that the drama is going to attempt to use a character driven plot to keep audiences glued to the screen.

You find yourself tempted to skip Hometown Cha Cha Cha for the next generic Kdrama on your Recommended List. But then you decide to watch one episode. That felt great, light and breezy you think, and so you play the next episode. That felt even better you thought to yourself! Then you realize there are no more episodes... you are in trouble... this simple drama set in the tiniest of fishing villages has entangled you and a million of other fans in an endless loop of hungrily waiting each week for the next episode of a drama that has very little plot twists, dark mysteries and shock factor; and yet somehow has inexorably entranced a legion of Kdrama fans in it's simple story.

Don't let the simplicity of the story fool you though, as there is plenty of depth to be found in this drama. Hometown Cha Cha Cha aims to keep the audience hungry with it's strong character driven plot, and succeeds heavily in this regard. The time the drama takes to develop it's supporting characters with ample screen time and character depth are rewarded in the latter half of the drama as these characters, that would be nothing but fillers in any other drama are given life, their names carrying more weight, and their presence offering soothing support for the Main Couple of the story. No longer are these supporting character left to be skipped and forgotten but rather they serve as a blend of different characteristic that serve to enrichen, and color our black and white sensibilities in warming palettes that we can see and feel.

The writing of the plot, the direction, even the light and melodic OST all serve as the backdrop for these top rated thespians to showcase their crafts. Whether it's the has been singer, the nosy neighbor, or the tireless mother, these talented actors and actresses break out of the mold of the stereotypical kdrama side characters to breathe life into these tired and comfortable cliched characters that would be caricaturized with a lesser plot or thespian. The has been singer becomes multi-faceted, the nosy neighbor gains depth, and that one tireless mother makes our eyes swell with tears, as her quivering voice mask the inner cracks forming within.

The ultimate purpose of the development of the characters of Gongjin became apparent in the midway point as the supporting character's stories start to intertwine and intersect with the story arc of the main couple. Similar to theatrical plays like Hamilton, the audience is almost subject to an invisible fourth wall of which none of the Gongjin inhabitants are privy to. We see ourselves jumping from the life experience of one character after another, almost as if we are all encapsulated within the show, bearing witness to this beautiful romance blooming in this tiny seaside village.

The chemistry of the two leads is electric. From the first episode till the last episode, you can't help but root for the main couple as they both try to fight feelings that clearly has bubbled over since they first set eyes on each other. Although there is a love triangle inserted briefly in the show, it's actually the main couples personal trauma that initially keep them apart at differing times of their relationship. Maturity is as the forefront of this drama, as most situations are dealt with the way that you would expect mature adults to act. Although there are scenes of skin ships in the show, it's actually the scenes where you see silent understanding between the two main leads that sets hearts fluttering. And with Kim Seon Ho's masterful use of micro expressions, a silent three second gaze speaks more volumes than the boisterous and often used "Sarang Haeyo". One of the most powerful scenes in the show is Hye Jin, slowly walking, slowly realizing her feelings for Dusik.

We are mesmerized by the beauty of both the ML and FL. Their laughing eyes, their toothed smiles, and their dominant dimples; all these things play a role in making us gently take a seat and enjoy the sea side ride. But as each episode further shows cracks in the main couple, we start feeling guilty in our comfortably relaxed position, as we start seeing tears behind those laughing eyes, cracks showing between those toothed smiles, and dark depths in those dominant dimples. We start realizing that all that happiness, all that selflessness may be hiding a tale deeper than we had anticipated when we first start to step into Gongjin. Just like Hye Jin's shoes, we feel we are safely in the white sandy beaches, unknowingly to us, when we look down, the tide has come in, and with it a tale of sadness, and a short snapshot of the importance of mental health and a proper support system.

Where I feel the drama may have stumbled is in the unnecessary tonal shifts in the last few episodes. But the drama ends on a high note, and the last few mediocre episodes is not enough to sabotage more than 14 episodes of good will. In reality, this is a drama caught in between. It should have either ended after 12 episodes, or it needed 20 episodes to properly flesh out the emotions and character development to properly close Dusik and Hye Jin's arc. But since the last few episodes was rushed to close as much plot holes as possible, the tonal shift felt out of place and disjointed, almost felt like watching two different dramas. The maturity and depth of the first 10 episodes start to dip in the remaining episodes, and it suffered from slightly inconsistent characterization. Of course, all these tonal shifts can be defended and explained in ones mind, but I actually much preferred the easily digestible characterizations the Main Couple had in the first 10 episodes, that the back 6 paled in comparison.

Is this drama a perfect drama? It is not. But if watching Hometown Cha Cha Cha has taught me, is that just because something is not perfect does not mean it isn't good. Just like a Mcdonalds cheeseburger can seem like a gourmet meal to a starving man, in a time when many people are healing from the mental and physical strain of the Pandemic, Hometown Cha Cha Cha is that perfect drama that captures so many different emotions and situations that we can all find something to relate and heal from.

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A Sanctuary

The beautiful seaside village of Gongjin, with its picturesque landscape, sandy beaches, rustic homes and a quaint red lighthouse that overlooks the vast openness of the ocean. It is the perfect sanctuary for weary travellers and those who seek refuge in its peaceful, idyllic setting. All visitors from near and far are warmly received by its friendly inhabitants with wide smiles, open arms and fresh seafood. Welcome to Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (where the only thing that’s perhaps missing is a dental clinic).

This fictional village truly exists but goes by a different name in real life - it is actually the coastal town of Pohang in South Korea’s east coast. HomeCha is a remake of the 2004 film, Mr Hong, which in turn is based on the original screenplay written by Kang Seok Beom and Shin Jung Goo. The 2021 iteration is helmed by Yoo Je Won (The King: Eternal Monarch and Hi Bye, Mama!) and adapted into the 16-episode drama format by Shin Ha Eun (The Crowned Clown and Argon). Im Ha Young (Oh My Ghost and Search: WWW) serves as music director.

As it was in the movie, Homecha is a rom-com about a girl from the big city who moves to the quiet little village where she meets and falls in love with a local boy. Sounds like the typical fish out of water character in an opposites attract love story except there’s more than meets the eye. In addition to the romance and comedy, this is a healing drama that explores slice of life aspects, from the mundane to the extraordinary, amidst a backdrop of myriad colourful characters and mysterious backstories.

I haven’t watched nearly enough K-drama romcoms to qualify as an expert in this subject but I’m well aware of the associated tropes that are usually present in the genre. This drama is no exception and features a number of such cliches and plot devices in the storytelling, which I don’t really mind because for the most part, they are generally well executed and not OTT. Despite the plot being rather straightforward, it has to be said, it does start off brightly and remains steadily engaging along with a multitude of story arcs and sub-plots involving certain side characters, mainly the residents of the seaside village. It’s not all rainbows and sunshine, however, due to the inclusion of angst and tragic circumstances in the overarching story.

The production is of high quality and the scenic location of the principal photography affords the drama some utterly breathtaking panoramic vistas, largely attributed to the excellent all-round cinematography. The well-rendered night shots particularly at the waterfront and pier deserve praise as well as the art direction and overall interior set designs of the traditional village homes. The action sequences are minimal but the special effects for a significant event in episode 15 are very well executed.

As far as the cast is concerned, Kim Seon Ho shines the brightest as the affable and down-to-earth Hong Du Shik aka Chief Hong. He certainly fits the role to the tee and rounds off his performance with a powerfully emotional delivery towards the closing stages of the drama that is heart-wrenching to witness. Shin Min Ah portrays the FL Yoon Hye Jin who eventually falls in love with Chief Hong. I find the character somewhat lacking in depth and infuriating at times, while her interpretation of the role is merely adequate. She is certainly capable of more dramatic range but seems to be constrained by the limitations of the script. Nonetheless, both Kim Seon Ho and Shin Min Ah do complement each other visually and the chemistry that they share appears convincingly developed. It’s worth mentioning that the production takes full advantage of their similar facial features for viewers to assign the moniker of “dimple couple” to the leads.

Among the supporting cast, Lee Bong Ryun and Kim Young Ok impressed me the most, as Yeo Hwa Jeong and Kim Gam Ri respectively. These two veterans certainly showcased their nuanced portrayals throughout. Despite her limited screen time, Kim Ji Hyun is memorable in her guest role of Seon A, a testament to her stage experience indeed. The child actors are also deserving of praise, especially Ki Eun Yoo as Jang Yi Jun.

The drama features 8 OSTs, the most prominent being its upbeat main theme, Beautiful Sunday which reflects the overall tone of the production. The rest of the soundtrack consists of slow-tempo love ballads.

로맨틱 선데이 Romantic Sunday by Car the Garden 카더가든
어느 햇살 좋은 날 One Sunny Day by Kassy 케이시
My Romance by CHEEZE 치즈
바람 Wish by Choi Yu Ree 최유리
빛이 되어줘 Be the Light by Kim Jae Hwan 김재환
내 기억 속에 남아 있는 그대 모습은 The Image of You (Remains in My Memory) by Sandeul 산들 of B1A4
Here Always by Seungmin 승민 of Stray Kids
행복했으면 좋겠어 I Hope You're Happy by Lee Sang Yi 이상이

HomeCha is generally an easy and relaxing watch that provides sufficient heartwarming and entertaining moments to fill the weekend and in between more serious or darker dramas in the watch list, which was exactly what I did. The story did take a brief detour through a slightly melodramatic and angsty arc, but eventually everything worked out to deliver a much needed HEA ending for everyone involved.

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Weak writing and surface-level characterizations

I enjoy deep, meaningful slice of life interactions such as those in When The Camellia Blooms, Hospital Playlist, and Because This Is My First Life. In comparison, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha was a failed attempt. The script was written without the use of metaphors or stories, only direct, curt lines that are delivered as if spoken by an immature teen. There is zero wit, description, or complexity, which is the whole point of character-driven dramas. The only breath of fresh air was the backdrop of the beautiful seaside town of Pohang, which provided a light, airy feeling to each camera shot.

The directing and writing suffers from flawed execution. Either the cheese factor is overdone and cringey, or an unnatural indifference washes over the characters. For instance, when someone is in tears and pain, the other character just watches them in silence for five seconds before any kind of touch happens and even then, it's the type of pat you give someone who dropped their ice cream, not when there is actual trauma. Characters respond with trivial lines that sound something like, "It will be OK," and that's it. There are no further connections, words of wisdom, or stories shared in those meaningful moments. Characters are robbed of the chance to show how they are feeling, how they have grown, or how they are affected by what is going on. We are left to wonder what else they are thinking in their heads.

The lack of characterization also affects the story itself. The plot challenges in the first 3/4 of the show feel trivial because of the lack of follow-through on character growth and reflection. Even serious issues are glossed over and cut short. It isn't until the last few episodes that the writer suddenly decides to explore dramatic back stories and character development. The time in the first part of the show is wasted.

The actors try hard, but I bet even they were cringing at the script. Shin Min Ah plays Hye Jin as your classic cool-but-conceited woman, which could have worked had we actually been shown her inner thoughts and transformations. However, I like that in this role and others, she plays a smart person as opposed to a damsel in distress. Kim Seon Ho as Doo Shik comes across as overly breezy, hollow, and idealistic for far too much of the story, until the end bits. When we finally learn about his past, the weak script and characterization lets us down once again with more meaningless, "It will be OK,"*pat*pat* lines. I enjoyed Lee Sang Yi as the TV producer. He brought charisma and energy to his flat character. I liked that both male leads were good people. Finally, a shout-out goes to supporting actors In Gyo Jin as the bumbling District Head, and his strong, kind ex-wife played by Lee Bong Ryun. Of all the characters, they had the greatest number of heartfelt, meaningful interactions. The rest of the townspeople were one dimensional or just plain annoying. What a shame that this was the case.

In the end, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha paints with hollow, cringey, sepia-sweet colors to create nothing more than a postcard with no message. Although the actors tried to deliver, the writing, directing, and lack of characterization ruined its potential.

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It's rom-com till it's not,

There are a total of 5 basic tastes.. "sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and savory." Other than these our taste buds can't detect anything, each taste has its importance, own value. Now just think: You are eating the same kind of food every day with the same taste, that is sweet. On the first day you'll end up loving it, the second time you will think it's good... but after some time it won't be as good as it was before, you'll be annoyed maybe also end up hating how it tastes, coz you need all tastes to satisfy your taste buds only one is not enough, bitterness might be the worst flavor before but it also is in need with sweetness, to balance out everything perfectly.

No, I'm not writing a cookbook. I just couldn't find the best metaphor to describe the drama, but it seems I do now. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha is the combination of all these flavors. It's sweet for romance, bitter for its darkness... it's salty, sour, savory with the combination of quirky humor, heartwarming/breaking backstories. Yet not only the story offers all flavors so do the characters.

Disclaimer: This is going to be super long review.

I didn't know before I would be enlightened just by shoe scene or either found doing laundry together can be a most romantic date. Drenching in rain can brighten up my mood enough for me to smile like an idiot. We don't need majestic or grand proposals and gestures... just little moments are enough to make your heart flutter and put a smile on your face.

A slice of life, healing, it's a mystery too, then it has also a bit of melodrama, it is a tragedy. It's a lot in disguise of rom-com. Being character-driven, cliches-predictableness-troupes: do these things matter? the story is enough to get hooked till the last episode with its flow, execution, and of course those cliffhangers. Rather than having a straight solid story, it's the combination of characters-their life-their backstories while we're experiencing leads journey together... and this is like solving a puzzle, not every piece is the same but when they come together it fits perfectly. Backstories of side roles don't affect the narrative of the main plotline, it ends up enhancing it in a better way: Coz these are refreshing, even heartbreaking.. and tragic too while this sure explains having all flavors in characters.

Thinking of cons. The first thing that comes to my mind is coincidences, a lot of freaking coincidences, not just it implies how 'fated and destined' leads are together but it sure makes it to unrealities of their past encounters. And how come just everyone ends up in Gongjin... it's a bit too much in the scenario of realistic development of the story. The labour was handled terribly, the stalker part was hella unnecessary. Sometimes it lacks in flow and balancing out things, having great first half. It starts to lose its charm and the flow a bit by bit, offering 2 cringy, a bit cheesy, you'll-get-diabetic-like-sweetness episodes that don't really add anything to the story almost feeling like filers, and later it becomes dark a heavy emotional ride.. and this transaction from too much sweetness to the darker side is not very ideal, it could have been better.

The pacing of it doesn't make it bingeable, it's good for the slow watch.. bits by bits, you can't take huge chunks together then no fun as it's not amusing either surprising. But having a lot of heart-fluttering moments, a good laugh, even some pearls of wisdom without going overboard.

Let's talk about characters, the most important part.
Du Shik... overcoming the past, accepting himself, and start living with a real smile. This is his story more than anyone else. He's charming, caring, hardworking, talented almost without any flaws, maybe 'perfection' it's the flaw of his characterization (okay this is me, who prefer flawed characters more). He's just so picture-perfect to the point he doesn't feel real. He seems so approachable yet distant as a character. Someone who can be only a fictional character. He's the dream guy anyone would want in their life. Though I'm no fan of the ideal characters I do find Hongbanjag as an interesting character, it was fun to discover every side of him... actually even after making him unflawed still his character never felt 1-D. I have a lot to talk about his trauma but without spoiling it here.. I'll post it as a spoiler comment below.

I don't think anyone can have chemistry with Halmonies as Kim Seon Ho can, not only Halmonies but almost with every character he encounters... you can even debate on if he had more spark with Lee Sang Yi than Shin Min Ah lol, as Dong Shik is perfect as a character KSH is perfect at portraying him. With his charming smile that's highly contagious, I've to admit I spent a lot of time just smiling like an idiot while watching him and this isn't only abt looks or dimples lol. The same goes for emotional scenes, you can feel pain just by seeing his face.. even his fake-smile-pretending-to-be-okay is detectable in one glance. I don't think he could have been better than this.

I found Hye Jin's character relatable, she sure seems more than just being fictional leaning towards reality. She's straightforward and practical. Her development is pleasing to watch but I don't think she was any bad from the start or in need of 180-degree change. Just think of a scenario from her side: Her childhood wasn't the best, she struggled in her college days, she made herself where she's now facing all problems on her own, so her being a little stiff or insensitive towards some topics is acceptable. Having moved to the countryside as a city girl you can't adapt to the environment out of blue... growing up in a broken family you just can't accept having all people around with comfort, it takes time... that's why I enjoyed her journey of finding comfort in Gongjin. But then again it went backward where I loved seeing improvement in Hye Jin's, I was annoyed by insensitivity and lack of empathy from in some of the last episodes. I would call it rather inconsistent writing of her character.

Shin Min Ah she's stunning and very pretty. The best casting as Hye Jin seems tailor-made for her. Though I still feel her performance was a bit underwhelming in some parts.. she was great at the start, but I won't deny her being a bit over the top in almost cringe-worthy scenes. I wouldn't blame only her for it coz many times KSH ends up overshadowing everyone lol.. but apart from she did a good job. Plus they have sizzling chemistry together well what do we need more?

This one fits in the love triangle done right! it was handled with maturity. Sung Hyun is lovable and most mature... its funny to watch with being smart how oblivious he can be. I pitied him a bit but Du Shik has more priority lol so it was like for a microsecond. Other than the big coincidence of Sung Hyun ending up in Gongjin, his contribution in the story wasn't for forced or annoying... I enjoyed seeing Donk Shik getting jealous and showing his insecurities, it kinda worked as a catalyst.

The second couple is just sooo adorable, their awkward cuteness is fun to watch. The special thing about the drama is you don't only enjoy seeing leads on screen but you also enjoy seeing supporting roles... and they do have a lot of screen time but it's enjoyable. The relationship dynamics of everyone are just so amazing. There's complete family, a broken family, three best friends Halmonies, two little stars of the show... and the bonds stronger than blood relations. Together they form a family... a very happy family.

I ended up skipping Hwa Jeong's scenes with Yeong Guk they are the only ones I wasn't rooting for, I strongly believe Hwa Jeong deserves better.. a lot better, maybe just an apology from Yeong Guk would have been more than enough.... but then thinking from I-Jun's perspective I wasn't mad at the end.

I-Jun is a show stealer for me, He's such a sweetheart, more mature than half of the characters. I-Jun's character shows the details of production, why? throughout the drama, we see how considerate and amazing mom Hwa Jeong is so I-Jun's being like her this in his mom's presence is quite relatable... Hat's off to Ki Eun Yoo this kid is just 8 yrs old, but the acting he did was remarkable, I shed tears while watching him crying it broke my heart.

Hye Jin and Mi Seon's relationship is friendship goals! I also love I-Jun, Bo Ra's friendship with Oh Yoon, and Ju Ri's father-daughter dynamics. Gam Ri is my favorite character of all time. She's so lovely.. and stubbornness kinda reminds me of my grandma, maybe that's why I love her more how can I forget she have the neatest handwriting. I trio of Halmoies was one of the best things.

The poster doesn't serve justice to drama lol. It's not important but I wanted to say xD

It is simply beautiful, the aesthetics, the cinematography is amazing one of the most beautiful shows I've ever seen and yeah my storage is filled with a lot of snaps lol. I admire using the real place for shooting than sets coz it adds up more details... if you observe you'll notice scratches on wooden floors and withering of houses, it indicated people do live here.

Music is awesome.. after each episode going to Spotify and playing ost doesn't happen to me everyday lol, songs need to be addictive and no one can deny 'Romantic Sunday' is not addictive with its La-la-la-la la-la-la-la-la. These days even my 8 yr old brother has learned to sing with me sha-la-la-la-la and la-la-la-la xD

It's a feel-good drama, it's tear-jerker at the same time. More like a well-made cocktail. But don't confuse this with just a romantic comedy. Objectively 9.5 is a lot but I enjoyed it with my full heart, and my guess of the third mystery was correct so what's more important?

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Slice Of Life and Everything Else...

Maybe this review will sound more like a drunk message to an ex whom you're not willing to let go.

Maybe this is not a review at all, it's just me trying to deal with the fact that the drama I have been obsessed with since its casting news got confirmed is...O-V-E-R, over. And so is my life. Okay, I am over exaggerating here but am I?

Spent my weekdays blissfully rewatching the previous episodes, analysing every other little detail the show had to offer because the writers incorporated so many layers and deep meanings to each scene and dialogue.

Not to mention had such an amazing time discussing and fangirling over the enigma that was Hong Dushik, gushing about how God awful relatable and funny the Gongjin fam was (where else will I find such wholesome side characters again?) and putting into words the feels of watching the leads gradually falling in love as if for the very first time while romantic sunday played in the background, weekend after weekend, here in the comments section.

Despite some of its minor flaws (which I can probably justify btw) personally, this show will always have a special place. Because if I had to describe the entire thing in one word it'll be- BEAUTIFUL.

From its cinematography, coastal locations, familial themes and how they were dealt with to all its character interactions and gradual growth to almost perfection. Everything comes down to being beautiful and not in a on your face way but a more sublime, understated take to the word.
As if the show itself doesn't know its beauty but only we as viewers could acknowledge and appreciate it. Which needless to say, I obviously did.

I'll probably listen to all the Home-Cha OSTs now and cry a river with the realisation sinking in that no more will I be privy to Du Shik and Hye Jin's bantering like them old couples, Ju-Ri fangirling over her favourite idol all the while his dad pitying her for missing out on the real idol in the town- him. I-Jun and Bora's cute lil friendship and hedgehog both as a pet and a metaphor will be as badly missed and don't even get me started on the grannies and Mi Seon's budding romance with the cutie cop which almost felt like courting before an arranged marriage? I don't know I want a spin-off focusing on just these two and that's it!

Honestly, the myriad of emotions all the characters made me feel throughout the show's runtime will be a fond memory because they included not just those hearty feels but also loaded it with things that I would love to reminisce about, things that actually matter in a society and I, as a viewer could empathise and/or sympathise with
1. Mental Health
2. LGBT inclusion
3. Acceptance
4. Death
5. A child's suppressed feeling of a broken family
6. Remorse

Just a thought but if every man watched Hometown cha cha cha and set Du Shik as the standard the world might be a better place.

The Love triangle which I dreaded would ruin the happy-go-lucky vibe of it all, was nothing but a mere journey of complete closure from a relationship that never actually found its perfect timing. Who hasn't gone through that? So the dreadful triangle wasn't dreadful at all but a lesson on maturity and moving on. Quite unexpected and like I said, beautiful.

Lastly, I bargained just for Kim Seon Ho's character to finally have a happy ending but got drowned in the emotional pile of it all by the end. No wonder I am still crying and smiling at the same time.

Anyway that was me, ranting my views and sorrows from one Homecha lover to the other (and hopefully to the future ones too).

P.S. since I was supposed to be helpful which am guessing I exactly wasn't? Here's link to my article for the drama which has all the overall critiques and opinion.

https://mydramalist.com/article/currently-watching-hometown-cha-cha-cha

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Unpopular opinion - This drama doesn't deserve the hype it's getting.

First of all, I've been a fan of Shin Min Ah for years and I love her acting a lot.

But I personally think this drama doesn't deserve the hype it's getting. The story is pretty lukewarm, nothing that keeps you hooked up to the story. This story reminds me of those 100+ episode weekend dramas, except they squeezed it into 16 episodes.

The story is laid-back, portraying the daily life of a rural village, and the string of events that takes place when a woman from the city comes to live in it.

The story is okay. The acting is better with a good cast. But it doesn't deserve all the hype it's getting.

I personally had a hard time watching it because it was too boring. I even skipped most parts and managed to finish one-hour episodes in 20 minutes. I didn't even feel like watching it at the end, but I did because I hate to do things half-ass and I was hoping things would get better but NO!! It doesn't!! It's boring until the very end.

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Beautiful, good at times, bad most of the time and annoying as...

This one is soooo hard to rate,almost as hard as it was to complete it...

I would say that the characters where about 65% highly annoying and 30% amazing, great and 5% ok then highly annoying followed by ok than highly annoying again (the Female Lead) all due to writing not acting the acting was fina most of it at least not much worse than other stuff, but what was extra troubling was that the awesome characters kept interacting with the highly annoying ones, making it hard to skip if you wanted to see the awesome characters but also hard to watch because of the annoying characters. Such a SHAME and here is why:

The cinematography was beautiful, the scenery was mmmmmmm.... the faces were beautiful, the abs where not bad either... The second couple was adorable ans well so was the second male lead was just the cutest guy ever The umbrella here was such a star and it was used soooo beautifully! really enough to bring up the score. The dimple couple did look good together but their interactions where 50% annoying 40% cringe 10% cute and fun. Making my love for him fade because he liked her...

Kim Young Ok is an international treasure may she live long and prosper! the kids acting AND characters were great and one of the shows most honest lines was delivered by one of the most annoying characters.... yes it did have a bunch of good lines here and there I will give them that, but it was ruined by all the cringe.

Back to the bad, the way they make suicide sound easily avoided bugs the hell out of me, people who are close to people who have commited suicide ten to have enough what ifs as it is, making it seem like a person can hinder an attempt if they just call is just mean. And so are a bunch of other parts of this drama... cringe, superficial, highly predictable, very highly predictable in a bad way sais I who loves cliches but honestly about 80% of the twists where soooo predictable it was as if they were trying to throw us off but it was so clumsy made that any one who has seen a few dramas would guess it. Also great use of product placement as well as village feel and the found family trope thumbs up there!

Story as a whole is 8-9
Character writing 1-10
Dialog 1-10 stars
Bingebilaty 5
Extra points for some well done stuff are unfortunately less than the stuff done bad...

It is not the cast acting (most of it) that is bad it is the writing! I will probably try avoid that writer in the future...

So in conclusion if you like cringe and grownups acting like stereotypical children (an insult to children out there), or just love Kim Seon Ho enough to put yourself thru this than all the power to you enjoy! Me I am happy it is over...

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