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

Another Drama I Struggled Through

I usually watch my dramas at work when there's down time, or when I'm eating, so depending on the day and how much I like the drama, it could take anywhere from a week or two to months to finish. It took me months to finish Doom because I was just so not into it at all.

This was sort of like that but different. I felt like this couple definitely had more chemistry than the Doom couple, but they got together pretty early so I was concerned that the show was going to do multiple break up/get back together story lines, but luckily they didn't.

This is the first review I'm writing immediately after finishing a drama, so I actually remember everything. lol Something that was super annoying to me in this drama was the motivation for the FL and her relationship with ML. So, I understood her initially requesting they don't tell anyone until she talks to the guy who has a crush on her, that's it. That makes total sense and is totally respectable.

Then she spoke to him, cleared the air, and then still requested they keep it a secret... for no reason. Literally none. After specifically saying, "Just until I speak to him." (Ji Seong Hyeon's character). It's like the writers wanted some wacky montage of them getting "caught" by the towns folk but couldn't be arsed to come up with a reason for why the secret needed to continue. lol

Also, SO MUCH happened the last episode or two, meanwhile almost nothing important happened throughout the rest of the show. It felt super rushed (not as rushed as the BOF ending but still lol). And those things were actually interesting, exciting, and emotional things. Why not spread it out?

Final complaint is very superficial but they did Yoon Hye Jin (Shin Min A) sooo dirty with that wedding dress. I get they live in a small town, and they had a little nothing wedding, but my first thought was, "Wow the budget must have been GONE by this point." It was not attractive, not flattering for her at all, and looked paper thin and cheap. I bought a nicer wedding-like dress for $40 that I used to play the Corpse Bride. They could've done better. lol

Also, side note but why is there a music rating on these things? The only KDrama music that has ever, and will ever matter is the BOF music and that's because it's now used as THEE quintessential mocking KDramas music. lol

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Great complement for weekend relaxation.

Personally, this theme feels like a breath of fresh air since we've been fed with a lot of dark-nerve wrecking dramas for the last 2 years. (Vincenzo, Flower of Evil, Mouse, The Devils Judge, Beyond evil etc).

Too put it simple, it doesn't stress you out. A lot of happy moments and a little here and there of every other emotions.

Pros:
A lot of life lesson. Warm and touching. This drama perfectly present POVs from a hardworking wife, a husband, a single dad, a stepmom etc that people always bottle up and avoid talking about it.

Aesthetic-served. Cinematography is similar to Lovestruck in the City.

OSTs just stuck in your head.

Cons:
But, I personally felt like there's something missing towards the end of the story. We've been reminded on every episode how Du Sik suffers from trauma but it was just at ep 15 when everyone half-assedly apologize and he seemed rather fine all of sudden? I don't know.

Every conflicts seemed to be unfold and resolved on ep15 and 16 like and that's it?

Some episodes on second half felt like fillers.

Also SikHye romantic moments are a little too much/cringey for me.
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Anyway, I'd still recommend this to someone who needed something light for their weekend.

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Easy Watching Feel-good Romance

This was the first K-drama that I actually watched through to completion so I wanted to watch some more (I am now a complete addict) before writing a review so that I might have something to compare against. I've been rather spoilt by the series I subsequently watched, picking those with the highest ratings here on MyDramaList so Hometown Cha-cha-cha has some stiff opposition to be compared against and overall it came out well enough.

Like many people I suspect, I turned to K-dramas for some much needed escapism durin these difficult times. In particular I wanted something feel-good and "easy watching" where I wasn't going to be put through the emotional wringer and this fits the bill perfectly. The downside to this would be if you are wanting to be challenged, thrilled or otherwise stretched in some way then this probably won't do it.

So the basic storyline is straight-forward enough: Yoon Hye Jin, an intelligent and successful Seoulite dentist who is likeable but somewhat uptight, makes an unfortunate drunk internet posting mistake which sabotages her job. She therefore ends up in the seaside backwater of Gongjin where she meets Hong Doo Shik, a jack of all trades and the cornerstone of the village. Despite being a well educated professional he has ended up making this village his home doing simple jobs for a minimum wage in order to escape from some dark incidents in his past. The story follows the obvious arc with the charm of the town and the warmth of "Chief Hong" gradually softening our heroine who learns to relax and prioritise different things in her life. As they are drawn together she in turn tries to persuade Doo Shik to face his demons so that he can move on.

As I said above, this is "easy watching" - there are no blinding plot twists and everything proceeds and an enjoyable gentle pace to its obvious conclusion. There are a lot of the standard K-drama cliches: a love triangle, the usual standing and staring into eachother's eyes for an unrealistically long time, lots of "will they, won't they", some falling over and being caught in the arms of the other etc. There is a bit of drama with a serial stalker menacing the town but never anything too taxing. There are enjoyable side stories from the various villagers whom we get to meet and as our heroine learns to love the town and its inhabitants so do we too.

Like a lot of K-dramas, I find that there is a certain amount of "fat" in this that could have been trimmed. The necessity of spinning things out to the stanard 16 episode did make for a couple of really poor episode in the middle which really jarred. They were supposed to be cutesy-wootsy as the two leads start to do things together but Hey Jin behaves so out of character that Doo Shik must have been left wondering whether he actually wanted anything to do with this person! Still, after that bump we are back on track and everything proceeds smoothly. The pace does race ahead toward the end with a lot of chief Hong's back story to get through at break-neck speed but it all wraps up smoothly in the end.

The cast were great with our two leads having good on-screen chemistry and both fitting their roles perfectly. The supporting actors all did a great job despite an occasionally creaky script. So all in all, it's a very enjoyable, untaxing easy-watching romance and if that is what you are after then it fits the bill nicely.

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Best rom-com and slice of life!

~One of the best mix of romantic comedy and slice of life drama
~Beautiful character growth and engaging plot lines
~Few cliched plots but executed to perfection
~Powerful female-centric characters
~Amazing narration and handling of sensitive issues and stereotypes
including mental health, LGBTIQ, pregnancy, divorce, aging parents etc
~Filled with life lessons and beautiful outlook on life
~Second male lead storyline handled impeccably well

I laughed , I clapped, I squealed, I screamed and I also cried a lot. I was thoroughly attached to the Gongjin villagers by the end of the drama. This drama will stay with me for a long long long time. Thank you to the amazing writers and directors and the talented cast who made possible this heartwarming show in the middle of the pandemic and gave us all so much comfort.

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Great but

This drama is great, NO DOUBT. I would for sure recommend it if you enjoy slow family, community vibe dramas with no dramatic plot or "bad guys". It's a feel-good romance and the chemistry between the leads was great Until they got together. I don't know what happened but the fl suddenly did a 180 on her personality and the way she interacted with the ml, yes understandable now they are dating but it lost the spark/ banter they had before they got together. She was VERY, EXTREMELY CLINGY and HER VOICE irked me so so much it was honestly very hard to watch yet I kept going because I am guessing it is "normal" for the start of a relationship but it's not that fun to watch. I have noticed her calming down and being more herself again as they go on but this is just a warning for the ep 10-12 at least like it's a lot.

Otherwise, definitely watch this drama it's so fun and everyone is so likable.

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What a Beautiful Masterpiece

Indeed the perfect pair of the year. 😍
The casts are well suited with their characters.
The dimples of the main leads are kind of distracting.
You will just see yourself smiling because of this show.
I love everything about this show.
SLOW CLAP FOR EVERYONE WHO MADE THIS SHOW COME TO LIFE.
No dull moments in every episodes. It may feel slow sometimes but the FL and ML always saves the show.
The OST are addicting too. It's quite funny and super catchy.

Indeed the perfect pair of the year. 😍
The casts are well suited with their characters.
The dimples of the main leads are kind of distracting.
You will just see yourself smiling because of this show.
I love everything about this show.
SLOW CLAP FOR EVERYONE WHO MADE THIS SHOW COME TO LIFE.
No dull moments in every episodes. It may feel slow sometimes but the FL and ML always saves the show.
The OST are addicting too. It's quite funny and super catchy.

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A slow-burning romance in a country side

I love slow-burning romance dramas that are executed nicely. And that is exactly what we have in this drama. Two great main leads with a great team of supporting characters, great cinematography, and a storyline that fully holds up this beautiful drama. First of all, I loved our dimple couple in this drama. Their chemistry was off the charts. I loved how they slowly got to know and love each other.
I liked how all the characters had an emotional side story. It helped me connect more with them and also get to know them better. Even though the drama is light-hearted and funny for the most part of the drama it is also emotional at times. And I rate emotional scenes over funny scenes any day. As it is easier to make a person smile rather than making them cry for a character. As the story needs to touch the heart of the viewer for them to become emotionally attached to it.
There is only one thing I disliked in this drama and that is the love triangle. I know that it was good, as it made the ML realize his love interest in the FL and made him more active in pursuing the FL during the story. It was like a wake-up call for him. But still, I don't prefer love triangles.
Apart from the love triangle, I loved the drama and its beautiful cast. The drama is still ongoing let's see how it turns out to be.

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YOU MUST WATCH THIS DRAMA AND HERE'S WHY!

I never write reviews but for this one i strongly felt like i should because i dont want people to miss out on this drama if they are having second thoughts about starting this one . Following reasons are why i am loving this drama so far

1)Cinematography- There are some absolutely breathtaking wide and drone shots of the place Pohang where the drama is shot makes it such a visual treat. After watching this you will definitely want to put this place down in your wishlist of travel destinations. The setting of the drama with its picturesque landscapes, sunsets at sea will give you healing vibes for sure.

2) Cast and Characters(Both main and supporting cast)- I will admit that i was looking forward to this drama because i have been waiting for shin min ah's return but i was pleasantly surprised to see how well the rest of the characters hold their own, its not a drama which is all about the two leads ; its also very much about the people around them the actors all have done a really good job so you do become invested in their stories and struggles as well . Even the child actors give really memorable peroformances in this one .

3)Main Leads- The chemistry is so present but unlike so many rom coms this drama will give you time to like these two as individuals before they get together as a couple(which as of now they havent) . I like how both of them are not perfect but that is what makes them relatable and you will soon find yourself rooting for them.

4)Story- Even though at this stage a large chunk of story is to be seen but i like that there is an actual story to look forward to especially about the lead actor's past. This drama was already good because of the previous points but the compelling stoyrline that they have been teasing in the first episodes is such an added bonus that makes this one a complete package.


HOPE YOU ENJOY WATCHING THIS HEARTWARMING DRAMA SET IN A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AS MUCH AS I DID !! :)

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It’s a healing drama like they said it would be.

This is my first review so I hope my thoughts aren’t too scattered.

Get ready for a slice-of-life, rom-com, and healing drama! It has a lot of k drama clichés which is something I enjoy and I think that’s what draws a lot of people to k dramas. Having said that, it also defies a lot of them which made me really happy because SOME clichés are just plain annoying.

Slice-of-life
For those who are new to k dramas, slice-of-life might not be something you’re used to but it grows on you. It took me a while to get into Reply 1988 and I wondered why so many people liked it because I found it hard to get into the first few episodes but after a while, it grows on you and you become part of their life. That also goes for this drama. With each episode, you get to know the daily lives of the people of Gongjin and it surely is a great journey learning about their lives and relating to the struggles they face and seeing them overcome it.

Rom-Com
This drama is filled with rom-com elements. There are many scenes that make your heart flutter and make you smile from ear to ear. Shin Min Ah and Kim Seon Ho have amazing chemistry and you really fall in love with them and their journey. So if you’re here for some rom-com, you’ll definitely get a lot of it and some say too much of it from Episode 11 and 12… haha I enjoyed those too much though but it was not for everyone.

Healing
This drama has been advertised as a healing drama and it’s true. The healing part actually involves all the characters of the drama. Although the male lead may be seen as the one with the biggest problem, each character had something to heal from and we get to witness how they dealt with it. I really like the pace of the drama and how they realistically portrayed the struggle of someone who has faced trauma. The ML suffered a lot and it took many episodes before we even find out why but that just shows how long it sometimes takes for someone to open up and face the trauma and choose to move on and be happy. It’s as though the writer took us through a journey of healing and that involves the good, the bad and the ugly. So prepare to go on a roller coaster of emotions because that’s what healing involves. Facing all the ugly and finally coming out beautifully. Some might quit because it gets too heavy all of a sudden but for those who choose to stick around and get through the pain, the end will be rewarding.

Favourite Character
I would have to say my favourite character is the female lead, Hyejin. She showed a lot of character growth and she definitely defied a lot of the traits that I dislike about female leads. She knew what she wanted and she went for it. She also wasn’t afraid to admit her mistakes and apologize. You will find yourself applauding and wishing you had a person like her by your side. Thanks to Hyejin, we didn’t have any noble idiots around here.

Although Hyejin is my favourite character, the whole cast is amazing! Like ALL of them! The acting was top notch and this drama made me a fan of a lot of them. I initially watched this for Kim Seon Ho but I started watching a lot of Shin Min Ah’s dramas while waiting for the episodes to come out. Also, if you felt disappointed with Han Ji Pyeong’s fate in Start Up, this would be the drama for you!

Finally, if you haven’t already watched this, just give it a try! It’s a slow-paced drama that is designed to portray what healing is like. It’s not quick, it involves daily struggles, and a lot of pain. However, when you get through all of that, you can finally smile without reserve.

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